UPDATE: This has been confirmed by The Cloverfield Paradox's Super Bowl spot.

Netflix is reportedly planning a surprise launch of Cloverfield 3 tonight following Super Bowl 52. The Cloverfield franchise has been a unique one thanks to the films not being closely connected; both of the first two movies were sleeper hits that were made in secret and only later announced to be part of the Cloverfield brand. J.J. Abrams appeared to had done the same with God Particle, although the truth may be more complex.

The project has long been surrounded by uncertainty thanks to several delays, but more recently Cloverfield 3 had an interesting development. Rumors surfaced not too long ago that Paramount was in talks to sell the movie to Netflix. At that time, it was reported that if a deal went through, Netflix could launch the film much earlier than its April release date. In fact, that may just be tonight.

Related: Cloverfield Deserves A Proper Sequel

Deadline is reporting that Netflix does indeed plan to surprise launch Cloverfield 3 tonight following the Super Bowl. Netflix will reportedly debut the first trailer during the game, and in doing so, announce that it will be available to stream tonight. This isn't confirmed just yet, but it is something we've theorized before, and will likely be made official sooner rather than later. The report also suggests the film's title will be Cloverfield: Paradox.

Cloverfield Monster Closeup

If this is Netflix's plan, it could be a move that capitalizes on the film's buzz. Cloverfield has a dedicated fanbase and the ability to drop a trailer that lets the wide audience the Super Bowl brings in that they can stream the film tonight is huge. The impact the announcement could have could be even bigger if viewers don't have to wait until the game ends or till midnight, and could start streaming the movie instantly.

Cloverfield has always used an irregular marketing strategy, but this is an especially bold move. However, if Netflix does do this and it succeeds, it could be the start of the streaming service doing more surprise releases. Some may remember that Netflix was reportedly planning to do a surprise launch for The Punisher after its New York Comic-Con panel; they clearly aren't against this strategy. Plus, with the marketing landscape as saturated as ever, Netflix could be looking to capitalize on the immediate impact and excitement from an initial trailer to draw people in, instead of relying on months of marketing.

Since this isn't yet confirmed, stay tuned to Screen Rant for the expected Cloverfield 3 trailer and awaited confirmation of this surprise release.

MORE: Every Clue From Cloverfield 3's Viral Marketing

Source: Deadline

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