Abhiroop Das
Helmed by David Yarovesky, ‘Brightburn‘ charts the story of Brandon Meyers, a seemingly ordinary twelve-year-old who discovers that he possesses superpowers. However, the origins of his abilities turn out to be far grimmer than he expected, as in reality, Brandon is an alien. As he unlocks the complete spectrum of what he is capable of, a sinister desire for control and bloodshed begins to nestle inside his consciousness, and the result is a showdown that brings ruin to everyone around him. At the end of this horror sci-fi movie, Brandon gives in to his malevolent side and brutally murders his parents, before framing the entire scene as an aircraft accident. The cruel ending, in turn, raises the possibility of a sequel, and for years, fans have been glued to the idea. However, in 2024, producer James Gunn gave a shocking update on the sequel being canceled, which ended up birthing more questions than answers.
Brightburn 2 Was Likely Shelved Due to Issues With the Rights to the Franchise
Shortly after ‘Brightburn’ hit the screens in 2019, a lot of buzz was generated around the possibility of a sequel movie or a franchise, with fans eagerly waiting for the next, darker chapter in Brandon Breyer’s life as a supervillain. Producer James Gunn added to the discussion by claiming that talks of a sequel were already underway a few months into the movie’s release. In September 2022, The H Collective, which financed the movie, officially confirmed that development on the sequel was still underway. However, that changed around March of 2024, when James Gunn announced on social media that work on the movie had completely stopped. This came days after an ambiguous update by David Yarovesky, the director of the original movie, who told Collider that “If we were to expand the ‘Brightburn’ universe in other installments and in other ways, we would probably be doing it in the exact same way in total secrecy and then drop a cinematic trailer at some point.”
In his message, James Gunn expressed a personal desire to continue the story of ‘Brightburn,’ but also explained the reasons why that might never happen. Particularly, he said, “We talked about it early on. But the rights are all f*cked up (I only own half), so it’s unlikely that it will ever happen.” While it is not clear from his statement who the owner of the other half of the rights is, it is possible that Gunn’s statement refers to The H Collective. As of writing, neither the company nor Gunn has elaborated on why ‘Brightburn 2’ was canceled. Furthermore, given the movie’s box-office success and critical acclaim, the decision not to continue with the franchise has left many confused. While it is possible that scheduling conflicts or potential creative differences played a part in the decision, a conflict of rights remains the most direct reason for the project being scrapped. As per the creators, a sequel is unlikely to be greenlit anytime soon.
Brightburn’s Ending Teases Brandon’s Descent Into Darkness
Although ‘Brightburn 2′ was seemingly shelved in its initial stages, the concept alone indicates that the creators had an idea for Brandon Meyers’ future trajectory. Notably, the movie’s mid-credits scene features a conspiracy theorist suggesting that a secret entity known as Brightburn is behind a string of calamities that endanger human lives. As such, the potential sequel can expand on Brandon’s plan to slowly take over the planet, and also explore his goals beyond that. Furthermore, there is a chance that Brandon’s communication with the aliens has summoned an entire fleet for an Earth invasion, and in such a scenario, we might even see him turn against the forces. Alternatively, the story might focus on aliens who simply wish to co-exist with humanity, and won’t shy away from fighting anyone who threatens to disrupt their peace. Bottom line, a full-fledged alien battle is very much in the cards in the best-case scenario that a sequel is greenlit.
Alongside its deconstruction of the superhero genre, ‘Brightburn’ also shines a light on how trauma can warp and affect a child’s actions for the worse. Despite being an agent of chaos and bloodshed, Brandon is still a twelve-year-old child, one who is seemingly under the spell of greater extraterrestrial powers. As such, a potential continuation of the story can also explore the ways in which his brainwashing might be undone. The fact that Brandon’s counsellor, Marilee, as well as his classmate, Caitlyn, are both alive in the original movie, a sequel might bring them back into the equation as the only two people who can help Brandon get out of this corrosive mindspace. Nonetheless, the journey is ultimately his, and whether he lets go of his alien shackles or embraces them in a new light is likely to be the defining question regarding his future.
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