One of Netflix’s defining movie phenomena nearly belonged to a traditional Hollywood studio instead. Sandra Bullock has revealed that 2018’s Bird Box was originally being developed at Universal before the project migrated to Netflix, a change she welcomed at a time when major stars were still testing the waters of streaming originals. During an interview shared by SmartLess, Bullock explained that Bird Box “wasn’t originally at Netflix” and had instead been at Universal. Her recollection is corroborated by screenwriter Eric Heisserer, who said much of his screenplay had already been developed under Universal before Netflix acquired the project.
And he moved to Netflix and he said, what do you think? And I went, I like trying new things. I like that, I mean, look, as a woman, I’m just surprised I’m still working and it’s a nice place to be. But I like the idea of it working at Netflix because the boys got to do it.
Bullock didn’t get cold feet about taking the project to Netflix. She saw it as a chance to break new ground, noting that male stars had already made the leap while women hadn’t had the same shot. In hindsight, the gamble paid off: Bird Box became an early streaming hit that took the world by storm.
Sandra Bullock Saw Streaming’s Potential Early
Sandra Bullock’s willingness to follow Bird Box to Netflix makes more sense alongside comments she made during the movie’s original promotional run. Speaking with The Independent, Bullock argued that streaming was creating work for performers and stories that conventional studio filmmaking was increasingly reluctant to accommodate. She specifically pointed to greater opportunities for women and people of color as the business changed.
Director Susanne Bier was similarly attracted to what Bird Box could accomplish beneath its apocalyptic packaging. She told Screen Daily that the unusual portrayal of motherhood within a mainstream thriller was central to her interest. The same report confirms that Netflix was buying the property from Universal as Bullock was circling the lead role. Bullock also went the extra mile physically. Bier revealed that the actor trained with someone who teaches blind people to navigate using sound and other cues before shooting the film’s demanding blindfolded sequences (via Radio Times).
Bird Box Became a Netflix Juggernaut
Based on Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel, Bird Box follows Malorie Hayes (Bullock) through a world ravaged by mysterious entities that drive people to suicide when seen. Survivors consequently venture outdoors blindfolded, turning the simple act of looking into a potential death sentence. The film also assembled a formidable ensemble including Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Sarah Paulson, Jacki Weaver and BD Wong, with Academy Award winner Bier directing Heisserer’s screenplay.
Its critical reception was respectable rather than euphoric. Bird Box currently holds a 64% Tomatometer score from 169 reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes praising its performances and chilly atmosphere while noting that the premise never completely fulfills its potential. Traditional box-office numbers tell only a fraction of the story because Bird Box received a limited theatrical release before arriving on Netflix on December 21, 2018. Its real currency was viewership. Netflix reported that 45,037,125 accounts watched it during its first seven days, then said the number had climbed to 80 million accounts within four weeks (via TechCrunch).
Those figures were Netflix’s own measurements rather than independently audited box-office admissions, but they illustrated the extraordinary reach Bullock’s gamble achieved. Bird Box could have remained a Universal thriller headed down a familiar road. Instead, its move to Netflix helped turn a blindfold, a river journey and an unseen monster into worldwide talking points. Sometimes fortune really does favor the bold.
Bird Box is streaming on Netflix.
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