Despite scathing reviews,Brightwill be a franchise. While reports swirled last week that Netflix was already eying aBrightsequel, the streaming service made it official today, confirming thatWill SmithandJoel Edgertonare “expected” to reprise their lead roles inBright 2. Additionally, while the first film originated with aMax Landisscreenplay that was then sold to Netflix, theBrightsequel will be written and directed byDavid Ayer, who helmed the first movie and has written films likeTraining DayandU-571, as well as films he directed likeFuryandSuicide Squad.Eric NewmanandBryan Unkelesswill produce. It doesn’t sound like Landis will be involved in the sequel at all.
Brightis set in an alternate present day populated by disparate races like orcs, fairies, and elves, who live side-by-side with humans. The first film revolved around the first orc cop (Edgerton) teaming up with Will Smith’s police officer, as the two stumbled upon an evil elvish plot to bring about the return of a dark lord or something or other. It was a surprisingly contained film, taking place in just a few locations with lots of gunplay and cringe-inducing banter between Edgerton and Smith.
Brightisn’t the worst movie ever made, but it was incredibly boring and the “banter” between the two cops felt way too forced. There’s certainly an opportunity for some world building, so I’m ever-so-slightly interested to see what Ayer comes up with for a story this time around.
But reviews didn’t seem to matter for Netflix, as the streaming service claimsBrightis the highest-viewed Netflix film ever in its first week of release, and they note that it’s more popular internationally than domestically—which may explain the greenlight for the sequel.
No timetable is given but it sounds like Ayer may very well be done with the DCEU. He was attached to write and direct aGotham City Sirensmovie but there’s been no public movement on that front, and Ayer was pretty candid about receiving more creative freedom with Netflix than he did with Warner Bros. onSuicide Squad, which was tinkered with significantly in post-production.
Watch theBright 2announcement teaser below.
