Cloverfield monster origins movie uses guerrilla-style marketing on release.
By Victoria Valdez
Sports Editor
Netflix’s acquisition of “The Cloverfield Paradox” signaled the streaming giant’s move to obtain big budget productions that make an immediate impact and keep subscribers satisfied.
The messy sci-fi movie tells another cliché story of astronauts trying to save the world when something goes wrong.
The film is part of producer J.J. Abrams’ loosely connected to Cloverfield film series, according to Variety.
Originally titled “God Particle,” the film was delayed twice by Paramount Pictures before being dropped from the release schedule.
According to Varierty, Netflix was in talks with Paramount Jan. 24 to buy the film. The film was purchased for an estimated $50 million and retitled “The Cloverfield Paradox,” according to movieweb.com.
However, Netflix’s promotional plan for “The Cloverfield Paradox” is unprecedented. Rather than continue with a traditional theatrical release, Netflix dropped an announced, 30-second trailer during Super Bowl LII Feb. 4. The trailer cost was an estimated $5 million, according to Forbes.
The trailer ended with the release time – after the game.
According to Neilsen, a information and measurement company, the film massed 2.8 million views in the first three days after its release. That number grew to 5 million over a seven-day period.
“It’s so rare to be able to just drop a movie on the whole planet,” Julius Onah, director of “The Cloverfield Paradox,” said in a live Q&A for Netflix Feb. 7.
The film received negative reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, scoring a mere 17 percent with critics and 49 percent with audiences.
This is a disappointment compared to “Cloverfield” and “10 Cloverfield Lane,” which scored 68 and 79 percent, respectively with audiences.
The Cloverfield transaction benefited both parties. Paramount made a profit out of an otherwise doomed film. Netflix released an expensive film without the hassles of the slow production process.
According to The Atlantic, the film had been in development for years as a small-budget film before Paramount green lit it with a $40 million budget.
Netflix’s marketing move made a statement in the streaming industry. The appeal of movie streaming is its convenience, allowing users to watch movies from smart devices anytime, anywhere. As time passes, streaming services gain more quality content, which attracts more viewers.
Netflix’s strategy to off load seemingly failed, but completed projects of broad genre appeal from other production companies could help it stay ahead of competing services.
According to The Atlantic, its TV offerings are consistent award contenders. However, the company has had trouble attracting Oscar attention.
Continuing to persue projects like this one will certanly keep Netflix ahead of its competitors.