Director Matt Reeves in talks for second 'Cloverfield'

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Just in from /Film:

The nearly 70 percent drop in Cloverfield’s box office take last weekend has not deterred Paramount Pictures from starting early talks with director Matt Reeves to helm a sequel to the Monster Movie That Ate the Internet. In fact, Variety reports that Cloverfield 2 (our title) may very well be Reeves next film, depending on how fast Reeves, producer J.J. Abrams and writer Drew Goddard can put their hands in a circle and call out “Go Team.” No others details were revealed, but is that a surprise?

The ink has settled on Reeves’s other project, The Invisible Woman, described as a “Hitchcock-style thriller that probes the mind of a former beauty queen who turns to a life of crime to protect her family.” The deal was made with GreeneStreet Films, complete with a script by Reeves, who will also produce the film alongside J.J. Abrams and a few others. Is the title’s meaning literal? It’s hard to say, unless the word “probe” is a hint. Try scanning the description with a black light.

Of course, several hours ago, Reeves’s name was rumored to be in the running for the newly vacant, day-old directing gig on The Wolf Man. Looks like he officially has other half-fish to fry. As for a Cloverfield 2, success wouldn’t be a sure thing, even with a small budget, as the original film’s reception was far loss positive amongst audiences than a similarly Internet-buzzing and viral marketed movie like Saw. While I thought the original was everything its filmmakers promised and more, I’d much rather revisit Rambo theatrically and I don’t really care to see Cloverfield on DVD. Simply mentioning Reeves’s landmark movie makes some people woozy or behave like they lost a contact in shag carpet. Seconds?

Variety has this to say on the topic:

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.

“Woman” is a Hitchcock-style thriller that probes the mind of a former beauty queen who turns to a life of crime to protect her family.

Reeves wrote the script and will produce with Abrams and GreeneStreet’s John Penotti, Fisher Stevens and Tim Williams.

“Matt has created a truly original and compelling character and story,” said GreeneStreet’s Penotti.

GreeneStreet will finance “The Invisible Woman,” and GreeneStreet Intl. will sell overseas territories.

With a $25 million budget, a strong concept and cast of unknowns, “Cloverfield” scored a $46 million opening frame, which was a record for a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. Paramount gave away almost no first-dollar gross, making the film a bargain for the studio.

GreeneStreet recently completed two films: the John Polson-directed “Tenderness,” starring Russell Crowe, which was just set for distribution at Lionsgate, and “Bill,” directed by Melisa Wallack and Bernie Goldmann, whichwill be distributed by First Look Studios.