An incredibly creepy marketing campaign for the upcoming horror film Smile has gone viral and left viewers in the United States terrified.
Those tuning into MLB games over the weekend were treated to the chilling sight of crowd members acting quite oddly.
One clip that was shared on Twitter shows a woman sitting behind the home plate staring directly into the camera with an unnerving smile.
That’s a huge no from me.
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Later on in the game, the lady stands up to reveal her T-shirt that reads ‘SMILE’, so at least we have some hope that this is all just a marketing ploy.
The trailer for the upcoming psychological thriller depicts multiple people who have been ‘possessed’ or haunted by an unworldly character.
The giveaway that these people probably are probably on their way to a less than comfortable demise? They all flaunt an unblinking grin.
Check out the trailer for the film below, but be warned you’ll probably want to be in the company of friends or family and not on your lonesome while viewing.
After watching that we certainly hope this is all just a marketing stunt.
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The creepy baseball lady wasn’t the only one in on the act (again, we hope this is all an act).
In another baseball game that went viral online, a man in a bright blue shirt can be seen wearing that same unnerving expression.
He just stands there, staring directly into the camera and your soul.
I’d hate to be one of those people sitting next to him.
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The movie studio for Paramount has been behind the stunts, although we aren’t too sure if they want to make us see the movie or get back into bed, put a blanket over our face and pretend none of this is happening.
The viral promo even extended to Good Morning America, where again, a person can be seen in the window standing behind TV host Hoda Kotb.
That creepy smile is enough to elicit nightmares on its own as evidenced by people’s reactions online.
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One Twitter user said: “How the hell am I supposed to fall asleep tonight with that creepy smile burned into my brain?”
Another wrote: “The viral marketing for Smile is getting a bit much.”
A third added: “I hate this so much please make it stop.”
The movie is set for release this Thursday (September 29), and whether the marketing campaign has made people refrain from watching or not it’s certainly got them talking.
Topics: Film and TV, Sport, Baseball, US News
