Will There Be a Bright 2 Movie? Here’s What We Know

Will There Be a Bright 2 Movie? The 2017 release of Bright marked a bold experiment for Netflix—an urban fantasy thriller that fused gritty cop drama with magical lore. Starring Will Smith as LAPD officer Daryl Ward and Joel Edgerton as his orc partner Nick Jakoby, the film imagined a modern Los Angeles where humans coexist with elves, fairies, and orcs. Despite mixed critical reception, Bright became one of Netflix’s most-watched original films at the time, prompting the streamer to greenlight a sequel almost immediately.

The Rise and Fall of Bright 2

Netflix officially announced Bright 2 in early 2018, with David Ayer returning to write and direct. The sequel was expected to expand the worldbuilding, possibly taking the story international and diving deeper into the mythology of the magic wand and the prophecy teased in the first film. However, the road to production was anything but smooth.

🗓️ Delays and Development Hell

Between Will Smith’s packed filming schedule and multiple script rewrites—including contributions from Evan Spiliotopoulos and T.S. Nowlin—the project stalled repeatedly. By 2020, director Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, Now You See Me) was reportedly in talks to take over, signaling a shift in creative direction.

🎬 Spin-Off Attempt

In 2021, Netflix released Bright: Samurai Soul, an anime spin-off set in 1800s Japan. While visually ambitious, it failed to capture the original’s audience and didn’t chart in Netflix’s top 10 rankings.

🛑 Cancellation Confirmed

In 2022, Bloomberg reported that Netflix had quietly canceled Bright 2. Although the timing coincided with the fallout from Will Smith’s Oscars incident, sources clarified that the decision was unrelated. Instead, it reflected broader strategic shifts at Netflix, including a tighter focus on high-performing franchises and reduced risk on troubled productions.

What’s Next for the Bright 2 Franchise?

With Bright 2 officially shelved, the franchise appears to be dormant. There’s no indication that Netflix plans to revisit the world of Bright, and neither Smith nor Edgerton has commented publicly on the cancellation. For fans hoping for closure or continuation, the original film remains the only live-action installment.

Still, the concept of Bright—a genre-blending narrative with social allegory and fantasy elements—continues to intrigue audiences. If revived, it would likely require a fresh cast, new creative leadership, and a reimagined approach to storytelling.