Well, this disappoints us. It really does. Much of what we loved about Cloverfield, which finally hits UK cinemas tomorrow, was dependent on it not having a sequel. So it's slightly depressing to see Variety report that Paramount is forging ahead with a follow up in the wake of good box office.
Now we don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't seen it, but the film works because you don't know anything about where the monster came from and just experience its attack on New York in the same bewildered state as the film's characters. It's about an experience more than a story. We can only imagine that a sequel filling in some of the gaps will dilute that experience. However, we have to give it the benefit of the doubt and hope that JJ Abrams and Matt Reeves have something special in mind and not just a repeat that will make more bucks.
Reeves is set to return to direct the next movie and how quickly it goes into production depends on how quickly he, Abrams and writer Drew Goddard can come up with a new angle.
More interestingly, as was rumoured on Aintitcool yesterday and is today confirmed by Variety, Reeves is also planning The Invisible Woman. This is described as a Hitchcockian thriller about a former beauty queen who turns to a life of crime to help her family. That we'd like to see. Make that one. Leave Cloverfield as what it should be: a thrilling one-off experiment.