Summary
- Abrams should consider revisiting his 2011 hit Super 8 for a sequel to mend recent franchise issues and showcase his storytelling abilities.
- Super 8 was a success financially and critically, offering a nostalgic and emotional sci-fi plot that can be expanded upon in a sequel.
- Returning to Super 8 would be a safer bet for Abrams compared to tackling another risky Star Trek or Star Wars project.
Famed director what happened to J.J. Abrams, he may need a break from iconic franchises.
Though J.J. Abrams' movie career began over thirty years ago with writing romantic dramas and comedy movies, the director has since made a name for himself as a notable sci-fi director. Aside from the major franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars, Abrams has become prominent for his television work, including Lost, Fringe, and Alias. In this way, audiences have come to expect great things from J.J. Abrams, and under this sort of pressure, it may be better for the director to take a step away from beloved franchises, and instead, pursue smaller, more personal work.
J.J. Abrams' Forgotten $260 Million Sci-Fi Movie Is The Blueprint For His Future After Star Wars & DC Disasters
J.J. Abrams’ plans for Star Wars and DC projects didn’t go as planned, but he should revisit a movie in his past for future success.
J.J. Abrams Should Revisit Super 8
Five years after his latest movie, J.J. Abrams should revisit his 2011 hit, Super 8. Though not nearly as well-known as Star Trek or Star Wars, Super 8 was written, directed, and produced by Abrams.
It told the story of a group of teenagers in 1979 who, while shooting their own Super 8 film, witness a train derail, causing an extraterrestrial force to be let loose on their small town.
Unlike the franchises Abrams ed in recent years, Super 8 was entirely his idea, and was not based on any previous stories. In this way, it is truly his.
Abrams should return to Super 8 because of its success and its story. First and foremost, Super 8 did incredibly well upon its release in 2011. On a budget of $50 million, the film made $260 million. On top of that, critics praised the movie for its nostalgic value, its twisty sci-fi plot, and above all, its emotional tenderness. Additionally, Super 8 has a story that is easily expanded. So many years later, Abrams could do any number of things with it, including bringing back the old cast or starting fresh with new characters but the same alien threat.
Super 8 2 Can Fix J.J. Abrams Recent Franchise Issues
Aside from being a great candidate for a sequel, Super 8 can also help Abrams leave behind his recent franchise issues. During the 2010s, Abrams was at the head of three pivotal sci-fi movies: Star Trek: Into Darkness, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. While it is nearly impossible for a film of that magnitude to avoid criticism, Abrams did receive quite a bit of flak during this time. Of Into Darkness, Abrams itted that he struggled to find a strong thread for the film.
More recently, Abrams work on Star Wars really hurt his reputation. Although Force Awakens was a box office hit and was well-received by audiences, it still was not deemed perfect. Star Wars director George Lucas criticized the film for being too similar to the original 1977 film, which Abrams' ackowledged as "going backwards to go forwards." Furthermore, Abrams' second Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker, did much worse than its predecessor, both at the box office and critically. Ultimately, its disappointing performance became a weight on Abrams' shoulders, and now, the director has not led a film since then.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker earned a 51% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Overall, focusing on Super 8 could help mend J.J. Abrams' franchise problems. His criticisms from the 2010s might be more easily forgotten if he releases a movie outside of a franchise, and especially if it does well at the box office and with critics. Considering that there is a significant fan base for Super 8, it seems likely that a Super 8 sequel could take the heat off of Abrams and rejuvenate his once pristine reputation.
Why A Super 8 Sequel Never Happened
Although Super 8 was a major success for J.J. Abrams, the film was never really considered for a sequel until more recent years. A 2021 article by tenth anniversary notes that J.J. Abrams is not interested in a Super 8 sequel. The director said, "...that movie feels like a beginning, middle, and end to me." However, when asked the same question, of Super 8's cast were eager to return, and more than that, work with J.J. Abrams once again. This is a bittersweet answer to the question of a Super 8 sequel.
Ultimately, J.J. Abrams' response to Forbes' question is likely the main reason why Super 8 never got a sequel. Abrams likely intended for the sci-fi movie to be a standalone, and though the world could certainly be expanded, the story he wanted to tell is likely over. There is no more answers that audiences need from Super 8 that would necessitate a sequel. Furthermore, 2011 was a turning point for Abrams. He made Super 8 in between Star Trek and Star Trek: Into Darkness. Therefore, it seems likely that the director likely wanted to focus on bigger things.
Super 8 2 Would Be Better Than A New J.J. Abrams Star Trek
In the end, a Super 8 sequel would be a far better project for J.J. Abrams to return to than a new Star Trek movie. After receiving criticism during his tenure with Star Trek and Star Wars, returning to either of those franchises is very risky for Abrams. If he makes another movie that disappoints a major sci-fi fan base, that could seriously hurt his reputation. But on the other hand, if he dedicates time to Super 8, which is much more niche, but still beloved, then he could recoup any credit he lost during the 2010s.
Furthermore, a Super 8 sequel would undoubtedly be easier to make than a Star Trek movie, and would have far lower expectations as well. Of course, the sequel would have to maintain the magic of the first movie, but the budget could be much lower, and as previously mentioned, the second movie could go in any number of directions. With Super 8, audiences would put more trust in Abrams than with a major franchise film. Ultimately, J.J. Abrams should return to his roots rather than chase after hard-to-please franchises.
- Cast
- Ryan Lee, Elle Fanning, Riley Griffiths, AJ Michalka, Gabriel Basso, Zach Mills, Kyle Chandler, Joel Courtney
- Runtime
- 112 minutes
- Director
- J.J. Abrams
- Writers
- J.J. Abrams
- Studio(s)
- Amblin Entertainment, Bad Robot
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
- Budget
- $50 million
