Following Star Wars: The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams doesn't have another directorial endeavor lined up (or at least the public hasn't been made aware of one), but he still has his hands in other projects. One of them is God Particle, the upcoming sci-fi movie he's producing about a group of astronauts who find themselves alone after a scientific experiment causes Earth to disappear, and they must fight for survival in a different reality. The movie sounds intriguing enough on its own, but word that this is supposedly the third entry in the Cloverfield series will definitely turn a few heads.
The Wrap is reporting that just like how the previously-titled The Cellar was revealed to really be 10 Cloverfield Lane at the beginning of the year, God Particle takes place within the Cloverfield continuity. Not only that, but Paramount is apparently developing more movies set in this universe, with the hope that they can release one per year. God Particle hasn't released any footage to the public yet, but there is an event coming up on Thursday where studio head Brad Grey may provide reporters a first look at the movie. Surely a trailer would follow soon after, right?
While the idea of God Particle being part of the Cloverfield world may sound weird at first, in retrospect, it kind of makes sense, provided this report is correct. For one thing, J.J. Abrams was a producer on Cloverfield and 10 Cloverfield Lane, and earlier this year, he hinted that he wanted to do "more" with this concept. Now it appears like he's accomplishing that through God Particle. Who knows, maybe some or all of the title will be altered to reflect the movie's connection to its predecessors. As for Paramount's plans for more Cloverfield installments, it sounds like the studio is keen on establishing a cinematic universe where although there are ties between the movies, their events aren't as closely tied together, at least to a lesser degree than the likes of Marvel, DC and Star Wars.
2008's Cloverfield was a found-footage story following a group of New York City citizens trying to survive a monster attack. 10 Cloverfield Lane was a psychological thriller revolving a woman trapped in an underground bunker with two men, and by the end of the movie, it was clear they were living in an extra terrestrial-affected world. At this point, who knows if the predicament God Particle's astronauts have found themselves in is due to the same extraterrestrial forces or something else. God Particle's cast includes Daniel Brühl, Elizabeth Debicki, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and David Oyelowo.
Whether it's tied to the Cloverfield universe or not, God Particle (directed by Julius Onah) will be released in theaters on February 24, 2017.
