GOD PARTICLE Will Be Next CLOVERFIELD Movie

This year started off with the surprise that J J Abrams had managed to produce a Cloverfield film in secret. While the direct relationship between 10 Cloverfield Lane and 2008’s Cloverfield is still open for debate – producer Abrams describes them as “blood relatives” – they both delivered some smart, science-fiction thrills.

Now a third film is being added to the franchise as The Wrap is reporting that Paramount’s previously announced God Particle is actually a new installment in Cloverfield franchise. Additionally, they are reporting that Abrams and the studio are quietly developing a number of other potential Cloverfield films, with the aim of releasing them at a rate of one per year.

The new film, which is directed by Julis Onah, is described by The Wrap as being “about a team of astronauts who make a ‘shocking discovery’ and end up fighting for survival in what is described as an altered reality.” The film stars David Oyelowo, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ziyi Zhang, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Brühl and Chris O’Dowd.

So how exactly does this third film fit into the overall Cloverfield picture? Well, it could just be that Abrams is using the name as an umbrella title for a series of science-fiction tinged thrillers, a cinematic Twilight Zone if you will. There may be certain nods to the other films, such as the appearance of the fictitious Slusho soft drink, but no actual story linkage. On the other hand, the overall storyline for this burgeoning Cloverfield will only become apparent as the films continue to roll out. It could be that the monster from the first film was just the first strike in the alien invasion we see in the second film and each film will tell part of that invasion story from the point of view of different groups of characters. That’s certainly an interesting way to roll out a series of films and one that engages its audience far more than most films.

We could find out more information in just a few days as Paramount will be previewing their upcoming slate of films for journalists on both the East and West Coasts.

God Particle is set to open on February 24, 2017.