Michael Bay Leads Another Alien Invasion at Paramount

Studio picks up a pitch involving extraterrestrials from rookie writer Bobby Glickert

Paramount just picked up an alien abduction pitch from Bobby Glickert who will make his feature directing debut on the project, which Michael Bay is set to produce with his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Glickert wrote a treatment and filmed a two-minute teaser that attracted Platinum Dunes, who are currently looking for writers to flesh out Glickert's story.

The $12 million project is described as "Cloverfield" meets "Paranormal Activity," (two hugely profitable Paramount pictures) which indicates it will rely on handheld filmmaking and the full force of the studio's marketing department.

Paramount seems to be Hollywood's headquarters for projects involving extraterrestrials, as it also has J.J. Abrams' "Super 8" and Oren Peli's "Area 51" on the horizon, not to mention Bay's alien robot sequel "Transformers 3."

Bay is also producing DreamWorks' upcoming aliens-in-high-school movie "I Am Number Four," and that studio has teamed with Universal on Jon Favreau's upcoming "Cowboys & Aliens."

Elsewhere around town, Sony's "Battle: Los Angeles" finds Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez defending the city from an alien invasion, while halfway across the globe in Moscow, Emile Hirsch and Olivia Thirlby will try to survive an alien invasion in "The Darkest Hour," plus Universal/Rogue Pictures will release the alien abduction thriller "Skyline" in November. Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox is rebooting its "Alien" franchise with original director Ridley Scott, and aliens also factor into Universal's "Battleship" and Columbia's "Men in Black 3." Oh, and "Monsters vs. Aliens" star Seth Rogen plays an alien opposite Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in Greg Mottola's road trip comedy "Paul."

Glickert may sound like an overnight success but he's paid his Hollywood dues, having served as a production assistant on several studio movies, including Bay's original "Transformers." He cut his teeth directing two horror shorts, "Road to Moloch" and "The Descendent," and most recently spent a year and a half working as an assistant for "Fast & Furious" director Justin Lin.

Glickert is represented by manager Tariq Merhab, and WME negotiated his deal.

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