Brightburn Sequel Still in Development

The 2019 horror hit Brightburn might be getting a sequel after all. On Tuesday, a report revealed that The H Collective, which produced Brightburn, will be launching a new company titled H3 Entertainment. The company reportedly plans to use new technology such as the Metaverse, Web3, and artificial intelligence into their upcoming projects, and lists a Brightburn sequel as one of the biggest examples. While this doesn't necessarily provide an update on the production timeline of a Brightburn sequel, it at least lets fans know that it is in the works. 

Brightburn was helmed by David Yarovesky and written by Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, the brother and cousin of now-DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, who is one of the film's producers. The "evil Superman"-esque film starred Elizabeth Banks and David Benman as a Kansas couple who takes in Brandon Breyer / Brightburn (Jackson A. Dunn), a young superpowered boy from an alien planet who ends up using his powers for evil.

What Would a Brightburn Sequel Be About?

The post-credits scene of Brightburn ended up tying the film to a larger "evil Justice League", possibly laying the groundwork for a whole cinematic universe. The scene saw talk show host The Big T (Michael Rooker) announcing that there is a "half man, half sea creature" in the ocean, as well as a powerful witch who chokes her victims with a rope, referencing DC's Aquaman and Wonder Woman. There was even a reference to Frank Darbo / The Crimson Bolt (Rainn Wilson) from Gunn's 2010 movie Super. These potential crossovers could be explored in a Brightburn sequel, as Yarovesky teased back in 2019.

"If we were to expand the Brightburn universe in other installments and in other ways, we would probably be doing it in the exact same way," Yarovesky told Collider at the time, "in total secrecy and then drop a cinematic trailer at some point that kind of teaches you what that new direction may be."

Would James Gunn Be Involved With Brightburn 2?

As the H3 Entertainment announcement reveals, the rights to Brightburn are co-owned by both Gunn and the H Collective — which is an interesting detail, given Gunn's new job at DC Studios. Gunn is also writing and directing DC's Superman: Legacy reboot, which is currently scheduled to be released in the summer of 2025. As Gunn had already confirmed on social media in 2019, his work on franchises like the DC Universe and Guardians of the Galaxy might get in the way of him directing a Brightburn sequel himself.

"It has to be somebody who has all of the humanity that Superman has, but he's also an alien," Gunn said of his search for a Superman actor, before David Corenswet was cast in the part earlier this summer. "It's gotta be somebody who has the kindness and the compassion that Superman has. And it has to be somebody that you want to give a hug."

What do you think of the new update regarding a Brightburn sequel? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

h/t: Deadline