RewatchingCloverfield17 years on is actually an incredibly frustrating experience, despite my love of the sci-fi movie, because so much potential was wasted. Directed by Matt Reeves,Cloverfieldwas released in 2008, following a found footage-style narrative about monsters attacking New York City. The film’s critical and commercial success at the box office led to two moreCloverfieldmovies.
However, the sequels were considerably less well-received and hype for the franchise has since dwindled over time, leading many to wonderwhat happened to theCloverfieldmovies. While there is still an apparent plan in place for a “proper”Cloverfield 2, the franchise is very much stagnant, which is a shame considering how fantastic Matt Reeves’ first movie was.
Cloverfield Was A Clever & Exciting Movie In 2008
Cloverfield Reinvented The Found Footage Genre
Following in the footsteps of the highly-popularThe Blair Witch ProjectandParanormal Activity, 2008’sCloverfieldwas also afound footage horror movie. The film followed a group of friends who are attempting to flee a sudden monster attack on New York City, with all the action being captured on a video camera held by one of the characters.
Considering other found footage horror movies predominantly focused on small-scale supernatural storylines,Cloverfieldwas quite a clever and exciting movie in 2008.
Considering other found footage horror movies predominantly focused on small-scale supernatural storylines,Cloverfieldwas quite a clever and exciting movie in 2008.Instead of restricting itself to a small location,Cloverfieldexplored an entire city in a large-scale sci-fi narrative. This hadn’t really been done before, so it became a massive success due to its novel ideas and great execution.
The “Cloverfield” Name Has Hurt 2 Other Movies
Cloverfield’s Sequels Would Be Better As Standalones
Despite the success of the first movie, futureCloverfieldmovies were somewhat hurt by the franchise.2008’sCloverfieldearned $172.4 million on a $30 million budget, which naturally prompted sequels. In 2016, thesequel psychological thriller10 Cloverfield Lanewas released, shortly followed by the third installment, 2018’sThe Cloverfield Paradox.However, these two sequels were received very differently.
$172.4 million
$110.2 million
The Cloverfield Paradox(2018)
*Netflix release
10 Cloverfield Laneis easily one of thebest psychological thrillers of the 2010s. Its slow-burn tension created by its character-driven story was brilliant, earning the movie positive reviews and a $110.2 million box office. However,Cloverfield’spopularity came from its inventive found footage approach. Therefore, when the sequel was delivered in a normal third-person format, it was disappointing.
The same can be said forThe Cloverfield Paradox, although the movie was actually negatively reviewed due to its confusing plot and lackluster premise in comparison to its predecessors. While it’s certainly interesting thatall threeCloverfieldmovies have a shared universe,forcing them into the same connected franchise has actually hurt them more than if they were standalone movies.
Rewatching Cloverfield In 2025, It’s Painful To See How Much Potential Was Wasted
The Cloverfield Franchise Hasn’t Been Fully Developed
The problem with rewatching Matt Reeves’Cloverfieldin 2025 is that it is painful to see how much potential was wasted for the franchise. 17 years since the first film debuted,Cloverfield’sfranchise still has a lot of major unsolved mysteries, despite its two sequels, asmany questions remain frustratingly unanswered, rather than being left naturally intriguing for viewers.
Furthermore, the two sequel movies have failed to live up to the same level as 2008’s movie. Although10 Cloverfield Lanematched the first film’s ingenuity and clever storytelling, its format and unrelated characters didn’t really deliver a direct sequel to the beloved original. In comparison,The Cloverfield Paradoxwas considered a bad film overall, earning a shocking 22% Tomatometer.
it might have been better to have leftCloverfieldas a standalone to begin with
Whilea more directCloverfieldsequel is reportedly in development, this idea has been stagnant for quite some time, making it seem like a bit of an empty promise. As a result, it might have been better to have leftCloverfieldas a standalone to begin with, as it appears thesci-fi franchise may have peaked with its first film.
Can A Proper Cloverfield 2 Make Up For The Franchise’s Mistakes, Or Is It Too Late?
Problems With Legacy Suggest Cloverfield Might Be Done
Withthe hype for theCloverfieldfranchise slowly dying out due to long waits for the next instalment, and negatively received sequels, it does pose the question of whether the franchise can be saved. IfCloverfield’snext movie was the real sequelwe were promised, would it be enough to revitalize the franchise nearly two decades since it began?
Cloverfield 2was originally announced in 2021, and was slated to be a more direct sequel to the 2008 film than10 Cloverfield Lane. In fact,Matt Reeves revealed his original pitch forCloverfield 2would have followed the first film quite closely, showing “another perspective” of the events teased by another person filming. Check out his full idea below:
I did something in the movie when Hud is on the bridge before the tail comes and smashes the Brooklyn Bridge in half. There’s a moment where you actually see someone filming him and you realize, “Oh, there’s another perspective on this evening.” So that was one of my thoughts for what could be the beginning of another story. The different perspective would be a different story.
However, whilethisCloverfieldsequel ideawould’ve been interesting, posing a more direct connection to 2008’s film, as well as keeping the found footage style, it may have felt a bit like a rehash. Therefore,I am glad this found footage idea wasn’t pursued as a sequel, as it might have taken away what madeCloverfieldso groundbreaking and special.
That being said, four years since the original announcement, we’re no closer to a direct sequel being materialized, and as time goes on, it looks likeCloverfield’ssequel might not happenafter all. As a result, I’m not sure anotherCloverfieldmovie would be enough to save the franchise, especially after so many failed attempts to keep the hype going.
