Could Valerian 2 actually happen? Admittedly, it still seems unlikely, but a new deal that Netflix has brewing makes it at least seem much more possible now. According to a new report, the streaming service is in negotiations with director Luc Besson and his company EuropaCorp to make new movies for Netflix. These would be branded as Netflix originals and are said to be projects in the $30 million budget range. There are a lot of moving pieces involved in this potential deal, but this is the best chance at seeing a sequel to Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, which bombed at the box office.

To that point, the fact that Valerian bombed has put EuropaCorp in a precarious situation. The studio lost a ton of money and is now said to be in $285 million in debt. As such, they're looking to partner up with another studio or, in this case, Netflix, who would potentially be buying into EuropaCorp, or possibly even acquiring the company. Netflix is said to be interested in the studio's library of titles, which includes the Taken franchise, the Transporter movies and Taxi. That would be a nice get for Netflix's streaming library.

This could also mean that Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets could find a home on Netflix. Even though the movie made just $41 million at the domestic box office, it seems like the kind of movie that would find a sizable audience on Netflix's platform. If the movie does find its way to Netflix and does indeed find a good audience, that could encourage the streaming service to consider teaming up with Luc Besson for Valerian 2. A lot would need to happen for that to actually take place, and there's no indication in the report of their deal with EuropaCorp that suggests this will actually happen, but it's not impossible to imagine. Especially considering how much they shelled out for Bright, which was a massive success and is getting a sequel.

As for what this would mean? It would be a return to mid-budget movies for Luc Besson, which is where he excels. In that $30 million range, he would be making movies like Leon: The Professional and Lucy, which were both tremendously successful. There's been talk of Lucy 2 off and on for quite some time as well. Maybe Netflix could finally get that sequel going?

In any case, this is Netflix making another potentially big move and snatching up another established director. Last year, Netflix made its first acquisition by purchasing the comic book company Millarworld, which was founded by Mark Millar and has created titles such as Kick-Ass and Kingsman. Variety notes that business tycoon Tarak Ben Ammar and Lionsgate are also in the mix as potential buyers for EuropaCorp. For Valerian fans, Netflix is probably the best suitor and could be the one and only shot at making a sequel happen. Just don't' hold your breath waiting for it.