Then again, secrecy and strange surprises are written into theCloverfieldfranchises DNA.
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The Cloverfield Paradoxhad a similarly curious path to the screen.
Unlike10 Cloverfield Lane, however, its probably fair to say thatParadoxdoesnt quite succeed on its own terms.
Sadly, these pleasingly nasty images are somewhat lost in a plot that never quite gets going.
What follows is a comparison between this early draft and theParadoxmovie now on Netflix.
God Particle
Lets start with the similarities first.
In both script and screenplay, theres much talk about whether their experiment has destroyed their home planet.
Understandably, this notion causes a considerable amount of tension among the crew.
Hereafter, the two stories diverge rapidly and drastically.
Precisely none of this is in Uziels original spec script.
Its worth rewinding here to explain something about God Particles back story.
What if theyre secretly plotting to kill the Americans and take over the station?
Tests reveal that Flynn was poisoned.
This poses the question: is the true enemy among the Europeans, or in the American camp?
Only two scientists among the Americans Martinez and Cosbi know about the experiment.
This isnt to say, however, thatGod Particle is a lost classic.
Gireaux is simply described as the French beauty and nothing more.
A German named Schmidt is dismissed as humorless and compared to Werner Herzog.
Although Uziel is still credited asThe Cloverfield Paradoxs sole screenwriter, Doug Jung also gets a story by credit.
EvenAlien: Covenant, with the benefit of its attachment to a long-running franchise, didnt quite land.
Despite10 Cloverfield Lanes buoyant performance in 2016,The Cloverfield Paradoxeventually went the same way.
Then again, God Particle wouldve made a solid sci-fi thriller as it was, despite its own flaws.
Instead, we can only look at the original God Particle screenplay and wonder what might have been.
Its available in the UK fromAmazonandThe Book Depository, in Australia fromDymocksandAmazonand in New Zealand fromMighty Ape.
