J.J. Abrams Tries To Keep '10 Cloverfield Lane' Expectations In Check: "It's Not Cloverfield 2"

Just yesterday, Cloverfield producer J.J. Abrams teased that a third film with ties to the original found footage monster movie might be following next month's forthcoming 10 Cloverfield Lane.

However, today he attempts to keep expectations for the sci-fi flick in check by telling us that despite the connections that are being made between this new movie and the 2008 film, "It's not Cloverfield 2." Find out what else J.J. Abrams had to say about the little Cloverfield universe they're building below.

Speaking with Fandango, Abrams finally came out and said that this isn't a sequel to Cloverfield in the way that some fans were probably hoping:

"This movie is very purposefully not called Cloverfield 2, because it's not Cloverfield 2. The association is clear and there are multiple connections – and there is a bigger idea at play for us with these movies and this connection."

Some have hypothesized that the connection between the two movies, besides the threads being laid out in the viral marketing, is that the events of this movie take place at the same time Cloverfield does. But Abrams confirms that's not the case, though there are still 10 Cloverfield Lane connections that will engage fans' interest:

"No it doesn't, but there's a larger thing at play with these connections. And the fun of it is that some of these connections – and there's a lot of them – are not the kind of connections you might think. So if you're approaching it as a literal sequel, you'll be surprised to see what this movie is. But while it's not what you might expect from a movie that has the name 'Cloverfield' in it, I think you'll find that you'll understand the connection when you see the whole thing."

But are people okay to expect a new monster? Abrams was willing to confirm that tidbit:

"The story of this movie – and it came to us originally as a spec that was very different in a lot of ways and an unrelated thing altogether – is definitely about different kinds of monsters. And while the Cloverfield monster isn't in this movie, there's a new monster and there's something else that happens... but I don't want to ruin the ending."

There's a chance that the monster of 10 Cloverfield Lane isn't a monster in the way that the creature in Cloverfield is a monster. I feel like there's something intentionally cryptic about Abrams using the phrase "different kinds of monsters," but he could also just be saying that each Cloverfield movie will focus on different monsters, creating a new anthology series of sci-fi movies.

We'll find out what he means when 10 Cloverfield Lane arrives on March 11.