Netflix has launched The Cloverfield Paradox to a string of scathing reviews, after months of speculation about the future of the horror prequel.

The film, which follows on 2008’s Cloverfield and 2016’s 10 Cloverfield Lane, was sold to Netflix after Paramount opted against releasing it in cinemas in April.

But while the announcement during last night’s Super Bowl was met with huge excitement, it seems that the final product isn’t garnering the same response.


At the time of writing, The Cloverfield Paradox holds a dismal eight percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the film’s detractors pointing out an apparent lack of reason and logic.

In a damning review for Forbes, Luke Thompson wrote: “Once your plot literally establishes that anything can happen for no reason because alternate dimensions, there’s no compelling need for script logic any more.”

A similarly brutal view came from The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore, who reasoned: “A trainwreck of a sci-fi flick bent on extending a franchise that should have died a peaceful death almost exactly one decade ago.”

Some thing happened in the future. Find out NOW. #CloverfieldParadox is now streaming https://t.co/pCoScwa0Pj pic.twitter.com/aa2nWun5UR — Netflix Canada (@Netflix_CA) February 5, 2018


While the original film largely consists of found-footage, The Cloverfield Paradox takes the franchise into Space – with a trailer hinting that it could offer an explanation for the initial invasion of New York.

The trailer offers a brief glimpse at a group of astronauts who are marooned on a space station, before the entire disappearance of Earth prompts them to make a “horrible discovery”.

It’s directed by first-time helmer Julius Onah and stars an ensemble cast featuring the likes of David Oyelowo, Chris O’Dowd, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Daniel Bruhl, and Zhang Ziyi.

The project was initially titled ‘God Particle’ and was initially mooted for a 2017 release that never happened.

Despite emerging on Netflix last night, it was claimed last month that the film would see its eventual release in April.

Describing the project in 2016, producer JJ Abrams said: ““I would be lying if I didn’t say there was something else that, if we’re lucky enough to do it, could be really cool that connects some stories.’