‘Cloverfield’ Is Finally Getting A Direct Sequel, But It Won’t Be Found Footage
As early as January of 2008, there were discussions about a possible sequel to Matt Reeves' giant monster movieCloverfield. The franchise expanded in new directions with the great10 Cloverfield Laneand the not-so-greatThe Cloverfield Paradox, but a proper follow-up never materialized – until now.
Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot have hired British screenwriterJoe Barton, who was recently brought on as the showrunner of HBO Max’sThe BatmanTV spin-off, to write the script, andJ.J. Abramswill return to produce the movie.
The Hollywood Reportersays that a properCloverfieldsequel is finally (finally!) in development. But unlike the 2008 original, this sequel will not use the found-footage format. (It’s what /Film writer Chris Evangelista called “theBook of Shadows: Blair Witch 2approach.") Details about the plot are being kept secret, but it seems like a good bet that this movie will feature references to some of the in-universe companies and products established throughout these movies, even if its plot does not explicitly link up with the two existing spin-off movies. And here’s another interesting note: Matt Reeves, who directed first movie, will not be involved with this new entry.
In addition to tackling theGotham P.D. spin-offof Reeves' upcoming filmThe Batman, Barton created the crime dramaGiri/Hajiand wrote for shows likeHumans,Cuffs, andOur World War. He also wrote the script for the horror filmThe Ritual.
In 2008, Reevesrevealedin an interview that a sequel was being bandied about, and that it might end up showing the events of the first film from a different perspective. “While we were on set making the film we talked about the possibilities and directions of how a sequel can go,” he said. “The fun of this movie was that it might not have been the only movie being made that night, there might be another movie! In today’s day and age of people filming their lives on their iPhones and handy cams, uploading it to YouTube…That was kind of exciting thinking about that.” I remember thinking about how cool it would be if the protagonists from the first film passed another group of people, and then a whole other movie was made about that second group.
Years later, Reevespromisedthat “you are going to see” aCloverfieldsequel, but “we just don’t know when.” At the time, he was talking about a sequel that would have been made by the same creative team that made the first one; that same configuration is no longer in place, but his promise seems to be on its way to coming true.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated thatCloverfieldwas Matt Reeves' feature directorial debut. His actual feature directorial debut was the 1996 filmThe Pallbearer.
