'We Can Be Heroes' Sequel Already in the Works at Netflix

Less than two weeks after its release, Netflix's We Can Be Heroes is reportedly getting a sequel. According to a report by The Wrap, Netflix is developing the sequel, but so far, the company has not named anyone who is working on the project. We Can Be Heroes was written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, and served as a follow-up to his 2005 movie The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D.

We Can Be Heroes premiered on Netflix on Christmas and has dominated the service's Top 10 chart ever since. Netflix is now projecting that in the first 28 days of its release, 44 million households will view the movie. So far, Rodriguez has not commented publicly on the sequel news, nor have A-list stars like Pedro Pascal or Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

We Can Be Heroes picked up in the same fictional world as The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, with a cast of super-powered children and a familiar aesthetic. While the movie appealed to kids, it was also somewhat of a nostalgia play for viewers who grew up with Shark Boy and Lava Girl, as well as Rodriguez's similar Spy Kids trilogy. However, the new entry was an overall critical flop, with a rating of 53 on Metacritic and 4.8 out of 10 on IMDb.

Netflix did not release We Can Be Heroes in theaters, as it did with its other Christmas premiere, The Midnight Sky. That movie — a somber sci-fi film directed by star George Clooney — was screened in 800 theaters across 16 countries. Impressive during the coronavirus pandemic, and even still, the movie is projected to be watched by 72 million households in its first 28 days.

The Midnight Sky is now on track to become Netflix's most popular original films ever, helping to make December of 2020 the company's best-performing month on record by certain metrics. The restrictions on socializing and public life imposed by the COVID-19 precautions have undoubtedly helped the company in those ways.

So far, details on the We Can Be Heroes sequel's production timeline have not been released, but in the meantime, Netflix has an ambitious slate on the way to get 2021 started. The streamer is releasing several documentaries and docu-series this month, including History of Swear Words, The Minimalists and Headspace: Guide to Meditation. It also has a new seasons of Cobra Kai, Disenchantment and other established hits on the way. These releases join the tide of content many viewers are already preoccupied with.