Writers look back on how 10 Cloverfield Lane evolved

Less than a decade after the 2008 monster film Cloverfield, a very different follow-up arrived. Shot like a traditional movie rather than a handheld found-footage piece, 10 Cloverfield Lane follows Michelle, who wakes up in a bunker with Howard, a prepper who insists the outside world has been devastated, and Emmett, a fellow captive.

Much of the film unfolds as a claustrophobic mystery about whether Howard is a truth-teller or a threat; that tension rises sharply when Howard kills Emmett and leaves the audience questioning what really lies above ground. The movie began life as a spec script called The Cellar, written by Josh Campbell and Matt Stuecken.

Bad Robot acquired and reshaped the material before production; the writers say they were relieved to see a strong first cut, knowing how easily projects can go awry. Bound by a nondisclosure agreement, they nonetheless discussed the script’s origins and the shifts it underwent during development.

cloverfield, the cellar, bad robot, josh campbell, matt stuecken, michelle, howard, emmett, bunker, prepper