Cloverfield
| "Cloverfield" | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Matt Reeves |
| Written by | Drew Goddard |
| Produced by | J. J. Abrams Bryan Burk |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date | January 18 2008 |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
"Cloverfield" is the code name of an upcoming science fiction film produced by J. J. Abrams, directed by Matt Reeves, and written by Drew Goddard. First publicized in advance screenings of Transformers, the secret project is slated for a January 18 2008 release. Paramount has been reported to be carrying out a viral marketing campaign to promote the film.
Premise
The film concerns a small group of people who contend with a monster attack on present-day New York City.[1]
Cast
Production
In February 2007, Paramount Pictures secretly greenlighted the project "Cloverfield" to be produced by J. J. Abrams, directed by Matt Reeves, and written by Drew Goddard. The casting process was also carried out in secret, with no script being sent out to candidates.[1] It has been confirmed that Michael Stahl-David, Odette Yustman and Lizzy Caplan star in the movie. With production estimated to have a budget of $30 million, filming began in mid-June in New York.[1]
Marketing
Due to Transformers showing high tracking numbers before its release, Paramount decided to release a teaser for "Cloverfield" before the robot film to build hype. The teaser footage is shot with a hand-held camera to emulate a home-movie style. The teaser did not reveal the name of the film, but it showed a release date of January 18 2008 for the film. It is not known if the film will carry the same style. The teaser was leaked onto YouTube by people who recorded it with camcorders, but Paramount invoked its copyright claim to have the links removed.[1] Paramount eventually made the teaser trailer available to the public at Apple.com.
Following the teaser's release, USA Today reported the hype among moviegoers regarding the lack of title in its screening and the background of the film itself. Paramount was also reported to have published puzzle websites such as EthanHaasWasRight.com in a viral marketing campaign to promote the film.[2] Based on the sites, the film was speculated to be about Cthulhu, due to the puzzles possessing Lovecraftian themes.[3] Other reported speculation included a Voltron film adaptation, a new Godzilla film or a Lost TV spin-off.[2] A Paramount spokesperson said that the studio was unfamiliar with the URL of the Ethan Haas Was Right website. An e-mail sent from producer JJ Abrams to Ain't It Cool News claimed that the Ethan Haas websites had no connection to the project whatsoever. The Star Ledger also reported the "seemingly official" website www.1-18-08.com to have pixilated snapshots of people possibly from the film.[4] Paramount sources have refrained from any direct comment with the media about the film.[2]
J.J. Abrams sent a letter to Ain't It Cool News which declares that www.1-18-08.com is one of the official sites, implying there are more yet to be found. It also states that this movie has nothing to do with any of the Ethan Haas sites.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Borys Kit (2007-07-06). "Paramount rolls in the 'Cloverfield'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-07-06.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Anthony Breznican (2007-07-08). "Mystifying trailer transforms marketing". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ David M. Ewatt (2007-07-06). "Who is Ethan Haas, And What Is Cloverfield?". Forbes. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Lisa Rose (2007-07-09). "Hush-hush project stirs wild speculation". The Star Ledger. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Harry Knowles (2007-07-09). "JJ Abrams drops Harry a Line on all this 1-18-08 stuff!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
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External links
- Purported puzzle websites