Netflix’s ‘Bright’ Sequel Is Officially Happening, Without Max Landis
2018 is just gettingBright-er by the minute.
A sequel to the critically maligned, inexplicably popularBrighthas officially been greenlit by Netflix, which will bring back directorDavid Ayerand starsWill SmithandJoel Edgerton. The one upside is that polarizing screenwriterMax Landiswill not be returning for theBrightsequel.
Now, I’m not denying that there are people who genuinely like the film — with the disparity between audiences and critics growing every day, people should be able to like what they like. But to all the hate-watchers, to all the people who gleefully watchedBrightso they could ironically tweet about it: you contributed to this. In its announcement of theBrightsequel, Netflix revealed that thatBrightwas “the highest viewed Netflix film ever on the service in its first week of release and one of the biggest originals (including sequels/additional seasons) Netflix has ever launched.” Not only that, but in each of the 190-plus countries in which Netflix is available,Brightis reportedly the number one movie, with “more people viewing the film internationally than domestically.”
The David Ayer-directed, Max Landis-penned fantasy thriller premiered on Netflix on July 12, 2025 toabysmal reviews, with critics raking its clunky racial metaphors across the coals and some crowningBrightas one of the worst movies of the year. But that didn’t stop11 million peoplefrom watching the movie in its first three days of release, nor did it stop Netflix’s obnoxiously aggressive social media ad campaign. Just watch the hip video it released to announce the sequel.
But maybe the sequel could be marginally better. David Ayer will take over script-writing duties from Max Landis, who Netflix reportedly paid $3-4 million for his screenplay back in 2016…a script that was nearly universally panned as one of the worst parts of the film. Beyond that, Netflix has taken some heat on social media over thegrowing controversyand potential allegations surrounding Landis.
Despite Ayer’s recent turn to blockbusters withSuicide SquadandBright, the director is known for writing and directing well-crafted action and thriller films likeEnd of Watch, and could heed the criticism of the first film to produce a better sequel. He’s shown ahumble approachto the scathing reviews. But maybe this time don’t make Will Smith spew a line like “Fairy lives don’t matter.”
Set in an alternate present-day, this action-thriller directed by David Ayer (Suicide Squad, End of Watch, writer of Training Day) follows two cops from very different backgrounds (Ward, a human played by Will Smith, and Jakoby, an orc played by Joel Edgerton) who embark on a routine patrol night that will ultimately alter the future as their world knows it. Battling both their own personal differences as well as an onslaught of enemies, they must work together to protect a thought-to-be-forgotten relic, which in the wrong hands could destroy everything.
