Brightburn

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Brightburn

R

Released May 24, 2019

1h 31m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

57%

Tomatometer

205 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Verified Ratings

After a difficult struggle with fertility, Tori Breyer's dreams of motherhood come true with the arrival of a mysterious baby boy. Brandon appears to be everything Tori and her husband, Kyle, ever wanted -- bright, talented and curious about the world. But as Brandon nears puberty, powerful darkness manifests within him, and Tori becomes consumed by terrible doubts about her son. Once Brandon begins to act on his twisted urges, those closest to him find themselves in grave danger.

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Critics Consensus

Although Brightburn doesn't fully deliver on the pitch-black promise of its setup, it's still enough to offer a diverting subversion of the superhero genre.

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Christy Lemire

FilmWeek (LAist)

This is an interesting idea that I wish they had done more with.

Sep 30, 2019

Full Review

Clarisse Loughrey

Independent (UK)

Despite its simplicity, Brightburn's premise is filled with potential, but it struggles to find anything meaningful to say.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 8, 2019

Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

The conceit works brilliantly until, in the closing 20 minutes, it clatters disappointingly into a fatal uncertainty.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 5, 2019

Full Review

José de Jesús Chávez Martínez

EscribiendoCine

As a production, Brightburn doesn't escape the technical limitations inherent in its low budget...However, Elizabeth Banks' performance provides a solid counterpoint...[Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Jun 24, 2025

Full Review

Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews

Brightburn doesn’t take off powerfully like Superman, but it’s still able to fly for a bit. Good performances, remarkable production design, and an adequate use of its R-rating.

Rated: B

Jul 24, 2023

Full Review

Kate Boyle

InSession Film

It may be a bit gory and filled with bad language for some, but if you are interested in a take on “evil teenage superman” I suggest giving Brightburn a try.

Rated: C+

Mar 8, 2023

Full Review

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Jared

Yeah, it's a rehash of an old idea, namely amounting to the equivalent of satanic Superman. That said, it was a fun watch with a darker, unofficial reimagining of a benevolent superhero into a demonic boy with superpowers. Quite entertaining if you like horror films that don't take themselves too seriously.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/21/22

Full Review

Edward F

Not the greatest movie but not a bad one either. It had 1 or 2 suprising jump scares and some of the scenes were very brutal and gory. It's your basic what if movie. Go see if you can still find at theaters.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/02/19

Full Review

Edjuana T

Characters too clueless. Disappointing plot and terrible ending. No answers provided to clean up story line. Children smarter than adults again.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/25/19

Full Review

Audience Member

Good flick, a lot of blood (it is more horror movie than anything else). Acting was solid all around as were the effects. Biggest gripe was how short it was. Thought they could have fleshed out the story a bit more.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Robert A

The writer and producer should be put in a psych ward. This evil superman like story is pure dribble involving a psychopathic boy who kills all who ever cared about him with no redeeming story line or a plot whatsoever. Any psycho killers out there are the only ones who are crazy enough to enjoy this movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/20/19

Full Review

b

it was brutal but good

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/20/19

Full Review

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David Yarovesky

Director

Elizabeth Banks

Tori Breyer

David Denman

Kyle Breyer

Jackson A. Dunn

Brandon Breyer

Matt L. Jones

Noah McNichol

Meredith Hagner

Merilee McNichol

Brightburn: Official Clip - Jaw-Dropping Death

3:10

Brightburn: Official Clip - Take the World

2:26

Brightburn: Official Clip - Nowhere to Hide

1:53

Brightburn: Official Clip - Heat Vision Kill

2:37

Brightburn: Official Clip - My Baby Boy

3:38

Brightburn: Official Clip - Alien Baby

2:16

Brightburn: Official Clip - Cops vs. Supervillain

3:26

Brightburn: Official Clip - He's Lying

1:57

Brightburn: Official Clip - Lawnmower Blade

1:57

Brightburn: Official Clip - Diner Slaughter

3:25

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Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - Parenting

1:07

Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - Mother's Love

0:38

Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - James Gunn

0:37

Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - Brandon Breyer

1:28

Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - Blending

0:44

Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - Assuming They Are Here for Good

1:14

Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - Not a Happy Ending

1:14

Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - Origin Story

0:29

Brightburn: Behind the Scenes - The Fun of this Movie

0:29

Brightburn: Name the Review

3:23

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Synopsis

After a difficult struggle with fertility, Tori Breyer's dreams of motherhood come true with the arrival of a mysterious baby boy. Brandon appears to be everything Tori and her husband, Kyle, ever wanted -- bright, talented and curious about the world. But as Brandon nears puberty, powerful darkness manifests within him, and Tori becomes consumed by terrible doubts about her son. Once Brandon begins to act on his twisted urges, those closest to him find themselves in grave danger.

Director: David Yarovesky
Producer: James Gunn, Kenneth Huang
Screenwriter: Brian Gunn, Mark Gunn
Distributor: Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: The H Collective, Screen Gems, Troll Court Entertainment, Stage 6 Films
Rating: R (Language|Horror Violence/Bloody Images)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 24, 2019, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.3M
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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