Bright (2017)

Bright is a 2017 American urban fantasy action film directed by David Ayer. Will Smith stars as LAPD officer Daryl Ward, who patrols the streets of an alternate Los Angeles where humans coexist with orcs, elves, fairies, and other fantasy species, and where racial tensions between species mirror real-world racial dynamics. Ward is partnered with Nick Jakoby, played by Joel Edgerton, the first orc police officer, who is mistrusted by both humans and orcs.

When they discover a magic wand — a weapon of mass destruction that can only be wielded by a "Bright" — in the possession of a young elf, every criminal faction and corrupt cop in the city comes after them during one explosive night. Bright's concept — a buddy cop movie in a world where Tolkien-style fantasy races are ethnic minorities dealing with systemic racism — was one of the most inventive high concepts in recent action cinema, though critics were divided on the execution. The film was Netflix's most expensive original production at the time at $90 million, and it became one of the platform's most-watched films upon release, demonstrating Netflix's ability to generate blockbuster-level viewership.