One of Netflix's biggest movies won't get a sequel – for a surprising reason

Ryan Reynolds starred in Netflix original movie 6 Underground
(Image credit: Netflix)

6 Underground, the 2019 action-adventure film that launched exclusively on Netflix, isn't getting a follow-up, according to the studio's Head of Original Movies.

In a lengthy profile piece published by Variety, Scott Stuber revealed that the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick won't receive a sequel.

Singling 6 Underground out as a movie that failed to live up to expectations, Stuber revealed that, ultimately, the film wasn't developed and produced in a way that allowed audiences to connect with it.

“We didn’t feel like we got there on that one creatively,” Stuber admitted. “It was a nice hit, but at the end of the day we didn’t feel like we nailed the mark to justify coming back again. There just wasn’t that deep love for those characters or that world.”

Directed by Michael Bay (Transformers, The Island), 6 Underground starred Reynolds as Magnet S. Johnson, a billionaire who fakes his own death and leads a group of mercenaries to overthrow a brutalist government in the fictional city of Turgistan.

Netflix had high hopes for the film ahead of its December 2019 release date but, despite its charismatic lead and $150 million budget, 6 Underground was panned by critics and fans alike, and currently holds a 36% critical rating on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes.


Analysis: Netflix is getting selective about which of its movies deserve sequels

An action shot in the Netflix original movie 6 Underground

(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix appears to be taking a more selective approach to greenlighting sequels within its original movies line up.

Per a July 2021 article from Insider, 6 Underground is the fifth most-watched original film in Netflix's back catalog. 

According to the report, 83 million users tuned in to watch 6 Underground in the first four weeks of its release – a number that's only bettered by Mark Walhberg's Spenser Confidential, Sandra Bullock's Bird Box and Chris Hemsworth's Extraction.

However, unlike 6 Underground, Netflix original movies such as The Old Guard and Enola Holmes, with 78 million and 76 million viewers respectively, are getting follow-up films. 

Both movies were better received and cost less than 6 Underground, too. The Old Guard was made for $70 million and has an 80% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while Enola Holmes cost a reported $20 million and holds a 91% rating.

It seems, then, that viewing figures aren't the primary factor behind Netflix's decision to make sequels for its most-watched films. Critical reception and budget seem to be playing a role that's just as big, if not a more important one, when the streamer decides which properties will get follow-ups.

Of course, Netflix's viewing figures can be misleading. The streaming giant's audience numbers are defined as anyone who watches at least two minutes of a movie or TV show. This means that it counts viewers who, say, may have turned 6 Underground off after 15 minutes if they think it's going to make for a rubbish watch.

The one outlier in all of this is the Will Smith-starring fantasy film Bright. Despite its universal panning (Bright has a 28% critical rating) and a budget estimated to be around $100 million, Netflix has greenlit a sequel. 

Upon its release in 2017, reports suggested that it had pulled in just 11 million viewers in the first 72 hours post-release. Admittedly, Netflix's user base was smaller back then, but it still pales in comparison to other Netflix original films.

It seems, then, that Netflix doesn't totally rely on audience numbers to dictate which of its movies will get sequels. If it did, 6 Underground would be a shoe-in for another outing.

Cost, critical reception and, perhaps most importantly, creating a suitable follow-up story with relatable characters are vital for Netflix to sign off on a sequel. Given that 6 Underground struggled to combine these elements effectively, it's unsurprising that it isn't getting a sequel.

Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.

Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.

Read more
Michelle and Kid Cosmo watching a video projected onto a screen in Netflix's The Electric State movie
'We could not achieve that with puppetry or animatronics': Joe and Anthony Russo didn't want to build real-life robots for The Electric State for two big reasons
Michelle, Keats, and Doctor Amherst looking unimpressed and worried in The Electric State
New Netflix movies: every original film you can watch on the best streaming service in March 2025
Millie Bobby Brown's Michelle armed with a paint gun while standing next to some robots in Netflix's The Electric State movie
The Electric State could have been a great Netflix sci-fi movie, but it's just more evidence that it's Marvel or bust for the Russo brothers
Black and white picture of Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery: everything we know so far about Netflix's Knives Out 3 movie
Peter Parker swings through New York wearing his Future Foundation suit in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
6 big entertainment stories you missed over the 2024 holiday season: The Batman Part 2 delayed again, The Night Agent season 2 trailer, and more
Pete angrily grips onto David's suit jacket in The Sentinel.
Netflix's #2 movie is a subpar thriller from 2006 – here are 3 films with better Rotten Tomatoes scores than The Sentinel
Latest in Netflix
The cast of The Residence peek from a doorway
Netflix's #2 most-watched show is the new madcap whodunnit The Residence –here are 3 more mysteries to stream next
Netflix Ads
Netflix adds HDR10+ support – great news for Samsung TV owners, but don't expect LG and Sony to do the same any time soon
Wonka poster
Netflix cooks up sweet new reality TV series based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and it's a dream come true for me
Eddie Miller (Stephen Graham) looks as his anxious son Jamie (Owen Cooper) in a prison cell.
Netflix's #1 show Adolescence is one of the best crime dramas I've seen – here are 3 more with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes
Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, swinging a golf club while a crowd watches
Netflix confirms Happy Gilmore's long-awaited comeback in new trailer, and I hope it won't be a swing and a miss
A still from Netflix's new miniseries Adolescence starring Stephen Graham
Adolescence is the TV show of the year – here’s why the Netflix crime drama had me gripped from start to finish
Latest in News
Robert Downey Jr reveals himself as Doctor Doom to a delighted crowd at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
Marvel is about to make a major announcement about the MCU, and nobody's sure what it'll be
Nintendo Switch Lite
Forget the Nintendo Switch 2, the original Switch is getting one last hurrah in a surprise Nintendo Direct tomorrow
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge colors seemingly revealed in new video, and there’s another sign of an imminent launch
Image of Naoe in AC Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows best graphics settings for PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X
Promotional image for Malcolm in the Middle featuring the original cast playing golf
Malcolm in the Middle's Disney+ revival gets underway as the series finds its cast – here's which characters are returning
Group of people meeting
Inflexible work policies are pushing tech workers to quit