Jan 31 2008 Inevitable 'Cloverfield' Sequel Looming
What did you think upon first walking out of Cloverfield? That was enjoyable enough, if gimmicky and unbelievable? What a letdown after six months of marketing? I feel incredibly nauseous? If any of these are close, you obviously aren't a Paramount executive; their reaction to your leaving the theater was pupils transforming into dollar signs and the audible ching of cash register. Yes, as you've probably already suspected (and despite a massive box office drop from its opening week, an indicator that maybe audiences don't want to see more Cloverfield), Paramount is in talks with director Matt Reeves to direct a sequel to the shaky-cam hit.
Matt Reeves is in early talks with Paramount to direct a "Cloverfield" sequel, and he has also made a deal with GreeneStreet Films to direct "The Invisible Woman."Timing of the projects will depend on how quickly Paramount can complete discussions with Reeves, producer J.J. Abrams and scribe Drew Goddard to scare up another monster tale for the "Cloverfield" sequel. There's a good chance the sequel will be Reeves' next film, in which case he will direct "The Invisible Woman" afterward.
I think there's a metaphor to be made here about something huge rising out of nowhere, creating a huge spectacle, and drawing massive crowds, only to have it mercilessly bombed to a painful oblivion. I'm not willing to piece it together, but you get the idea.
Paramount sows 'Cloverfield' sequel [Variety]
Jan 28 2008 'Meet the Spartans' Wins a Lame Parody of the Weekend Box Office
1. Meet the Spartans - I think we need to sit down and have a serious discussion about how this possibly made $18.7 million this weekend, and I think that discussion should be littered with shallow references to pop culture that might be mistaken for actual jokes.
2. Rambo - Stallone's body count easily bested 27 Dresses' dress count, earning $18.2 million.
3. 27 Dresses - $13.6 million, or almost $504,000 per dress.
4. Cloverfield - With a 68% drop to $12.7 million, it's still alive, but barely.
5. Untraceable - Your parents' combined fear and lack of understanding of this "internet" thing cost them a cumulative $11.2 million, though the mental damages could still rise as they continually ask you, "Could that really happen?"
Weekend Box Office [Box Office Mojo]
Jan 22 2008 'Cloverfield' Monster: Dead or Alive?
In today's point-counterpoint, we have Vink on one side, who's pointed out that if you brought some sort of audio recording device into Cloverfield, stayed past the credits, recorded the strange voice, then used a program to reverse that audio, you can hear a voice saying, "It's still alive." I assume everyone already did this, but here's the clip if you didn't for some reason.
On the other side of the argument, we have the above image, just updated on the official site. I have to say, it makes a pretty convincing argument for "not alive."
Thoughts? (Quoting Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" is allowable as your thought.)
Jan 21 2008 'Cloverfield' Wins Weekend Box Office
1. Cloverfield - With $41 million, it really stomped the competition! Or how about, a monstrous win for Cloverfield? Or maybe, Cloverfield's weekend not as shaky as its camera? Cloverfield doesn't need its hand-held to win weekend? Whichever is most ridiculous.
2. 27 Dresses - $22.4 million, or about $830,000 per dress.
3. The Bucket List - Another $15.2 million proved it's the hot destination for baby boomers looking for something without "that awful shaky camera."
4. Juno - With another $10.3 million, next year's "this year's Little Miss Sunshine" will now be "this year's Juno," which is this year's Little Miss Sunshine.
5. National Treasure: Book of Secrets - Y'say Ghos' Rider is back hunnin' fer treasure?! Shoot, I'd collectively pay $8.1 million t'see that, y'all!
Conspicuously absent, but deservedly so: Mad Money, Alvin and the Chipmunks (finally).
Weekend Box Office Estimates [Box Office Mojo]
Jan 10 2008 A Final 'Cloverfield' Marketing Blitzkrieg
If you somehow missed the assault of trailers, TV ads, viral videos, clips, competitions, spirit quests, etc. for Cloverfield, consider yourself lucky. You've successfully avoided a 6-month campaign in which they've shown us every possible way to not show us the film's monster. But if you're looking to go in fresh, there's still one more marketing cornucopia you'll need to turn away before the premiere next week: this glut of new images and 31 pages of production notes.
And thanks to everyone who sent in this supposed Cloverfield monster drawing. I'm pretty sure it's fake, but I'm positive it's awesome.
Jan 7 2008 More, Better 'Cloverfield' Viral Marketing
I've gotten pretty worn out with all the viral marketing that seems to be essential to any big-budget film coming out in the next year, but in particular with the efforts of Cloverfield. While The Dark Knight's exhaustive campaign mixes real-life planted swag with online clue-hunting (still sort of annoying), Cloverfield has chosen a strategy more along the lines of here's something, figure it out. With a detailed website for a fictional corporation with no obvious connection to the monster attack and an out-of-touch, obvious jab at Japanese culture, each piece of the puzzle added to a final image that appeared to be an Ouroboros of apathy. OK, I get that frozen soda is somehow involved with the monster. So what?
But now, taking a route more similar to The Darjeeling Limited than Lost, JJ Abrams and company have released some clips that, while still somewhat cryptic, serve as more of a prelude to the film than an intentionally vague clue. This is what viral marketing should look like. Or just something with Will Ferrell shirtless.
See the clips and analysis here.
Dec 17 2007 'Star Trek' Trailer To Boldly Go (wink!) Ahead of 'Cloverfield'
As of late, there hasn't been much news from the Star Trek front besides some old casting rumors and spy shots of Zachary Quinto dressed like an elfin version of the kid from Roseanne. So it's sort of surprising that we'll already get a trailer for the film ahead of Cloverfield, the director of the monster disaster told MTV. Hopefully the first look at the film will quench our desire to see a filmed Star Trek Impersonator Convention until the film's release, or at least until the next Star Trek Impersonator Convention (STIC).
'Star Trek' Trailer Boldy Goes To 'Cloverfield' Audiences [MTV]
Dec 14 2007 First Three Minutes of 'Cloverfield'
With non-stop monster destruction, huge explosions, and shaky handheld camera, Cloverfield looks to be the #1 movie of next year that your mom would hate. For me, it would be something like this:
"What is this, a rich party? I thought this was monsters."
"Mom, shhh."
"Is his a home movie? I didn't pay to see a camcorder show. Wait... did you make this? Is this one of your movies?"
"No, Mom. Please, be quiet."
"What is all this terrible noise? All this shaking camera is making me sick. I'm going to wait in the car. You have fun with your Draculas movie."
So, I guess my point is to watch this preview, but don't take your mom. Just have her drop you off and pick you up, like usual. Thanks for the tip, Dave.
Dec 6 2007 'Cloverfield' Slusho Ad Totally Gets That Japan is Weird
Finally, someone has the guts and insight to take on the infallible culture of the Japanese with this new "Slusho" commercial, part of the Cloverfield marketing machine. You know, now that I see this eye-opening parody, I suppose Japanese commercials are child-like, nonsensical, and epilepsy-inducing!
The main difference between this viral campaign and the one for The Dark Knight is that, while the latter is tiresomely long and involved, it at least seems immediately relevant. Joker playing cards, Gotham business websites--I get it. In the case of Cloverfield: "Slusho"? What the hell is this, and how does it relate to giant monster attacks? Even if Pepsi somehow created giant destructive lizards, a Pepsi commercial would still be a horrible advertisement for Godzilla.
See it under the cut. And sorry for the slow updates today. My computer is operating under the assumption that it's from 1985.
Continue Reading " 'Cloverfield' Slusho Ad Totally Gets That Japan is Weird "
Nov 20 2007 'Cloverfield' Monster Still Undecipherable in Slow Motion
The trailer for Cloverfield that was released yesterday gave the first glimpse at part of the film's monster, but, unfortunately, it passed by too quickly to properly preemptively judge and criticize. Some of you probably already went through frame by frame to try to get a better look, but now the rest of you, the lazy/apathetic ones, have been rewarded with a slow-motion version of the big monster reveal. At this speed, you can really see your expectations falling with the rubble.
See it under the cut.
Continue Reading " 'Cloverfield' Monster Still Undecipherable in Slow Motion "
Nov 19 2007 'Cloverfield' Trailer, Still No Monster
While this trailer for Cloverfield--now apparently the official name--makes it seem like an exciting new take on the Blair Witch-style, home video recorded horror, those looking to finally get a look at the monster attacking New York are in for more disappointment. Careful edits and well-placed buildings obscure the beasts like giant, aggravating pasties on massive, roaring breasts.
With this much build-up, can this thing possibly live up to our expectations? Are your intense hopes for the monster similar to mine? (Note: I'm thinking the head of Oprah and a whole mess of tentacles.)
Cloverfield Trailer [Apple]
Oct 1 2007 Tagruato is the New Hanso, Gimmick
For his hit, intentionally-cryptic series, Lost, JJ Abrams created the fictional Hanso corporation and spread clues about its origins on TV and the internet. Well, apparently fake companies are something he now thinks play a part in every good marketing strategy, and there are corporate websites for his new 1-18-08 monster movie. Now you can spend hours scrounging for vague clues at Tagruato Corp. and its subsidiaries, Yoshida Medical Research, Bold Futura, Slusho!, and ParaFun!.
Great work, JJ. Nothing gets me interested in a popcorn monster flick like exhaustive research of a non-existing company. Because the company has no basis in reality, I can rest assured that whatever information I'm able to draw from these websites will serve me absolutely no purpose once the film fades in popularity. And even until then, at best it will make me seem like a freakish fanboy with far too much free time. Perhaps his larger strategy is the alienation of his fans from the rest of humanity, forcing them to find solace in collecting memorabilia for Lost and whatever he's calling this monster movie.
Cloverfield Has Its Hanso [1-18-08 Project Cloverfield]
Sep 13 2007 Cloverfield Clues are Boring
JJ Abrams' Cloverfield giant monster project is continuing its viral marketing campaign with a new site just found, www.jamieandteddy.com, which contains the above video of a young woman talking at the camera and ending on the revelation that she has a bladder infection. I have no idea what this proves other than that a 20-something can reach the same point in two minutes that it takes my grandma at least an hour to hit.
Jamieandteddy.com [Cloverfield Clues]
Aug 30 2007 1-18-08 Monster Roars
Furthering efforts to provide a regular stream of useless "clues," the 1-18-08 site has been updated to play a Godzilla-esque roar if you wait for six minutes, or you can just play it in the clip above. With all the hype building for what this creature is, there are going to be some let down fans if the monster ends up being Jane Fonda in the hilarious new Monster-in-Law 2.
Monster Roar Added to 1-18-08 Site [1-18-08 Project Cloverfield]
Aug 9 2007 Cloverfield Call Sheet May Reveal Ending
Even though no one knows what it's really about, or even what the name is, the final scene to J.J. Abrams' top secret Cloverfield (or whatever you want to call it) giant monster project may have been leaked. A call sheet collected from the final day of shooting, cleverly hidden under the codename "Cheese," has revealed that... (hidden under cut so people won't say I spoiled something, though it's really not much of a spoiler.)
EDIT: Got a letter from Paramount asking us to take down the call sheet. Which sucks, but at least confirms that it was real.
Continue Reading " Cloverfield Call Sheet May Reveal Ending "
Jul 26 2007 Cloverfield teaser poster
The teaser poster for J.J. Abrams' secret project Cloverfield has been released, although a leaked version originally had the word 'monsterous' across the top which has been mysteriously left out. The film still doesn't have a title, but sources have confirmed (contrary to speculation on the internet) that the monster isn't a parasite and isn't a giant robot (like Voltron). Which basically leaves Godzilla. Or aliens. Or my aunt Ruth. I'd go with Ruth, but I don't think the world is ready for a movie that scary. Put on a bra!
Jul 10 2007 1-18-08 Trailer Officially Up
After pulling all the bootlegged trailers from YouTube, Paramount has finally decided we're worthy of seeing the trailer to J.J. Abrams' secret project, thus far being referred to as 01-18-08 or Cloverfield. Now that I've finally seen the home video-style footage in high definition, it really makes me hope the rest of the movie is shot this way, and that Bob Saget does funny voices over it.
Jul 5 2007 Cloverfield Teaser Trailer
If you decided to fight your instinctual love for giant robots and avoided Transformers over the holiday, you not only missed an illogical story--you missed the Cloverfield teaser!
A cloud of secrecy surrounds the project, with the teaser not even mentioning the title, but it seems to imply a giant, Godzilla-style monster attacking New York. And I'll be quite honest, after all the roaring and massive destruction of property seen above, I'm going to be pretty pissed if it's not a colossal monster. It would be like showing me a coffin and a girl with a couple holes in her neck and telling me you're not giving me a vampire movie, except Godzilla monsters are much cooler since they're not drenched in strange goth kid mystique.
Unfortunately, with J.J. Abrams producing and a Lost writer as scribe, the movie will probably last three seasons beyond your caring.
If the above link goes down, or for a differently angled bootlegger's take, try this.
EDIT: I fixed my spelling.
Also, Paramount seems to have eliminated all traces of this trailer. Comment if you can find it still existing somewhere.
