David Yarovesky's Brightburn won't be remembered as one of the biggest hits of 2019, but the film was most definitely successful. Because the movie was made for just a reported $6 million before publicity and marketing, it didn't take a ton of ticket sales to help the project make a profit. It's because of this exact scenario that sequels to microbudget titles are plentiful in this day and age, and it sounds like a follow-up to the horror/superhero mashup isn't out of the question.
James Gunn, who served as a producer on the movie, recently addressed the possibility on his personal Instagram page (via EW) when responding to a comment by a fan. In regards to the possibility of seeing another chapter in the Brightburn universe, the filmmaker noted that he's just a tad busy for the next few years, but that there are discussions happening about the idea. Gunn wrote,
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 should be noted that it appears that the comment has now been deleted - so read into that what you will.
Brightburn got a showy Memorial Day weekend release, but while Guy Ritchie's Aladdin was released at the same time and is still going strong at the box office, the twisted take on the Superman origin story fell off the charts fairly quickly. It was even surprisingly front-loaded, as it made headlines with a 70.5 percent drop in its second weekend. But for reasons mentioned above, it still made more than enough to be in the black by the end of its global run.
If Sony/Screen Gems spent an additional $6 million to release Brightburn on top of the $6 million it took to get made, it still looks like a smart move in the grand scheme, as its global box office stands at $31.8 million.
Furthermore, Brightburn is very much a project that invites sequels. Without giving too much away for those who haven't seen it, the very end of the film suggests that the villainous Brandon Breyer (Jackson Dunn) isn't the only individual on Earth rocking intense and destructive superpowers. A follow-up could examine how Brandon exists in this world, or really it could tell a completely different story with completely different characters set in the same universe. There is tremendous potential.
As acknowledged by James Gunn, however, exactly when the project could get off the ground is a significant question mark. He was definitely not just a producer in name only on Brightburn, but instead very much a hands-on on-set presence who made significant creative contribution to the endeavor. He would presumably want to take on a similar role with any sequels, but he's not going to have time to actually do that for a while.
The writer/director has been developing his vision of Suicide Squad 2 at Warner Bros. for just a few months shy of a year now, and that movie is both ramping up to go into production, and already aiming at an August 6, 2021 release date. Following his work on that feature he will be diving head first into the final chapter of his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, and that's going to keep him busy for a minute even though it doesn't technically have a release date yet (look for that to change later this month during the Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con).
Do you want to see a Brightburn sequel? If so, how would you like to see it go about expanding on what we've already seen? Hit the comments section below with your thoughts, feelings, and opinions on the matter, and be on the lookout for more updates in the near future here on CinemaBlend.
