James Gunn’s latest film, Brightburn (which he produced), released earlier this year and proved to be a little more divisive than his other more recent offerings. The pic portrayed a darker version of the Superman mythos (albeit without the namesake character) where an alien crashes on earth but doesn’t quite become a world-saving hero.
Just like with the Man of Steel, the protagonist is taken in by a loving family and cared for, but when his powers start to develop, instead of becoming a benevolent protector, he turns on those around him and ends up as something of a villain, showcasing that good and evil is essentially just a flip of a coin.
And while it didn’t receive the universal acclaim that some had expected, its audacity and forward thinking were constantly applauded, and its garnered its fair share of love in the ensuing months. Given that it made over $30 million off a budget of just $6 million, and Hollywood loves nothing more than a chance to franchise, talk has inevitably now turned to a sequel.
Recently, on Instagram, a fan asked the erstwhile director if there was any chance Brightburn would receive a follow up and if he’d return to produce. Gunn replied by stating that:
“I think I’m tied up for the next few years with Suicide Squad and the Guardians [of the Galaxy] but we’re talking about the sequel.”
It’s clear from this response that any continuation of the story is a few years out at least, but this gives hope that there is interest, not only from the fandom, but also the folks at Screen Gems and Sony, who produced and distributed the film, respectively.
Especially because the movie ended with the revelation that there are more superpowered beings inhabiting the earth, the opportunities for expansion are ripe for the picking. The fact that Brightburn is an original property makes the possibilities all the more enticing, too, as this could truly turn into something different and special.