Netflix is expanding its Bird Box cinematic universe

Remember Bird Box, that Netflix movie which saw a blind-folded Sandra Bullock struggling to stay alive in a dystopian world where opening your eyes can lead to death? Well, the streaming service is banking on you remembering.

Alex and David Pastor, the brothers behind the science-fiction thrillers Carriers and Self/less, have been hired to make a Spanish-language spin-off movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix has fast-tracked production, with filming anticipated to start in Spain by the end of the year. 

The report notes that the spin-off is an example of the streamer "mining its intellectual property to build out a sort of cinematic universe from the local level on up." Netflix has already begun experimenting with creating new cinematic universes with Army of the Dead, Zack Snyder's upcoming movie, getting a prequel set in Germany – a country, like Spain, that's key for Netflix.

Bird Box, based on Josh Malerman's novel of the same name, was a hit back in 2018, with 26 million people watching the movie within its first week. Malerman previously revealed a sequel is in development at Netflix. 

The Pastor brothers herald from Barcelona, and the combination of Spanish language and sci-fi thriller appears to be a perfect match. The duo recently created Head, a 2020 series set at the South Pole, that aired in the US on HBO Max. There's currently no word on what story the Bird Box spin-off will tell, but the movie will be set in Spain.

While we await the Bird Box spin-off, be sure to check out all the best Netflix thrillers currently available to stream.