Matt Reeves' 2008 found-footage monster movie "Cloverfield" has become available to stream for free in the United States on Pluto TV, giving new audiences access to the film that launched his career as a blockbuster director before he went on to make "The Batman". Reeves, who began in television by co-creating "Felicity" with J.J. Abrams, made his feature debut with the comedy "The Pallbearer" but rose to prominence over a decade later with "Cloverfield", a project that reshaped mainstream Hollywood marketing through its viral campaign.

The film followed a group of friends caught up in a monster attack in New York City and helped revive the found-footage genre alongside "Paranormal Activity", both distributed by Paramount. It grossed more than $170 million worldwide on a reported $30 million budget and set a record for a January release with a domestic opening above $40 million. It holds a "Certified Fresh" 78% score on Rotten Tomatoes and spawned a loose anthology of related titles, including "10 Cloverfield Lane" and the poorly received "The Cloverfield Paradox", while other films such as "Overlord" were rumoured but ultimately unconnected.