Bringing post-apocalyptic horror back to the big screens, 2018 gave us all Bird Box, a true Netflix hit that became the talk of movie-town for months to follow. The original, starring Sandra Bullock, which shattered streaming records four and a half years ago, has finally inspired a sequel and a spin-off.
The original Bird Box, which was released in December 2018, featured a woman named Malorie (played by Bullock) and her children on a two-day journey while blindfolded to avoid eye contact with an unseen entity that is quickly decimating the world’s population. The film also starred Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story) and John Malkovich (Billions), blessing the fans with an unbeatable cast.
Bird Box gained an unduplicated U.S. audience of roughly 26 million viewers in its first seven days of release, while Netflix claimed that more than 45 million member accounts viewed the movie. Only two Netflix movies have eclipsed Bird Box’s watched-hours in the first 28 days of release since then: Red Notice and Don’t Look Up.
The Bird Box universe is expanding as fans eagerly await the release of the two new movies that will transport them again into the world ruled by unseen forces that possess the ability to control human minds with eye contact, leading them to their rather gruesome deaths. Here’s everything we know about the two sequels.
Malorie: A Direct Sequel to the Original
A Bird Box sequel is now in the works, according to author Josh Malerman, who confirmed it in July 2020. Most people are unaware that the post-apocalyptic horror-thriller film was inspired by a captivating novel published by Malerman in 2014. The sequel, Malorie, is named after Sandra Bullock’s character in Bird Box.
Malorie will take up the story where the previous film left off – evil supernatural beings have taken over the world, and anyone who looks at them experiences their worst fear, goes mad, and commits suicide. Clinically insane people, on the other hand, respond negatively to the entities. They appear to have regained their sanity but develop a cult-like behavior, worshipping the evil forces.
To recap, Malorie and her adoptive children were hunted by the creatures and their newfound followers, who aimed to open people’s eyes and deliver them to their horrendous death. The movie ends with Malorie and her two children seeking sanctuary in a school for the blind after a long, harrowing, and blindfolded journey to seek safety and shelter.
In an interview, Malerman revealed: “Malorie opens at the school for the blind, which is where the movie ends. Then it jumps a few years later, and it really takes off ten years after that.”
The Hollywood Reporter published an excerpt from the next novel, which shows Malorie and her children adorned with blindfolds, reentering the world that is now ruled by the relentless monsters. Their journey is fueled by the possibility of other survivors, as they leave the walls of their school and venture outside, leaving us with the promise of more horror, thrill, and nerve-gripping moments.
Does “Malorie” Promise Fans A Gripping Film Adaptation?
To all the Bird Box fans out there, yes! A cinematic adaptation of the novel’s sequel is already in the works. Malerman confirmed in the same interview that a sequel to the film is already under development. “I can’t say much, but I can say that it is in development…Sometimes it’s weird, all this secrecy, but I’m game.”
Fans are eager to be introduced to the cast, and while there have been no official announcements, we expect Sandra Bullock to resume her role as Malorie with her adopted daughters Vivien Lyra Blair as Girl/Olympia and Julian Edwards as Boy/Tom.
Bird Box: Barcelona: Spin-off Coming to Theaters on July 14
While no release date has been announced for Malorie, fans can be sure to re-enter the world of mysterious evil beings with Bird Box: Barcelona, a Spanish-language spinoff situated in the same universe, to be released in theaters on July 14. With a “localized anthology”, a technique reminiscent of Cloverfield and A Quiet Place, this is Netflix’s attempt to create a cinematic horror world.
Other than what has been revealed about its production and a minute-long teaser posted by Netflix, nothing is known about Bird Box: Barcelona. It has no clear parallels to Malorie, making it a spin-off rather than a sequel.
Netflix first gave hints of this spin-off in March 2021, when Deadline announced that Spanish directors Alex and David Pastor (The Occupant) were working on a Spanish Bird Box.
According to Deadline, the movie “could be the first of multiple local-language Bird Box spinoffs.”
The new teaser hints that Bird Box: Barcelona will take place at the beginning of the apocalypse when the unseen creatures that drive individuals to gruesome deaths after locking eyes with them first make an appearance around the globe. According to IMDb, some of the cast for the film includes Diego Calva (Babylon) and Georgina Campbell (Barbarian).
Bird Box: Promising a Future of Potential Blockbusters
According to Netflix viewership estimates, Bird Box has been the company’s biggest-ever hit. The platform revealed that nearly 45 million users viewed the film in its first week of release worldwide, which was supported by Nielsen that estimated Bird Box’s U.S. viewership at about 26 million. With such good-will and expectations already set by Bullock’s original, it’s safe to say that any potential remakes, spin-offs, and sequels are likely to meet the same fame and fate if they amp up the horror and thrill meters further and let fans explore more of this unique post-apocalyptic-monster-driven world.
