by Kasen Stephensen

The new Netflix trailer begins looking like a gritty police movie, but wait — is that an orc wearing a hoodie and wielding a shotgun?!

Starring Will Smith, Bright takes place in an alternate timeline in which orcs, faeries, and other mythical creatures coexist with humans.  Two LAPD officers, one human and one orc, struggle together to protect a faerie and a mythical artifact.  Bright is scheduled to release in Winter 2017, using an extremely early February trailer launch duplicated only by big name franchises like Marvel and Star Wars to promote their movies.

Netflix has had a tremendous influence on the entertainment industry with its original shows and movies.  At the recent 2017 Academy Awards, White Helmets, a Netflix original, took home the award for Best Documentary Short Subject.  With Bright, Netflix is stepping out of the realm shared with Amazon Instant and Hulu, and into competing with high-profile blockbusters.

Netflix won a high-profile bidding war to acquire Bright for $90 million and recruited a talented cast and director for this ground-breaking project.  Will Smith will reunite with Suicide Squad director David Ayer and work with a talented cast along with 11.22.63 actress Lucy Fry, Hands of Stone actor Edgar Ramirez, and Prometheus actress Noomi Rapace.  

Bright will be playing only in select theaters and will also be released on Netflix for instant watching in December.