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Explaining Cloverfield & It’s Weird, Chaotic Multiverse

The Cloverfield franchise has had a long, bizarre journey to being a big-name horror franchise. The J.J. Abrams-produced sci-fi horror film had its way to theaters paved by an especially strange and engaging ARG (alternate reality game); played through the internet, fans dove into a series of puzzling websites, hidden images, and in-universe promotional materials that told a twisted story of corporate conspiracy. At its center? Slushy drinks, kawaii mascots, satellite crashes, seabed-dwelling parasites, and of course, a 300-foot-tall aquatic monster fans would dub Clover.

With viral marketing on a whole other level, a simple kaiju movie wrapped in a found footage package became THE landmark horror film of 2008 and soon embedded itself into the hearts and minds of horror fans worldwide. It became so big in fact that the brand name eventually consumed other unrelated films: The Cellar, which was eventually retitled and rewritten to become 10 Cloverfield Lane, and God Particle, which eventually became The Cloverfield Paradox. 

Cloverfield as a pop culture entity is an undeniable juggernaut with active fans still discussing it and its sequels to this day. But what brings together these three films, with a prospective fourth still in development? Today, we explain exactly what makes the Cloververse tick.

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2 years ago

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The Cloverfield franchise has had a long, bizarre journey to being a big-name horror franchise. The J.J. Abrams-produced sci-fi horror film had its way to theaters paved by an especially strange and engaging ARG (alternate reality game); played through the internet, fans dove into a series of puzzling websites, hidden images, and in-universe promotional materials that told a twisted story of corporate conspiracy. At its center? Slushy drinks, kawaii mascots, satellite crashes, seabed-dwelling parasites, and of course, a 300-foot-tall aquatic monster fans would dub Clover.

With viral marketing on a whole other level, a simple kaiju movie wrapped in a found footage package became THE landmark horror film of 2008 and soon embedded itself into the hearts and minds of horror fans worldwide. It became so big in fact that the brand name eventually consumed other unrelated films: The Cellar, which was eventually retitled and rewritten to become 10 Cloverfield Lane, and God Particle, which eventually became The Cloverfield Paradox. 

Cloverfield as a pop culture entity is an undeniable juggernaut with active fans still discussing it and its sequels to this day. But what brings together these three films, with a prospective fourth still in development? Today, we explain exactly what makes the Cloververse tick.

WAIT, WHAT IS THE CLOVERVERSE?

The three different films of the Cloverfield franchise take place across 4 separate universes, with the multiverse at large being dubbed the Cloververse by fans back in 2016 with the release of 10 Cloverfield Lane. 

The multiverse angle was only truly established in the third film, The Cloverfield Paradox; while Paradox explores astronauts trying to access infinite energy through a particle accelerator and messing up terribly, this inciting incident is the lynchpin that connects all three films. 

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A scene of a conspiracy theorist named Mark Stambler (a relative of that universe’s Howard Stambler from 10 Cloverfield Lane) on television elaborates that Clover, the aliens from Lane, and other creatures could be summoned by the ignition of the Shepard particle accelerator. When the fabric of space-time was ruptured by the accelerator firing off, it “unleashed chaos” and seemingly scattered horrific aliens across the multiverse. 

Hence, Cloververse.

WHAT IS CLOVER?

A juvenile kaiju of an unknown species, Clover is the most notable of the monsters released by this event. Created by concept artist and creature designer Neville Page, Clover was described by director Matt Reeves and company as a frightened child that had been wrenched from its mother, causing it to rampage across the world after being woken up. 

Dubbed the Large-Scale Aggressor by the U.S. government, the creature was an alien adapted for aquatic environments and could go for extended periods of dormancy at the bottom of the ocean. It carried on its body thousands of aggressive, dog-sized parasites, which only compounded the damages done to New York by Clover’s attack.

It was also effectively unkillable, surviving everything thrown at it, including the Hammerdown Protocol bombing that ended the first film. A subtle message in the end credits reveals that the creature is still alive, and quite possibly grew into a similar giant monster seen at the end of The Cloverfield Paradox.  

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WHERE DID CLOVER COME FROM?

A long-time debate among Cloverfield fans was spurred by exactly this question, and by the final scene of the film which shows an object falling into the Atlantic Ocean. The ARG and J.J. Abrams’s own answers suggest the object is a satellite, but director Matt Reeves seems to believe this is the monster. Most disagree with Reeves because the ARG goes to lengths to explain the timeline of events leading up to Clover’s attack on New York, which just doesn’t work if it is Clover. 

Without getting lost in the weeds of exact dates, the ARG details that a Japanese satellite known as the Chimpanzee III crashed into the Atlantic Ocean under mysterious circumstances, a portion of which ended up off the coast of New York (which we see in the final moments of the film). Tagruato, a shadowy transnational corporation with concerted interests in deep sea drilling, went on the hunt for the rest of the satellite and discovered a dormant Clover. An oil drilling station was established over the creature’s location as a coverup, and Tagruato experimentation at that drill site eventually woke it up. 

In short: Clover was torn into the universe by the Shepard accelerator, went dormant at the bottom of the ocean, was woken up by Tagruato, and then subsequently went on a rampage. 

WHAT WOKE UP CLOVER?

Among the many Tagruato subsidiaries, none was as popular as Slusho!, a drink company that was quickly becoming the most popular beverage in the world. A big part of the ARG is a series of video messages and emails detailing the titular soft drink was made with an addictive chemical compound called Seabed’s Nectar. Seabed’s Nectar was toxic when consumed in its raw form as seen in the Jamie videos of the ARG, causing hallucinations and eventually death in humans after continued consumption. 

The Special Investigation commentary on the home release of Cloverfield revealed that the thousands of Parasites that landed in New York City with Clover all had high levels of Seabed’s Nectar in their blood. The Parasites, Clover, or both were the source of Seabed’s Nectar, and Tagruato’s misguided attempts to extract and farm it from the creatures woke it up. 

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Still, kind of thirsty for some Slusho. 

ARE THE ALIENS FROM 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE RELATED TO CLOVER?

Probably not. Chances are they’re just one of many threats caused by a misguided attempt to harness infinite energy. J.J. Abram’s has said in the past that he’s hoping for the Cloverfield series to end up as more of an anthology than anything else, so there’s no telling where the story goes from here. I’m just hoping we get either the return of the parasites or some nasty new monster designs.

***

And that will be it for today’s Horror 101 lesson. See you in the next class and stay tuned to Horror Press’s social media feeds for more content on horror movies, television, and everything in between!

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Luis Pomales-Diaz is a freelance writer and lover of fantasy, sci-fi, and of course, horror. When he isn't working on a new article or short story, he can usually be found watching schlocky movies and forgotten television shows.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Shudder in April 2026

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2 weeks ago

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April 3, 2026

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Shudder is still being coy about its Halfway to Halloween programming. Which means none of us know the full April line-up yet. However, that is not going to stop me from telling you what to watch on the app. I  have taken it upon myself to list five of my favorite movies on the streamer. These are movies I have not had the chance to gush about, as they are not new. Most of the five titles are Shudder Exclusives and/or Originals that are the reason I committed to the app. So, if we have similar tastes in films, you might dig some of these gems almost as much as I do. Get ready to laugh, cry, and sleep with the lights on because I have curated a very weird list of bangers you can stream now.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

A Jane Doe is rolled into a coroner’s office, where he and his son soon learn there is more to this murder victim than meets the eye. The Autopsy of Jane Doe is one of the scariest movies I have seen in my adult life. It is suspenseful, wicked, quiet, and unassuming. This witch is serving mystery, immaculate vibes, and the kind of chills we never get anymore. While I usually praise the acting when gushing about this creepy banger, it is the unsettling atmosphere that truly sends me to hell each watch. Do yourself a favor and hit play on Jane Doe this month while she is on Shudder. You’ve earned a nice waking nightmare, and this is the girl. Also, can Emile Hirsch please do more horror because he’s so damn good in this?

Scare Me (2020)

Two strangers tell each other stories in a secluded cabin during a power outage. Scare Me is one of the main reasons I started getting the yearly Shudder subscription. I describe it as a weird feminist love letter to theatre kids because it hit all of those parts of my brain. It is a clever way to pull off an indie anthology and was surprisingly laugh-out-loud funny. Also, Aya Cash wears an iconic sweater in this movie that will become your new personality. I love Werewolves Within and Heart Eyes. However, I am always telling the Josh Ruben stans they need to check out this gem. Scare Me is for the nerds like me and you (I am assuming if you’re reading all of this).

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The Dark and The Wicked (2020)

Two adult siblings head to their family’s secluded farmhouse because their father is dying. They soon discover their father’s impending death is the least of their worries when something evil begins tormenting them. Bryan Bertino screws with the rhythm of the scares, which amps up the creepiness of this terrifying tale. This movie also introduced most of us to Marin Ireland who is becoming a horror staple these days. This movie is a moment for so many reasons and I hope you remember to watch it with the lights off. Shudder fully snapped when they added The Dark and The Wicked to their library. There are so many disturbing moments that live rent-free in my brain, and I guess I am welcome.

Satan’s Slaves (2017)

Death is just the beginning for one mother. This Joko Anwar remake is one of the most chaotic things on Shudder. It is haunting, cool, and messy in the best ways. I take advantage of this movie and Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion being on the app and watch them back to back every year. If you somehow missed the Anwar fan wagon, you will want to have someone save you a seat for after you watch these movies. Satan’s Slaves is serving fucked up families, fuck them kids, and demons. What more could we possibly ask for in our cinema? I personally am still hoping we will get a third entry because I love this world so much.

Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017)

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A girl joins a group of street children after her mother disappears. Issa Lopez’s tragic tale is beautiful, upsetting, and so human it hurts. She wove magical realism and social commentary into what was the first Shudder film to make me cry. I was in no way ready for this devastating emotional journey, and I cannot recommend this title enough. Tigers Are Not Afraid introduced me to Lopez’s work and what a damn good way to get to know her as an artist. Brace yourselves for some crying, and thank me later.

Those are five of my favorite movies that happen to be on Shudder. They are all over the place, but excel in their lanes. They each remain some of my favorite titles on the beloved streamer, and I do not see that changing soon. Let us know your five favorite movies on Shudder in the comments.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Netflix in April 2026

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2 weeks ago

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April 3, 2026

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Netflix heard it was spring and broke out the good stuff. They are helping us throw off that winter sadness and get into that death business. Suns out, guns out…or however that saying goes. To be fair, the lineup has been pretty packed lately, which has resulted in a bottleneck in my Netflix queue. Admittedly, that is my favorite of all of my problems I have at the moment. But still, I must push forward because there is so much to catch up on. This is why most of my picks this month are titles that also have homework for me. Some are international, some are horror, and some are gangsters serving face. However, I am excited for each of them and so ready to tell you why I think they are the best bets this month.

So, hop into my mind palace and see what five Netflix goodies I am checking out this April.

The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month

Death Whisperer (2023)

A man returns to his hometown and discovers his sister is suffering from a bizarre illness. This sounds like a possession film to me, and I am finally hitting play. I looked up one day and realized there were three of these films on Netflix. I am not a huge fan of franchises, but I know how most streamers treat films from Thailand. So, this one getting a whole trilogy seems like something I can get involved with. It is also set in 1972 and based on a novel, so the horror vibes will be immaculate. I also found out this was the first Thai movie to be shown in IMAX, and that is a very cool fact. Hopefully, it is as good as I need it to be.

The Green Knight (2021) 

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A24 adapted Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Dev Patel. That is all I need to know to get me to sit at this knight’s round table. It is described as a dark fantasy, and I cannot believe I missed this when it came out. I am adding this to the list of things the pandemic took from me as I hit play. I might even have to watch this a couple of times…for research. Is that research looking at Dev Patel and bullying more friends into watching Monkey Man? Who can say?

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026)

Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) is pulled back into the life he left behind to end it one way or the other. I am using this movie arriving on Netflix to force me to finally finish this binge that I keep pausing. I do not enjoy being the last person to finish Peaky Blinders. So, I know I would hate not being one of the first people to hit play when it hits the streamers. Aside from thirsting over Murphy, this movie looks sick. It also gives my couch potato heart the promise of closure that I am not sure the show had the chance to give to fans who watched it in real time. So, this is one of those times being late works in my favor. Sorry to everyone who had to wait an eternity for this while I just hop into the express lane.

Re/Member: The Last Night (2025) 

Six high school students are forced to break a curse in order to escape a deadly time loop. Re/Member has been on my list since it landed on Netflix. It is a Japanese horror based on a popular manga about kids dying in a time loop. So, all those words lead me to believe this is my kind of party. However, I never got around to it and am so ashamed. Which is why I’m double-focusing on both movies this month. I hope they give me nightmares because that is the only way I will learn my lesson. I also just really miss horror movies that are actually scary.

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That Night (2026) 

A single mother gets entangled with a murder, and her sister’s attempts to help backfire. This limited series is a Spanish Netflix Original, and it looks fun. Listen! I also firmly believe in supporting women in crime, and I get the impression this group will commit at least a couple of crimes. I am ready for some murder, secrets, drama, and thrills! This winter was rough and I want to feel alive this April. I am hoping that this might be the binge to do it. Wish me luck and I will see you on the other side!

I know it is no surprise that I will be avoiding the outdoors this month. However, I appreciate Netflix for making it easy for me. Why would I go anywhere when I have these titles at home? Thanks for reading my thoughts on all these things I hope I like. Feel free to let us know what you’re watching this month in the comments.

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