In 2017, Netflix released a movie called Bright featuring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton. The film hailed from Suicide Director David Ayer, and featured a stellar cast that included the likes of Noomi Rapace and Edgar Ramirez. The movie seemed to have everything going for it, with then-in-demand writer Max Landis having even penned the screenplay. In December of that year, Netflix officially ordered a sequel for the movie from Ayer, with Smith and Edgerton confirmed to return. Unfortunately, though, that movie never came to fruition.
So, what exactly happened to Bright 2? Unlike most sequels, which tend to be canceled due to low ratings or profits, Bright 2 s uffered a much different fate. One that ultimately came down to the actions of the film's leading man, Smith. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at what could have been with Bright 2, and why Netflix decided to ultimately pull the plug on the project before it entered production.
What went wrong with Netflix's Bright?
Netflix's Bright was David Ayer's first film after the poorly-received Suicide Squad movie the director worked on with Smith. That movie, which Ayer has confirmed was the result of studio interference, was an unfortunate blimp on an otherwise promising director's resume. Prior to the film, Ayer had proven his abilities with films like Fury and End of Watch, which is why fans were excited when the director signed on to direct Bright for Netflix. The movie, which reunited Ayer and Smith, had the director's usual grit and featured law enforcement once again - but this time, it also included orcs, elves, and fairies. The movie had a rather simple premise. Smith and Edgerton had to learn to work together in order to keep a thought-to-be-forgotten relic - a wand - from falling into the hands of the wrong party. Otherwise, the world as they had known it could be destroyed. Sadly, both critics and fans alike felt the movie was a misfire as it tried - and failed - to provide social commentary while also serving as a fantasy movie and a cop drama. Bright went on to earn a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is far from admirable, but was still able to impress with massive viewership numbers for the streaming service.
The film's biggest downfall, however, came after the film was released. Following a tweet by Netflix to promote the movie, one actress came forward with allegations against the film's writer, Landis, claiming he had abused and assaulted various victims. The allegations ultimately overshadowed the film, and as more information began to come out concerning the writer, Bright found itself buried beneath the concerning claims.
Reasons for the Delay or Cancelation of Bright 2
When Netflix ordered the sequel to Bright in late 2023, things were already looking bad for the project. By this point, Landis' career was all but stalled after the allegations made about him during Bright's rollout. This, of course, led to the streaming service initially hiring Ayer and Evan Spiliotopoulos, who is best known for penning Disney's live-action take on Beauty and the Beast, to write the screenplay for Bright 2. Everything seemed to be on track for the movie, although a timeline for production had yet to be confirmed. Then, in 2022, Will Smith caused plenty of controversy himself when he took to the stage at the Academy Awards to slap host Chris Rock for a joke concerning his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. This caused various studios and films to part ways with the actor. Some films simply removed the actor from the project, while other films, like Bright 2, were completely axed in the wake of Smith's actions. Since the incident, Smith has slowly worked his way back to the top, having recently appeared in Emancipation and Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Next up for the actor is the sequel to I Am Legend, which he will star in alongside Michael B. Jordan.
As it stands, Bright 2 is still canceled, and it seems unlikely Netflix will reverse that decision anytime soon. Since the first movie premiered, the streaming service has undergone massive leadership changes, and has suffered from the strikes and COVID, much like the rest of Hollywood. This has seemingly resulted in a tighter focus on the content being put out by Netflix. It's also worth noting that it's not clear how far Ayer and Spiliotopoulos had made it with the screenplay for Bright 2, as the sequel seemed to have been in stuck in development for years before Smith's actions impacted it. It's entirely possible the project was a mess beforehand, and was on the verge of being axed prior to Smith's actions at the Academy Awards. Either way, no one seems too upset over the loss of a Bright sequel, and that's probably for the best.
Bright is currently streaming exclusively on Netflix. There's also an anime movie inspired by Bright that is available on Netflix, titled Bright: Samurai Soul, available to watch now.