James Gunn Reacts to Brightburn’s Netflix Success

The best sci-fi movies aren't the ones that have an inherently high budget. Instead, they are those that are high in intriguing concepts and have cerebral underpinnings to their themes. Unfortunately, without big budgets, a lot of great sci-fi movies go unnoticed, and a potentially limitless genre remains unexplored.

Back in 2019, the James Gunn-produced superhero horror film Brightburn was released in theaters. The movie starred Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, Jackson A. Dunn, Matt Jones, and Meredith Hagner, and followed the story of a baby who arrived on Earth and was taken in by a couple, but as the boy grew older, he discovered powers that he doesn't end up using for good. The movie, which was directed by David Yarovesky, ended up getting mixed reviews. It currently has a 58% critics score and 67% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, according to a new tweet from Gunn, the movie appears to be getting a resurgence on Netflix.

"No wonder I’ve been getting a lot of questions about #Brightburn lately - it’s the tenth most-watched title on Netflix worldwide," Gunn shared. He also posted a blurb from an article that explains the movie has likely risen in the ranks on Netflix because "it appeals to both superhero and horror fans."

After Brightburn was released, Gunn shared that a sequel was being discussed. While no official news has come out about the project, Gunn did say, " I think I'm tied up for the next few years with Suicide Squad and then Guardians, but we're talking about the sequel."

It's true Gunn has a lot on his plate at the moment with both DC and Marvel. The Suicide Squad is being released later this year and he's currently working on Peacemaker for HBO Max. He will also soon be directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

"I believe it's okay to say that we will go into production late [2021]," Dave Bautista (Drax) recently shared with Entertainment Weekly about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. "I saw a script early on when we were all on schedule and James Gunn was attached before everything went nutso. I believe because [Marvel's] whole calendar has changed [due to the pandemic shutdown and Guardians' production delays], that storylines have changed, and they won't intersect like originally planned. Obviously, we lost Chadwick [Boseman], so I don't know where that leaves Black Panther. I haven't seen a new script, is the short answer."

Brightburn is not currently streaming on Netflix in the United States, but it is available to watch on Starz.