Birthdate: Mar 18, 1987
Birthplace: Bath, Ohio
Parker Finn (birthname: Parker J. Finn) is a writer-director specializing in the horror genre. Finn gained considerable acclaim on the indie horror festival circuit, after finishing filmmaking studies at Chapman University, for his debut short film, The Hidebehind (2018).
Finn soon followed with a second short film, Laura Hasn’t Slept (2020), which won a Special Jury Recognition Award in South by Southwest Film Festival’s Midnight Short section. Finn fashioned a feature-length version of Laura Hasn’t Slept, the psychological horror feature, Smile (originally titled Something’s Wrong with Rose) (2022), released by Paramount Pictures (and produced via Paramount Players and Temple Hill Entertainment) and starring Sosie Bacon, Jessie Usher, Kal Penn, and Rob Morgan, and grossing a phenomenal $217.4 million on a $17 million budget.
Parker Finn was director/writer/producer of the sequel, Smile 2 (2024), featuring a new cast including Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Raul Castillo, and Drew Barrymore (as herself), produced with Temple Hill Entertainment and released wide by Paramount Pictures.
Parker Finn was born and raised in Bath, Ohio. Finn attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing. Finn’s studies continued at Chapman University in Orange, California, where he earned an MFA degree. Finn currently lives in Los Angeles.
Influences: Parker Finn has noted that his main influences are Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, and Stephen King.
Shingle: Finn founded his own production company, Bad Feeling, in 2023, the same that he made a multi-year first-look deal with Paramount Pictures to direct, write, and produce feature movies.
