Netflix Sci-Fi Apocalypse Thriller Sequel Gives Fans Of First Adaptation Even More Thrills
In 2018, audiences were flipped upside down when Netflix dropped one of the freakiest post-apocalyptic films from the streaming service, Bird Box. Starring Sandra Bullock in a story all about survival and perseverance, the movie quickly began to smash records on the platform left and right.
After audiences and folks in the industry called for a sequel, Netflix listened and delivered a different kind of follow-up film in the form of Bird Box: Barcelona which arrived in 2023 and is now available to stream.
Expanding The Bird Box World
In what may have been considered to be a risky move (as many were expecting that the second installment would pick up with Bullock’s character and her children after they reached safety), Netflix went completely left field with the Spanish-language offshoot.
Instead of sticking with the characters viewers already knew, Bird Box: Barcelona picked up the pin and dropped it in the titular city in Spain, depicting the chaotic events as they happened abroad. This time around, the production starred famous names, including Mario Casas (No matarás), Diego Calva (Narcos: Mexico), and Barbarian’s scream queen, Georgina Campbell.
A Desperate Escape Attempt
Like the premise of the title that kicked off what could easily turn into a franchise, Bird Box: Barcelona followed the fallout of the city after the mysterious aliens landed, causing anyone who looks at them to take their own lives. Centering primarily around Casas’ Sebastían and his on-screen daughter, Anna (Alejandra Howard), the movie follows another parent’s desperate attempt to escape the end of the world with his child.
Along the way, the pair meet a cast of characters and different personalities – some who prove to be helpful and others whose intentions are more sinister.
A Muted Response
While Bird Box: Barcelona met relatively the same mixed reception from critics, it didn’t reach the same sense of obsession as the movie that came before it.
At the time of its release, Bird Box (the Sandra Bullock version) raked in so many viewers that it took the title of being the most-viewed Netflix original film – something that Bird Box: Barcelona didn’t even come close to. Likewise, while the first film in the Bird Box universe garnered critical acclaim (specifically for its visuals), the second didn’t receive nominations at any award ceremonies.
Praise For The Story
Still, audiences praised Bird Box: Barcelona for its use of twists and properly leaning into the unsettling energy that was so perfectly set up by its predecessor. While some may not have enjoyed the story branching away from Bullock’s character, others were happy to see a completely different story and watch as a new set of people in an entirely different country handled the catastrophic invasion.
Streaming Exclusively On Netflix
Unfortunately, for those looking for news about a third movie in the hopeful franchise, Netflix still has not announced any plans to move forward with a Bird Box 3.
With a plethora of content in the sci-fi, horror, post-apocalyptic, and drama realm, Netflix is the place to be to get your fix of otherworldly terror. There are few movies that do it as well as Bird Box and Bird Box: Barcelona and, luckily for subscribers, both are available to stream now.
