Netflix has warned viewers against attempting a viral challenge based on their recent post-apocalyptic film Bird Box. Directed by Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier (The Night Manager), the movie has been a successful addition to Netflix's original film library, with over 45 million users viewing it in the first week, and as a result, setting a record for the streaming platform. Upon release, viewers couldn't help but notice the similarities the film shared with John Krasinski's A Quiet Place, which also focuses on characters suppressing one of the five senses.

Bird Box centers on unseen supernatural entities, causing mass suicides across the world after appearing as the victim's worst fears or regrets. Based on James Malerman's 2014 debut novel of the same name, Sandra Bullock stars as Malorie, the film's protagonist who is met with the challenge of raising children during the apocalypse. Bird Box switches between two time periods, first showing society's initial collapse and then highlighting Malorie's attempts at getting her children to safety, all the while blindfolded to avoid seeing the creatures. Netflix's latest horror-thriller has inspired countless memes, and has now received its very own viral social media challenge, but Netflix is speaking out against the recent trend.

Related: Bird Box's Biggest "Mistake" Is Actually Why It's Great

Recently, Netflix has taken to Twitter to warn viewers against attempting the Bird Box challenge. In the challenge, participants are performing everyday tasks blindfolded, similar to Bullock's character in the movie. While no physical harm has been reported, the streaming giant wants participants to be careful. In response to the challenge, Netflix tweeted the following earlier today:

Prior to getting her children (Boy and Girl) to safety, Bullock's character struggled to live among a group of survivors. The group of familiar faces would navigate their way through the outside world blindfolded, and this would last until they all began to die, leaving Malorie on her own as she raises her children. Bird Box has been a very polarizing movie for Netflix, as it's divided critics and audiences alike. While the film is mostly grounded in its original source material, the ending of Malerman's novel was slightly altered, but Bier has defended her decision, as most of her previous projects also ended with a sense of hope.

Similar to how Bullock's character struggles to embrace motherhood, Netflix seems on edge about the recent viral challenge. Arriving just in time to close out 2018, Bird Box has already launched one of the new year's earliest discussions. A sequel could be announced sooner rather than later, as the film's momentum only continues to grow with each passing moment, so fans can expect it to remain relevant for a little while longer as the year progresses.

More: Deleted Bird Box Monster Recreated As Custom Toy By Fan

Source: Netflix