Will Smith Making A Sequel To One Of His Biggest Hits?

Will Smith could be returning for a sequel to a big movie. If it were to happen, it would mark an exciting moment for the actor and the genre

By Doug Norrie | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

will smith bright

It might not quite feel like the “old days” but Will Smith is still very much a massive action star. Sure, the films don’t come with the same frequency as in the past. And there have been some missteps along the way. But when this guy has a potential film dropping then it is definitely news. He remains one of the most captivating and entertaining on-screen talents we have these days. And one of his bigger films looks like it is finally going to get a much-anticipated sequel. That’s right, according to We Got This Covered, Bright 2 is happening and currently in the works. We are going to get a return to the fantasy-buddy cop genre you never thought you’d see. 

The Will Smith sequel for Bright has been bandied about for some time now though it’s looking like we might be getting a little closer to solid information and maybe even possible full confirmation sooner than later. There were a few more specifics within this rumor including the budget would actually go up for this sequel and the plot would lean more heavily into the fantasy elements of the story. While I can’t speak for the budget aspect of it, more dollars doesn’t always make a better film, the second part about the fantasy piece is definitely encouraging. There were mistakes made in the delivery of the first film especially with how those pieces aligned with the story that could definitely stand for a bit of a reset. 

will smith bright

Bright came out in 2017 (feels like longer doesn’t it?) and at the time was one of the more anticipated original Netflix movies to hit the platform. That’s because, for starters, it had Will Smith in the lead role and that, almost alone, is worthy of significant attention. But then there was the concept: a new world in which fantasy elements were at play in our current society. Smith plays an LAPD police officer who is partnered with Joel Edgerton’s Nick who is new to the force and, oh also an Orc. That’s because, in this world, all the fantasy creatures you’ve come to know and love (and hate) live alongside humans. 

While the Will Smith film was teeming with cool possibilities and could have worked to be a genre-flipping movie, it largely fell flat. The $100 million budget was put to less-than-adequate use and the flick ended up being more a paint-by-numbers crime film than an exploration of the genre. The reviews aligned with viewer response, which was negative and it ended up at 28% on Rotten Tomatoes

will smith bright

But this latest rumor suggests that they have realized what might have “gone wrong” in the original movie and with Will Smith getting back on board there’s a sense the world could maybe reset some and lean in a slightly different direction. And the actor can definitely still carry huge films as evidenced by Bad Boys 3 which ended up being a monster at the box office. It will get a fourth film in the franchise in a couple of years. He’s also set to star in The Council as well as King Richard about the father of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. And finally, there are rumors he could return as Deadshot for DC.