Now that we have digested the surprise with the release of The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) on Netflix last weekend, it is time for more news about the Cloverfield saga. The fourth title of the franchise, Overlord (2018), won’t suffer the same fate than the previous one and will have a theatrical release. In fact, it is scheduled to come out in most of the countries the 26th of October, so mark the day on your calendar.
The shooting of this production of J.J. Abrahams’ Bad Robot and Paramount Pictures ended this past month, merely 2 weeks ago. Based on a story of Billy Ray, better known for being the writer of The Hunger Games (2012) (not the novel but the script), he also wrote the screenplay together with Mark L. Smith, the writer of The Revenant (2015), Vacancy (2007) and the horrible awful Martyrs (2015) remake. Julius Avery, director of the action drama Son of a Gun (2014), has been set to direct. Wyatt Russell, Pilou Asbæk, Iain De Caestecker, Bokeem Woodbine, Jacob Anderson, John Magaro, Jovan Adepo, Marc Rissmann, Éva Magyar and Mathilde Ollivier are the stars of the film.
Overlord (2018) tells the story of two American soldiers behind enemy lines on D Day. Which means, chronologically, this would mark the first time the Cloverfield monsters are visiting Earth. The D Day, also known as the Normandy landings (codenamed Operation Neptune) happened on Tuesday, 6 June 1944. It has been the key plot for many war drama films, perhaps being Saving Private Ryan (1998) the most notorious one (with the permission of the classic Seven Into Hell (1968)). But, as far as I remember, this is the first time this transcendent episode in the sad violent history of humankind is being used as a background for a science fiction flick. We’ll have to wait and see for the final result!
Recently it was made public that Netflix paid to Paramount $50 million for the exclusive distribution rights via their Video on Demand platform. That was a good play for both parts, first because Netflix added to their catalog a pretty catchy title as part as their Netflix Originals, and Paramount could take profit of a movie which they were fearing to be a fiasco in the cinemas. Therefore, the distribution company can focus all their efforts and publicity campaigns to push Overlord (2018). Probably 2 Cloverfield movies in the cinemas the same year would be too much, besides the audiences still have in mind the very good aftertaste of the magnificent 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016).
