For a franchise so small, the Cloverfield timeline is incredibly complex and full of more lore than one might expect. This three-part anthology series began with Cloverfield, a found-footage hit by Matt Reeves. Later, J.J. Abrams would use the IP to get an independent film made, provided it could somehow link itself to the Cloverfield universe. This film ended up being 10 Cloverfield Lane. The third installment would be a Netflix original called The Cloverfield Paradox, which attempted to tell the story of why things went so wrong for the protagonists of the previous films by using multiverse science as a way to merge the films into one cinematic universe. This confirmed once and for all that the Cloverfield anthology shared a mythos, but that the films may still occur in different universes or timelines.
The 2018 film Overlord was also theorized to be in connection to the Cloverfield franchise due to the monsters and mystery it evoked, and because J.J. Abrams produced it, but it was ultimately decided to not be part of the Cloverfield timeline. The franchise hit the news again recently with the announcement of Cloverfield 4 (unofficial title) serving as a direct sequel to the original film. To set the timeline straight, here is how to watch the franchise in order.
Cloverfield Movies in Order of Release Date
2008 - Cloverfield
2016 - 10 Cloverfield Lane
2018 - The Cloverfield Paradox
Cloverfield Movies in Chronological Order
The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
The Cloverfield Paradox is set in the future where a group of scientists goes to space in an energy accelerator to solve the world's energy crisis and prevent war on Earth. However, they get more than they bargained for when the accelerator rips a hole in space and time, sending them through the horrors of another reality. It's a race to survive for the crew as more cosmic horror is unleashed upon them. They soon find the accelerator may be responsible for sending monsters to Earth in 2008 as well as aliens in 2016, which act as reasoning for how the events of Cloverfield and 10 Cloverfield Lane began. We also get hints at other realities in the Cloverfield universe, as we hear some versions of Earth have been hit by multiple giant monsters at once.
The Cloverfield Paradox is the first film to unify the events of those before it into one timeline by having each movie's events take place in a different universe. For anyone still confused, it works the same way as Spider-Man: No Way Home, which combined Sam Raimi's and Marc Webb's Spidey flicks with the MCU timeline. Alternate Cloverfield Paradox theories suggest the accelerator sent the aliens and monsters back in time rather than to different universes. If this is a time travel story, The Cloverfield Paradox could also be viewed as the first film, chronologically speaking, because it is the catalyst for the previous movies and, without it, the creatures wouldn't have time traveled or existed at all. By watching this film first, viewers would have a more informed context for the events to follow in the others.
Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield, the one that started it all, is a found footage kaiju film where a band of New Yorkers traverse destruction to save one of their friends trapped in the city ruins. Unlike kaiju films like King Kong or Godzilla, Cloverfield leans heavily into the horror elements of the genre by giving us a purely civilian perspective of the events. There are twists and turns in both drama and action as the characters face more threats than just the enormous monster itself. Truly, Cloverfield is a suspenseful watch, and it's not a surprise it spawned a series. As one of the best films that the found footage genre has to offer, the full potential of its unique perspective is achieved. Keen-eyed and active viewers will be rewarded for paying close attention to seemingly ordinary scenes with hints as to the greater things occurring in the epic disaster.
The plot of Cloverfield was also reused as the plot for Disaster Movie, which was a spoof poking fun at Hollywood movies of its time. Though the protagonists of that film didn't fight for survival against a kaiju, they did fight against carnivorous chipmunks and other silly threats.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Hardly a supernatural movie at all, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a claustrophobic horror/thriller set in an underground bunker. Held captive by a stranger who claims to have saved them from a danger that may or may not be real, two survivors plan an escape from the bunker to risk the outside world rather than live with the unpredictable and often dangerous man. The film stars John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, whose back-and-forth dynamic keeps the suspense up at all times. It isn't until the final moments of the film that it's revealed whether supernatural horrors have been occurring above ground. The ending leaves us on an ambiguous note where we're unsure whether or not Earth can repel the invaders. Though not without tonal whiplash, 10 Cloverfield Lane is largely an expert example of how to get the most out of a claustrophobic drama. Of course, the cast and mostly brilliant script do the heavy lifting.
Cloverfield 4
The unofficially named Cloverfield 4 cannot yet be placed in the timeline. Based on what little is known, however, it is reportedly a direct sequel to the original. But until we see the film and how (or if) it interacts with the alternate universes and other anthology films, it can't be said for certain exactly when it will take place. For the time being, consider this movie to be parallel to 10 Cloverfield Lane, even if it might not be a sequel.