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The Cloverfield Paradox

The Cloverfield Paradox is a 2018 American science fiction horror film directed by Julius Onah and written by Oren Uziel, with a story by Uziel and Doug Jung.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Cloverfield Paradox is a 2018 American science fiction horror film directed by Julius Onah. It is the third film in the Cloverfield franchise and follows an international crew aboard a space station after an experiment to address Earth’s energy crisis goes wrong. The film was released on Netflix in 2018.

Premise

The film is set in a near-future in which Earth faces an energy crisis. Scientists aboard the Cloverfield space station test the Shepard particle accelerator, but the experiment produces catastrophic and reality-altering consequences, including the disappearance of Earth from the crew’s perspective.

Production and release

The film was directed by Julius Onah and written by Oren Uziel from a story by Uziel and Doug Jung. It was produced by J. J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber. The Cloverfield Paradox was released by Netflix on February 4, 2018, after a change from its earlier theatrical release plans. The running time is 1 hour 42 minutes.

Franchise connection

The Cloverfield Paradox expands the shared-universe concept associated with the Cloverfield series. It links to the earlier films Cloverfield (2008) and 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) through its science-fiction and horror elements rather than through a direct sequel plot.

Key facts

  • It is the third film in the Cloverfield franchise, following Cloverfield (2008) and 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016).
  • The story centres on a multinational crew aboard the Cloverfield space station.
  • A particle accelerator experiment intended to solve Earth’s energy crisis triggers an alternate-reality crisis and the disappearance of Earth from the crew’s perspective.
  • The film stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Daniel Brühl, Elizabeth Debicki, and others.
  • It was released on Netflix in 2018 and was available to Canadian viewers through the platform.
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Canadian context

The film was part of a globally distributed Netflix release, so it was available to Canadian viewers through the platform.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Cloverfield Paradox?
It is a 2018 American science fiction horror film about a space-station experiment that goes badly wrong and alters reality.
Who directed The Cloverfield Paradox?
The film was directed by Julius Onah.
Who wrote The Cloverfield Paradox?
Oren Uziel wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Uziel and Doug Jung.
Is The Cloverfield Paradox part of a series?
Yes. It is the third film in the Cloverfield franchise, after Cloverfield and 10 Cloverfield Lane.
When was The Cloverfield Paradox released?
It was released on Netflix on February 4, 2018.
What is the film about?
A multinational crew aboard the Cloverfield space station tests a particle accelerator to solve Earth’s energy crisis, but the experiment leads to an alternate-reality crisis.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cloverfield_Paradox
    Supports: Director, writers, story credit, franchise position, cast, premise, and release context.
  2. Netflix — https://www.netflix.com/title/80134431
    Supports: Release platform, year, rating, genre, and synopsis.
  3. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_cloverfield_paradox
    Supports: Synopsis, runtime, rating, and genre.