Bird Box Barcelona: Release Date, What It's About, and Everything You Need to Know

Five years after Sandra Bullock ventured into post-apocalyptic genre territory with the smash hit film Bird Box, Netflix is finally making good on its promise to franchise the thrilling survival story.

Based on the book by Josh Malerman, the story is set in a world where a mysterious race of creatures has laid siege to Earth and caused everyone who lays eyes on them to take their own lives. The remaining survivors blindfold themselves to travel through the dystopian terrain looking for a safe haven — from the creatures and their fellow survivors.

In recent years, Netflix has built out its international offerings for subscribers, including local-language installments of its popular titles. Bird Box Barcelona is one of the most high-profile examples of that yet. Featuring a predominantly Spanish-speaking cast, the film hails from original film producers Dylan Clark and Chris Morgan, who brought onboard writers-directors David Pastor and Àlex Pastor.

The film could be the first of many spinoffs that will be set in the harrowing world, although don't expect Barcelona to use it in its tourism ads anytime soon.

Here's everything we know about Bird Box Barcelona and what's to come for the franchise.

Bird Box Barcelona release date

Bird Box Barcelona will hit Netflix globally on July 14, including the United States and Spain, where the film is set and was shot in 2022. The original Bird Box was released on December 14, 2018.

Bird Box Barcelona trailers

The action-packed trailer for Bird Box Barcelona features a lot of the iconography you might expect from a post-apocalyptic movie. A nearly-capsized cruise liner in a harbor, the indentation of a plane that fell from the sky into a city skyline, and every make and model of car toppled and burned.

But those who watched the first film will start to see some familiar obstacles standing in the way of our new protagonists as well. As teased by a character whose eyes have been removed completely: "There are worse things than the creatures." That is an acknowledgement of the unblindfolded branding them with the eyeball images seen through the trailer. Why these people are hell bent on staring down the creatures is still hazy, but the trailer seems to suggest we could get more insight into the alarming threat.

There's also a curious line, spoken by Calva, that indicates the creatures are "changing." What that could mean for the humans trying to outlive them remains to be seen. 

Similar to its predecessor, the trailer confirms Bird Box Barcelona will go back to the beginning as an unbearded, pre-apocalyptic Sebastián witnesses the gruesome first moments of the attack as people throw themselves from a subway platform to their deaths. At the start of the first film, Bullock's character raced across town during the creatures' arrival alongside her sister, played by Sarah Paulson.

Bird Box franchise future

Where the franchise could go after its stop in Barcelona is still as big a mystery as its creatures. News that Netflix was interested in more Bird Box movies across the globe broke as early as 2021 with the announcement of the Barcelona-set film. Unfortunately, the streamer has not yet named where they could take the story next. Bird Box Vegas? Bird Box Down Under? Nowhere is safe!

Bird Box Barcelona cast

For those expecting to see Sandra Bullock pop up in the film, don't hold your breath. By design, the new film isn't a sequel but rather a companion that is set at the same time as the first film. For all that Bullock and her fellow survivors had to endure, expect the Barcelona survivors to face the same on their own turf. In fact, it seems the only thing that will link Bird Box Barcelona and its predecessor is that they both have the unfortunate pleasure of living in the same dark world.

The new film follows a completely new cast led by Mario Casas (Netflix's El Inocente) as Sebastián, who moves blindly through the desolate streets of Barcelona trying to connect with survivors. Opposing Sebastián's quest for survival is a roving band of unblindfolded people who have descended into insanity and force those who cross their path to look at the entities –– death be damned. It is a noticeably similar mission to the villainous characters seen in the first film.

Sebastián will also encounter fellow blindfolded survivors such as the English-speaking Claire, played by Georgina Campbell (best known as the lead of 2021's box office surprise Barbarian); and Octavio, played by Babylon breakout and Golden Globe nominee Diego Calva. 

How to watch Bird Box Barcelona

The film will stream on Netflix starting July 14. The original Bird Box is available to stream now on Netflix.