Updated

Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Aug 13

Two Dinosaur Films Target $18 Million-$23 Million Openings as Spider-Man Nears $700 Million Domestic

Updated

Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Aug 13

Two Dinosaur Films Target $18 Million-$23 Million Openings as Spider-Man Nears $700 Million Domestic

Q: Is a highly anticipated 1980s sci-fi thriller secretly hiding a massive connection to the Cloverfield universe?

No. Despite months of fan speculation, *The End of Oak Street* is not part of the *Cloverfield* universe. The theory gained traction because the film is produced by J.J. Abrams, was originally titled *Flowervale Street*, and features a mysterious cosmic event that rips a suburban neighborhood into a prehistoric world. Some viewers also drew links to *The Cloverfield Paradox* and to surname overlaps in the cast’s characters. Director David Robert Mitchell initially answered questions cautiously, which helped keep the theory alive. But Abrams has now directly denied any connection. In comments reported by multiple outlets, he said the “only connection” to the *Cloverfield* movies is that Ewan McGregor’s partner, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, starred in *10 Cloverfield Lane*. He added that otherwise “people are just making connections that they happen to see.” The broader reporting and early reviews also point the same way. The film is being positioned as an original David Robert Mitchell project, not a franchise reveal or stealth spinoff. Critics describe it as a standalone 1980s-set dinosaur survival thriller with Amblin and *Twilight Zone* influences, centered on a family whose neighborhood is transported into a predator-filled prehistoric landscape. So while the marketing mystery and Abrams’ involvement encouraged comparison, the available evidence now indicates that *The End of Oak Street* is its own film, not a hidden *Cloverfield* chapter.

3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Aug 13

Warner Bros. opens The End of Oak Street in 3,400 North American theaters Friday, projecting a $18 million-$23 million domestic debut and another $20 million-$25 million overseas for the $80 million sci-fi survival film.
Paramount sends PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie to more than 3,500 locations, aiming for a mid-to-high teens U.S. opening after the animated sequel already topped $27 million across 30 international markets.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is still expected to win a third straight weekend, with Sony saying its domestic haul should hit $700 million within days as it closes in on Spider-Man: No Way Home's $1.9 billion global total.
The crowded weekend arrives as summer box office has already crossed $4 billion for only the second post-COVID season, leaving the 2013 record of $4.755 billion still within reach.