The horror genre is in a bit of a renaissance right now. With stale subgenres like torture porn now mostly behind us, studios like Blumhouse has been producing new and exciting horror concepts, to great success. Plenty of all star films have been released recently including Get Out, Don't Breathe, and Happy Death Day. But there is another mysterious horror movie coming down the pipeline which Blumhouse has nothing to do with: the third Cloverfield movie. While still untitled, fans have been eager for the anthology threequel to arrive, and now it looks like it might not hit theaters at all. Because Netflix may be trying to get Cloverfield 3 released exclusively.
New reports indicate that Cloverfield 3 may end up streaming on Netflix, rather than arriving on the silver screen. The service has been striking these types of deals with Paramount Pictures lately-- which currently has the distribution rights for the upcoming threequel. Netflix recently premiered Natalie Portman's Annihilation for its subscribers, rather than Paramount putting it in theaters. Now it looks like J.J. Abrams' mysterious horror franchise could be next.
THR's reports on the possible deal for Cloverfield 3 won't come as a total surprise to hardcore cinephiles. It was actually rumored a few days ago, thanks to a Tweet by The Tracking Board's Jeff Sneider. Considering how many times the third film has been delayed, it all stands to reason. Fans have been eagerly awaiting Cloverfield 3 since 10 Cloverfield Lane arrived in 2016, and if the deal with Netflix is still pending, it would explain why the movie has taken so long to arrive.
While the third Cloverfield movie's release has been delayed a few times, the lack of a concrete release date is may be helping to keep anticipation and excitement for its arrival at an all time high. The franchise is one that is synonymous with its marketing, as the first two films utilized viral marketing to get box office numbers. For instance, it was unclear if/how 10 Cloverfield Lane related to the original, which ultimately resulted in accruing an impressive $110.2 million at the box office.
It should be interesting to see how Cloverfield 3 expands the world of the franchise and connects to the previous two entries. The original plot for the untitled sequel revolved around a group of astronauts aboard the international space station who find a horrible discovery. This would be quite the departure for the franchise, but also sounds a bit too much like the recent space horror film Life. Perhaps the mysterious alien forces will first arrive in space, before eventually making their way to Earth to cause chaos and destruction.
We'll just have to wait and see when the third Cloverfield film arrives either on Netflix or theaters. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
