Cloverfield 2 Is Happening
Cloverfield 2 is actually coming down the pike with the much-anticipated sequel movie tapping a writer and still under JJ Abrams's eye
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Cloverfield 2 has long-been anticipated as a sequel for the surprise 2008 breakout film. That one showed us a side of an alien monster attack from the point of view of a hand-held video camera in New York City. It was a found footage movie that acted as something of a primary source historical record of an attack on the world by an alien presence. The flick ended shrouded in some mystery, leading many to pine for a direct follow-up with what happened next in that story. Well, now we might be getting that sequel. JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot and Paramount are teaming back up to get Cloverfield 2 greenlit.
While Cloverfield introduced the film world to Matt Reeves who took a sometimes-tired concept and gave it a totally new look and feel, Cloverfield 2 apparently will take an entirely different approach. Abrams and company have signed on Joe Barton to write the script though it’s unclear if he’ll act as the director too. Unlike its predecessor, the sequel won’t be of the found-footage variety, opting instead for just a standard live-action film. It’s unclear where it happens in the timeline. It is confirmed that Matt Reeves won’t be returning to any role here so the story could take any number of directions.
2008’s Cloverfield was a surprise hit, using some solid and mysterious marketing campaigns to create considerable buzz around the film. And considering the style, all told from the point of view of a single camera that starts in a New York City party and only gets worse as the alien invasion intensifies, it was a big hit. On just a $25 million budget, the film took home more than $170 million at the box office. It performed well with critics as well, scoring 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Cloverfield 2 could pick up where the other left off and should be in position to capitalize on its success even more than a decade later.
This first movie led to a quasi-franchise with the Cloverfield name used but the subsequent films acting as more of spiritual successors than direct sequels. 10 Cloverfield Lane was a bottle movie, set within a fallout bunker at the onset of the alien invasion. It was less about the aliens and much more an escape film. And then there was The Cloverfield Paradox which took place in something of a parallel universe. It was a bomb with critics. Where Cloverfield 2 fits in with these is unclear and it wouldn’t be shocking if they ignored those films completely.
If Cloverfield 2 tries to pick up after the events of the original, or at least fill in some of the gaps in that story I think we could have a cool film on our hands. Throughout this franchise, the great mystery of *what* exactly is attacking Earth has been the big question. Could we start to get some answers here? It would be nice, though with alien attacks it’s unlikely the ETs ever just come and give an explanation of their intentions.
With Abrams back on board as a producer and Joe Barton penning the scripts, I think Cloverfield 2 has a moderate chance of success. And there’s some reason to believe this could act as something of a franchise reset.
