With the success of 10 Cloverfield Lane, Paramount is full steam ahead on another J.J. Abrams-produced film. David Oyelowo and Gugu Mbatha-Raw are currently in negotiations to star in God Particle, with Julius Onah has been tapped to direct.
God Particle is a science fiction thriller that's been trapped in development hibernation, is about a team of astronauts who stumble onto a discovery that could pretty much change reality as we know it and –– wouldn't you know –– frightening events ensue.
Space, time, reality, and a J.J. Abrams touch? I'm down with this as a plan. Not to mention, both Oyelowo and Mbatha-Raw are phenomenal. Put all of these elements into a team trapped on a space station and I think it'll be a winner.
Last year at Comic-Con, Abrams didn”t shy away from talk of diversifying Hollywood. “I think it's important people see themselves represented in film. I think it's not a small thing.” Then this past March, Abrams was featured in a piece by Rebecca Ford at The Hollywood Reporter. The article focused on Abrams” company – Bad Robot – actively diversifying their casting both in front of and behind the camera:
“We”ve been working to improve our internal hiring practices for a while, but the Oscars controversy was a wake-up call to examine our role in expanding opportunities internally at Bad Robot and externally with our content and partners.”
God Particle is the first project showcasing this commitment. Two black actors starring as scientists/astronauts in a sci-fi thriller directed by a black director is definitely a step forward for Hollywood. More of this please!
(via Variety)