While both director David Ayer and writer Max Landis were both originally expected to sign back on for the sequel to Netflix’s Bright, it was announced in January that the latter would not be returning to the film’s Orc-filled Los Angeles setting. Now, the Will Smith and Joel Edgerton-led action-fantasy has picked up a new writer in the form of the live-action Beauty and the Beast‘s Evan Spiliotopoulos.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Spilotopoulos will pen the script, while Ayer will once again assume directorial duties. Landis, who was paid $3 to $4 million for his original script in 2016, is said to have parted ways due to creative differences with Ayer.
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Bright takes place in an alternate universe where magical creatures such as Orcs and fairies live together with humans in Los Angeles. Will Smith plays human cop Daryl Ward, who winds up partnered with the first Orc cop, Nick Jakoby, played by Joel Edgerton.
The film pulled in 7 million U.S. viewers in the 18-49 demographic on connected TVs in its opening weekend. While those numbers may seem high, it’s important to remember these are merely estimates, as Netflix does not officially release viewership numbers. Nevertheless, it didn’t take long for the streaming service to greenlight a sequel.
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