Paramount Pictures is beginning to line up production of a new installment in the popular Cloverfield franchise, bringing on director Babak Anvari (Under the Shadow, I Came By). Like the other films before it, it will be produced by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot.
The Paramount franchise, which began in 2008 with the release of the first movie, Cloverfield, has been praised for its use of found footage style and its viral marketing campaign that set the bar for films that came after, including a vast fictional world that encompasses both the films and the web through additional content. The film details the final frightening hours of a group of friends in a city under attack by a giant, Godzilla-like creature as they attempt to escape. While the film was not quite a blockbuster at the box office, it has since found vast audiences on DVD and streaming. While not necessarily sequels in any traditional sense, two other films, 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) and The Cloverfield Paradox (2018), followed, with separate storylines that exist within the same universe.
According to Deadline, the premise for the new Cloverfield film is still a closely guarded secret, which echoes the production of the other films, both not fully unveiled as Cloverfield films until the promotion stage. The entire franchise and its connected internet universe are shrouded in mystery and intrigue, which is one of its most defining aspects. Anvari's success as a BAFTA Outstanding Debut Filmmaker, as well as successes at Sundance and Cannes film festivals for his second film Wounds, bodes well for the new Cloverfield film, which will likely continue the franchise’s history of being dynamic but completely unpredictable.
While some installments have been well-received, others have fallen flat. 10 Cloverfield Lane, which is largely a captivity narrative of a terrified young woman (Ahsoka star Mary Elizabeth Winstead) locked in an underground bunker by a deranged man (John Goodman) during what may or may not be the apocalypse, received critical acclaim, particularly for the casting and performances. The third installment, which premiered rather abruptly with little warning on Netflix streaming, has been panned by critics and fans alike. Taking place in space, a crew of scientists, led by Ava Hamilton (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) suffers a particle accelerator mishap that alters reality, bringing monsters through interdimensional portals, which offers a great explanation for the first film’s attack on New York and the monsters spotted at the end of 10 Cloverfield Lane.
Each film, however, serves as an interesting piece in the puzzle and points to the franchise eventually fitting together into a coherent whole. Many have hoped for a true sequel to the first film, which ends with the military bombing Manhattan to stop the monster. This makes news of another installment in the works exciting for long-time Cloverfield fans seeking further development of an intriguing and vast world.
The new Cloverfield film is in development at Paramount.
Source: Deadline