The Netflix Sci-Fi Sequel Blowing Up The Charts Right Now

Netflix fans love their movies high-octane, whether they're viewing the streamer's army of original action films or its cadre of imported and licensed productions. One sequel, co-produced by and starring Stephen and Robbie Amell, has burst out of the gate with 20 million views from February 26 to March 3: "Code 8: Part II." 

The science fiction flick is a follow-up to "Code 8," a 2019 outing about Connor Reed (Robbie Amell, who played Wesley in "The Duff"), a construction worker blessed with telekinetic powers, among other abilities. His skills have been outlawed by the government, which has resulted in ruthless surveillance and abuse of authority. But things begin to change when Connor needs money for his mother's medical treatments and falls in with a gang of small-time cons. He is forced to face off against the Lincoln City Police Department and its phalanx of robots, which is determined to bring him in. 

The sequel sees Connor coping with the ramifications of his choices in the first film. He's been released after a five-year stint in prison and is working as a janitor while trying to keep a low profile. But after encountering Pav (Sirena Gulamgaus), a teenager who claims her brother died in a terrible way at the hands of the resurging LCPD, he soon learns that sinister human experimentation may be happening within their ranks. Connor turns to old friends and enemies to ensure Pav's safety. 

Connor's life has been one big semi-lonely struggle, but the Amell cousins found that they could overcome their challenges with the "Code 8" series with a little financial help from their fans.

Stephen and Robbie Amell are well aware that the grassroots movement that made "Code 8" a reality has led to the film series' success. They used an Indiegogo campaign to fund the first movie, requesting $200,000 from interested backers and ultimately raising $2.4 million. That popularity resulted in the first feature getting a full-out OnDemand release as well as a limited theatrical run. "Code 8: Part II," however, is a Netflix exclusive.

"We knew that the Indiegogo campaign was a part of it. A lot of our fanbase is built on 'Arrow' and 'The Flash,' so we knew we wanted to make something that they could get behind," Robbie Amell told Entertainment Weekly in 2019 just before "Code 8" was released. As for his cousin, the film obviously didn't allow Stephen Amell to step back into Green Arrow's boots, but he admitted that the "Code 8" films helped him control his destiny as an actor. "I've loved working on 'Arrow,' but there's also been a few times where I felt like I've represented the project but I wasn't as in control," he told the outlet.

With the film series being a big hit, there might be plenty of robotic shenanigans ahead for both Amells. Hopefully, audiences will continue responding positively to the movies.