Netflix returns to the big game with a surprise trailer for a new straight-to-streaming/"Netflix Originals" installment in J.J. Abrams' "Cloverfield" franchise.

The movie was originally known as "God Particle" and slated for theatrical release by Paramount, but the studio's concerns pushed it into the clutches of Netflix, according to The Hollywood Reporter:

Worried that Cloverfield Paradox would perish at the box office -- it was set to hit theaters April 20 after several delays -- Paramount and Abrams handed it to Netflix, which is willing to shell out big bucks for high-profile content.

The deal, broached over the holidays and finalized in January, is worth north of $50 million, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter, with Paramount retaining rights for China and home entertainment.

It makes the movie instantly profitable for the studio, which avoids a (likely) misfire and costly marketing campaign. And Netflix got what it was looking for, regardless of withering reviews (18 percent on Rotten Tomatoes at press time): buzz.

Netflix first came to the Super Bowl in 2017 to promote the second season of its original series "Stranger Things." In 2018, it went up against Hulu ("Castle Rock"), Amazon Prime ("Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan") and HBO ("Westworld").

BRAND: Netflix

YEAR: 2018

AGENCY: internal

SUPERBOWL: LII

QUARTER AIRED: Q2