Netflix Threatens Extinction

Netflix has just released a trailer and poster art for its original movie, Extinction, which will premiere globally on July 27 (presumably in 4K HDR).

It stars Michael Pena (12 Strong) as working-class father of the future who faces recurring dreams of destruction by an unknown force.

When his unwanted nightmares begin to affect his relationship with his family, he realises they may be the key to a horrible reality, as a relentless alien attack begins to destroy the Earth.

Extinction was directed by Australian Ben Young, from a script by Eric Heisserer (2011’s The Thing), and co-stars Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex), Mike Colter (Luke Cage) and Emma Booth (Glitch).

It is the latest mid-budget movie from a major studio, Universal Pictures, to bypass the box office for Netflix.

The first was The Cloverfield Paradox and coming soon is Annihilation.

Netflix also has bought international rights to Sandra Bullock’s apocalyptic Bird Box and the latest re-make of Shaft.

“To outsiders, these moves by Netflix and its film division chief, Scott Stuber — who has yet to release a zeitgeisty movie a la the streamer’s series hits — may seem head-scratching,” Variety reports, “but they’re all in service of targeting niche audiences for subscriptions.”