Netflix has reportedly quietly canceled the sequel to Bright starring Will Smith. According to CNET, there isn’t a clear ruling on if the film was removed from plans due to Smith’s Oscars infamy or it is due to the lack of demand for a sequel to the 2017 fantasy cop feature.
The Smith connection is far from the only reason Netflix may want to move away from the project. The streaming platform’s recent password crackdown reveal and horrid subscriber numbers that zapped stock prices shocked the system. Add in the connection to controversial writer Max Landis and the film seems to be a minefield of issues.
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That said, Bright is one of the streamer’s big hits after its release in December 2017 and joined the list of most-streamed ever. The film tells the story of a Los Angeles where humans live alongside orcs, elves and other fantasy species. Smith played a human LAPD officer partnered with the first orc police officer in the nation, creating some hybrid Los Angeles that’s still dipped in realism but with fantasy characters standing in for minorities.
Bright 2‘s cancellation, if it turns out to be truth, is the latest Smith project to come to a halt or create distance between the Oscar-winning star and his shocking outburst live at the awards. A planned fourth Bad Boys film with Martin Lawrence was put on hold in the wake of the controversy, another film at Netflix titled was also canned, and a planned NatGeo series has also reportedly delayed production, according to CNET.
Smith’s attack against comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars held the globe’s attention for close to two weeks before cooling off. This period did not come without some shocks and surprises, including Smith voluntarily leaving the Academy and his eventual ban of ten years levied by the board of governors.
Bright already technically got a sequel through Netflix via the animated spin-off Bright: Samurai Soul. At the time of the first film’s release, it seemed like Bright had been given the green light to head into franchise mode. This is no longer the case and it would seem Netflix is in a tight spot all around.
