In a somewhat surprising move, Paramount has announced that a new Cloverfield movie is in development, with horror director Babak Anvari on board. It’s surprising for a couple of reasons – the last movie got something of a critical drubbing, and also this is the first time a Cloverfield sequel has been developed as that, instead of retro-fitted and surprise-dropped. Paramount are currently enjoying the top of the 2022 box office, as they’re the studio behind Top Gun: Maverick.
2008’s Cloverfield, directed by The Batman‘s Matt Reeves, is seen as major entry in the found-footage genre, which had its hey-day in the 2000s. The marketing of all three Cloverfield movies so far have been one of its biggest distinguishing factors – starting with a masterful teaser trailer for the first movie.
Both 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) and The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) were originally written as standalone movies, and then later re-drafted to become part of the franchise. 10 Cloverfield Lane was once a psychological horror movie called The Cellar, and it’s only the final act of the movie that introduces any science fiction elements. The Cloverfield Paradox was originally titled God Particle and was once again retro-fitted to form a Cloverfield origin story.
The Cloverfield Paradox had the most audacious marketing of the franchise yet. During the 2018 Super Bowl, an advert announced the existence and title of the movie, and said that it would be a surprise drop on Netflix after the game. This obviously worked well in terms of getting millions to watch it, but most were left disappointed by the film.
Babak Anvari is known for the independent horror movies Under the Shadow, Wounds, and I Came By – which was recently released on Netflix. Cloverfield will be his first larger budget movie for a big studio. Plot details for the new Cloverfield are likely to be kept tightly under wraps, as surprise has always been a huge element of the franchise.
While we wait to hear more about when to expect this new Cloverfield, check out our guide to the best science fiction movies.