10 Years Later, '10 Cloverfield Lane' Remains a Franchise Standout

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A decade after the release of 10 Cloverfield Lane, the film remains a standout in the Cloverfield franchise for its ability to reinvent the genre and expand the canvas of the property in an inventive way, unlike the disappointing follow-up The Cloverfield Paradox.

Why it matters

10 Cloverfield Lane proved that franchises can take big creative swings and succeed, rather than simply conforming to what has been done before. The film's unique approach to expanding the Cloverfield mythology through a stripped-down thriller showcased the potential for franchises to be inventive.

The details

Developed under the fake title Valencia, 10 Cloverfield Lane was revealed as a surprise spinoff to the found-footage film Cloverfield. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the film focuses on a young woman named Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who is taken in by the mysterious Howard (John Goodman) after a car accident. The film plays with genre expectations, as Michelle becomes conflicted about how much she can trust Howard's story about an impending crisis.

• 10 Cloverfield Lane was released in March 2016, a decade after the original Cloverfield film.

What’s next

While the Cloverfield franchise may have passed its peak relevance, the success of 10 Cloverfield Lane shows that more franchises should be willing to take creative risks and expand their stories in unexpected ways.