Netflix in Talks to Buy J.J. Abrams’ ‘God Particle’ From Paramount
Netflix is in talks with Paramount to buy “God Particle,” the J.J. Abrams science-fiction thriller that’s the next installment of the loosely connected “Cloverfield” film series, according to sources.
Netflix and Paramount had no comment on the possible deal for “God Particle,” also known as “Cloverfield Station,” which has an April 20 release date in North America. The movie was originally going to open in February 2017 and has been delayed three times.
Paramount previously made a deal with Netflix in December for the streaming service to handle the international release of Natalie Portman’s horror-thriller “Annihilation.” Paramount will release the movie in North America on Feb. 23.
“God Particle,” set in the near future, centers on a team of astronauts on a space station making a terrifying discovery that challenges all they know about the fabric of reality, all while desperately trying to fight for their survival. Nigerian-American filmmaker Julius Onah directed and David Oyelowo, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ziyi Zhang, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Brühl, and Chris O’Dowd are starring.
The studio and Abrams’ Paramount-based Bad Robot production company have been developing “God Particle” since 2012. It’s the third part of the Cloverfield universe, launched in 2008 with the secrecy-shrouded found-footage monster movie “Cloverfield,” directed by Matt Reeves and produced by Bad Robot.
Bad Robot was also a producer on 2016’s “10 Cloverfield Lane” with Dan Trachtenberg directing. Abrams called “10 Cloverfield Lane” a “spiritual successor” to the original “Cloverfield.”
Abrams directed 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and is the director of “Star Wars: Episode IX,” which opens on Dec. 20, 2019.
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