Summary

• James Gunn revealed he only owns half of the rights to Brightburn, making it difficult for a sequel to even be produced at all.
• Because of rights issues, Gunn says Brightburn 2 probably is never going to happen.
• Brightburn's ending set up a superhero horror universe, a unique idea that is unlikely to happen anymore.

James Gunn has offered a killer update for Brightburn 2, revealing why the possible sequel still hasn't been made yet. The superhero horror movie follows the story of Brandon Breyer, a young boy with Superman-like powers who becomes a serial killer. Talks of a sequel have been happening since 2019, however, there's been no confirmation that a sequel is going to be happening anytime soon.

Posting on Threads, Brightburn 2 hasn't happened yet is because of an issue of rights to the franchise.

He says that he only owns half the rights to the movie, meaning his sole input isn't enough to legally make a sequel. He ends by saying he's doubtful a follow-up is going to happen, killing all talks of the film's story continuing beyond the original.

How Brightburn 2 Could Have Expanded The Budding James Gunn Franchise

Gunn shutting down the possibility of there ever being a sequel to his superhero horror movie is extremely disappointing, as the movie had potential to expand far beyond its initial premise. The ending of Brightburn shows Brandon getting away with his murders and later committing acts of terror under his supervillain moniker. However, it's also revealed that there are other evil versions of well-known superheroes – namely Wonder Woman and Aquaman – now terrorizing the world. This ending set the stage for a universe of unique superhero horror movies that now won't see the light of day.

Despite the probability that Brightburn 2 isn't getting made, there's still plenty of superhero-related projects to look forward to from Gunn.

If the Brightburn universe had continued, it could have explored horror stories involving multiple villains terrorizing the world at the same time. Since the movie is likely to remain a standalone story, it's unclear if these superpowered individuals would have ended up working together to terrorize humanity, or begin fighting one another. The movie set the stage for a possibly apocalyptic scenario, one that could have been thoroughly explored if a sequel were ever made.

However, despite the probability that Brightburn 2 isn't getting made, there's still plenty of superhero-related projects to look forward to from Gunn. Him being the head of the DCU coupled with directing and writing Superman, the debut film of the new shared universe, means he'll still be able to show off his propensity for high-quality superhero movies. Even though his unique horror franchise isn't going to be continuing, the creative's DC projects can make up for the sequel's nullified status.

Source: James Gunn/Threads