Netflix acquires another sci-fi thriller its original studio didn’t plan on releasing

Netflix pulls another Cloverfield Paradox and purchases another sci-fi film that’s been dropped by its original studio’s release schedule. The streaming service just bought from Universal the Michal Peña and Lizzy Caplan-led movie called Extinction. It follows the two as a married couple who are trying to protect their family from some sort of alien invasion. The film was written by Brad Kane (Black Sails and Fringe) and Spenser Cohen (who as The Verge points out has the 2013 TV movie Macklemore’s Big Surprise as his biggest credit). It’s directed by Ben Young, whose credits include Hounds of Love and some prank shows.

Buying rights to movies that studios no longer want helps defray the cost for the streaming service when it comes to the development and production process. It also helps the studios out to at the very least meet production cost and won’t have them spending too much on marketing. But as this story from AV Club states viewers do suffer from getting mediocre content and some of Netflix’s own big productions get sidelined for the next big flashy marketing campaign.