Bird Box Barcelona

{{Infobox film

| image = Bird_Box_Barcelona_poster.png

| caption = Promotional release poster

| director = {{Plainlist|

Álex Pastor
David Pastor

}}

| producer = {{plainlist|

Dylan Clark
Núria Valls
Adrián Guerra
Chris Morgan
Ryan Lewis
Josh Malerman

}}

| writer = {{Plainlist|

Álex Pastor
David Pastor

}}

| based_on = {{Based on|Bird Box|Josh Malerman}}

| starring = {{plainlist|

}}

| music = Zeltia Montes

| cinematography = Daniel Aranyó

| editing = Martí Roca

| studio = {{plainlist|

Nostromo Pictures
Chris Morgan Productions
Dylan Clark Productions

}}

| distributor = Netflix

| released = {{Film date|2023|7|14}}

| runtime = 112 minutes{{cite web |title=Bird Box Barcelona (15) |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/bird-box-barcelona-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmde0odgy |website=British Board of Film Classification |date=July 13, 2023 |access-date=July 14, 2023}}

| country = United States
Spain

| language = {{Plainlist|

Spanish
English
German

}}

| budget =

}}

Bird Box Barcelona is a 2023 post-apocalyptic horror film directed and written by Álex and David Pastor. A spin-off sequel to the 2018 film Bird Box, adapted from Josh Malerman's 2014 novel of the same name, the film stars Mario Casas, Naila Schuberth, Georgina Campbell and Diego Calva, and follows Sebastián and his daughter as they begin their own great adventure of survival in Barcelona after an entity of mysterious origin annihilates the world's population causing those who observe it to take their lives.

Bird Box Barcelona was released on Netflix on July 14, 2023, to mixed reviews.

Plot

The world is plagued by mysterious entities that manipulate people's negative emotions, turning some into "seers" but leading most people to die by suicide once they have seen an entity. A standard prevention method is wearing a blindfold outdoors. In Barcelona, Spain, Sebastián and his daughter Anna travel together. One day, Sebastián encounters a group of survivors and claims he knows the location of generators that can provide light and heating. Sebastián joins the others in their shelter inside a bus hangar. The next morning, with everyone asleep inside a bus, Sebastián drives it outside and crashes it. Everyone is left without blindfolds; Sebastián slowly leads each to open their eyes, and upon witnessing the entities, they die by suicide. Sebastián is revealed to be a seer and is thus unaffected. Anna congratulates Sebastián on having "saved" the people, urging him to find the other "lost sheep".

Nine months earlier, the arrival of the entities prompted people to flee. Sebastián retrieved Anna but lost his wife in a car accident. They found refuge in a church and met Padre Esteban, a pastor who opined that the entities are angels, and that humanity should be liberated from suffering by embracing death. Sebastián and Anna tried to hide, but one day a group of seers led by Padre discovered their hiding place and captured them. He forced Anna to open her eyes, killing her. Sebastián then faced the entities, but instead of death, he saw the apparition of Anna, which has accompanied him ever since. Anna tells him he can join his family there when he has "saved" enough people on Earth.

Sebastián encounters another group led by Rafa, who has two dogs. Others in the group include Octavio, a Mexican deliveryman with expertise in physics; Roberto and Isabel, a couple; Claire, an English psychiatrist; and Sofia, a young German girl separated from her mother and under Claire's care. Octavio theorizes that the entities are quantum beings that perceive humans' fear and grief. Sofia shares information about Montjuïc Castle, believed to be a safe refuge which can be reached by a gondola lift. The group embarks on a quest to reach the Castle.

Rafa dies early on after Sebastián sabotages the dog leashes, and the remainder of the group takes shelter. Sebastián leads Octavio to his death, but begins to doubt the wisdom of Anna's apparition. Roberto and Isabel lose their lives too. Claire suspects Sebastián is a seer and shields Sofia from him. Sebastián, who had started resisting Anna's influence due to bonding with Sofia, vows to protect Claire and Sofia.

Meanwhile, Padre and his followers find the trio. Sebastián helps Claire and Sofia get to the gondola lift, then fights Padre, and they kill each other; Sebastián dies smiling. Claire and Sofia are able to get on the lift and enter Montjuïc, revealed to have been converted into a secret camp for survivors that is overseen by the military. As they are escorted in, Sophia's mother, who also made it to the camp, sees her and the two are reunited. Claire undergoes blood tests by scientists trying to develop an antibody that can provide immunity against the entities' influence.

Cast

{{Cast listing|

Mario Casas as Sebastián{{Cite web |title=Bird Box Barcelona: Take a Peek at Who's in the Apocalyptic Thriller |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/bird-box-barcelona-cast-guide |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Netflix Tudum |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610000243/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/bird-box-barcelona-cast-guide |url-status=live }}
Alejandra Howard as Anna
Georgina Campbell as Claire
Naila Schuberth as Sofia
Diego Calva as Octavio
Leonardo Sbaraglia as Padre Esteban
Lola Dueñas as Isabel{{Cite web |last=Rooney |first=David |title='Bird Box Barcelona' Review: Spanish Spinoff of Netflix's Horror Hit Pads Out a Thin Concept With Meager Gains |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/bird-box-barcelona-review-netflix-1235530440/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |date=9 July 2023 |archive-date=July 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710070427/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/bird-box-barcelona-review-netflix-1235530440/ |url-status=live }}
Patrick Criado as Rafa
Gonzalo de Castro as Roberto
Michelle Jenner as Liliana
Celia Freijeiro as Laura

}}

Production

=Development=

A Spanish spin-off of Bird Box was reported in March 2021 with Nostromo Pictures producing the project.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/netflix-bird-box-spinoff-movie-spanish-spain-1234712535|access-date=May 11, 2023|website=Deadline Hollywood|title=Netflix Sensation 'Bird Box' Is Getting A Spanish Spinoff Movie|first=Andreas|last=Wiseman|date=March 12, 2021|archive-date=May 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516154216/https://deadline.com/2021/03/netflix-bird-box-spinoff-movie-spanish-spain-1234712535/|url-status=dead}} The film is written and directed by Álex Pastor and David Pastor, with Dylan Clark, Núria Valls, Adrián Guerra, Chris Morgan, Ryan Lewis, and Josh Malerman as producers and Brian Williams and Ainsley Davies executive producing.{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/bird-box-barcelona-trailer-image/|website=Collider|access-date=May 11, 2023|title=First 'Bird Box Barcelona' Teaser & Image Bring the Deadly Carnage to Spain|first=Britta|last=Devore|date=May 9, 2023|archive-date=May 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509222834/https://collider.com/bird-box-barcelona-trailer-image/|url-status=live}}

=Casting=

In October 2021, Mario Casas, Georgina Campbell, Diego Calva, Alejandra Howard, Naila Schuberth, Patrick Criado, Celia Freijeiro with Lola Dueñas, Gonzalo de Castro, Michelle Jenner and Leonardo Sbaraglia were revealed to be cast in the film.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/netflix-cast-spanish-bird-box-spin-off-1234863912|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=May 11, 2023|title=Netflix Sets Cast For Spanish 'Bird Box' Spin-Off|first=Tom|last=Grater|date=October 28, 2021|archive-date=May 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511221106/https://deadline.com/2021/10/netflix-cast-spanish-bird-box-spin-off-1234863912/|url-status=dead}}

=Filming=

In January 2022, principal photography was reported to have commenced in Spain.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/netflix-european-film-slate-david-kosse-interview-1234916088/|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=May 11, 2023|title=Netflix's David Kosse Talks Drawing Top Talent For Streamer's European Film Push & What's On Deck|first=Nancy|last=Tartagli|date=January 20, 2022|archive-date=March 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324193601/https://deadline.com/2022/01/netflix-european-film-slate-david-kosse-interview-1234916088/|url-status=live}}

Release

The film was available to view on Netflix from July 14, 2023.{{Cite web|website=Empireonline|accessdate=May 11, 2023|date=May 9, 2023|first=Ben|last=Travis|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/bird-box-barcelona-trailer-unveils-netflix-spin-off-movie/|title=Bird Box Barcelona Trailer Unveils Netflix's Surprise Spin-Off Movie|archive-date=May 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511214648/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/bird-box-barcelona-trailer-unveils-netflix-spin-off-movie/|url-status=live}}

Reception

Bird Box Barcelona received mixed reviews from critics. {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|53|5.6|79|Expanding the franchise with some effective twists, Bird Box Barcelona lacks some of its predecessor's creepy tension but remains occasionally involving in its own right.|access-date=April 11, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Bird Box Barcelona (2023) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bird_box_barcelona |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=April 11, 2025}} Metacritic reports a 47 out of 100 score, based on 22 reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.{{cite web |title=Bird Box Barcelona |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bird-box-barcelona |website=Metacritic |access-date=August 6, 2023}}