Baseball super-fan "Marlins Man" can still be seen behind home plate at some of MLB's biggest games, but something much more sinister is taking hold in the crowd this October.
Fans tuning into Game 2 of the NLCS between the Mets and Dodgers saw two people in neon yellow outfits smiling behind home plate, seemingly without any interest in the game.
There's nothing wrong with smiling at a baseball game, at least when your team is winning. These fans, however, never stop smiling, creating plenty of confusion among those watching at home.
Here's what you need to know about the people smiling at MLB playoff games this October.
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Who are the people smiling at baseball games?
The smiling individuals behind home plate are actors promoting "Smile 2," a horror movie sequel releasing just in time for Halloween.
The original "Smile" film depicts people who creepily smile after they are taken over by an entity — smiling is the least of what happens from that point on, but the movie and its branding were built around creepy smiles.
That's fine, I wasn't planning to sleep tonight anyway. pic.twitter.com/XTj7YpKwVq
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 14, 2024
This isn't the first time the "Smile" franchise has deployed this kind of marketing tactic. Actors were sent around to MLB stadiums late in the 2022 season ahead of the original film's release, and the results were about as eerie as you would expect.
The new horror movie “Smile” is marketing itself by having actors infiltrate MLB games
— 🌕 (@alilmoonn) September 28, 2022
Paramount placed these actors in the crowd at recent baseball games and had them stand motionless, and smile throughout the entire game, directly at the broadcast cameras. pic.twitter.com/1km8ZFcH1l
The publicity stunt isn't relegated to just baseball games this fall. Smilers were also seen peering out of a hotel in Dallas ahead of the movie's release.
Creepy smilers were spotted in Deep Ellum hotel rooms for Smile 2 😳
— Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) October 13, 2024
pic.twitter.com/DDTa5dMfff
The most critical moments of the MLB postseason are still ahead, with the NLCS still in its early stages and the ALCS getting underway on Monday, so the Dodger stadium stunt could be the beginning of a longer marketing campaign.
MORE: Why the Dodgers didn't have a starting pitcher for NLCS Game 2
What is Smile 2?
"Smile 2" is a horror movie sequel to "Smile," which was released in 2022. The film stars Naomi Scott.
"About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events," Paramount Pictures' synopsis of the film reads. "Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and pressures of fame, she must confront her dark past before her life spirals out of control."
The original film depicts a therapist and several patients who are taken over by an entity. A creepy smile is, as you might expect, the signature feature of the entity. While the premise of the second film seems to be much different than the first, the horror side of it will likely call back to the original movie.
Smile 2 release date
"Smile 2" is set to be released on Oct. 18, right during the middle of the ALCS and NLCS. It's unclear if the marketing campaign might extend past the release date.
