New Theatrical Trailer For JJ Abrams Super 8

The full theatrical trailer for JJ Abrams new movie Super 8 was just released Friday morning. Paramount has also released an official synopsis for the film, which opens in June. Check it all out below – and yes there are lens flares.

 

Lens Flares are back: Theatrical Trailer for JJ Abrams Super 8

After helming Mission Impossible III in 2006 and Star Trek in 2009 JJ Abrams wanted to do something different (and not part of a franchise) for his third theatrical feature. So he wrote Super 8 , an original mysterious genre film, albeit one that evokes the 70s and 80s movies of his idol Steven Spielberg (who joined the project as a co-producer). A teaser and a Super bowl commercial have already been released, but this new theatrical trailer is the first to really give you an idea of what the film is about.

It is a pretty impressive trailer which could help make Super 8 one of the must-see movies of the summer, not unlike what the second theatrical trailer (aka Trailer #3) did for Star Trek two years ago, in early March 2009. The new Super 8 trailer also shows that while Abrams is harking back to the Spielberg feel, he has still retained his own style, including lens flares.

Paramount has also released an official synopsis for Super 8:

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

JJ Abrams Super 8 is due in theaters June 8th.

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It’s certainly got “Most Talked about movie of 2011” written all over it. Easy to see why Spielberg has his name attached. It’s virtually a return to his glory days.

I’ve got a feeling they’d better hurry up and convince JJ Abrams to do the Star Trek sequel, or he might be out of our league.

Lens flares aren’t so bad here. At least you know where they’re coming from. Oncoming trains. Car headlamps. Although I guess the justification with the Enterprise was that the future in the Federation has always been clean and brightly lit.

I’m just old to remember my Dad and his collection of films on Standard and Super 8. He used to have Star Trek The Motion Picture cut down to two or three spools.

That looks like it’s going to be really good. I dig the way JJ makes his movies. Modern filming while keeping that old-school feel with some low-tech style thrown in. Makes me want to go to the movies again. I would LOVE to see that one at a drive-in!

The way this one looks gives me high hopes now that he will stay way away from all the 3D crap going on. I like 3D, but not for good movies, just cartoon novelties.

Spielberg co-director? I think you mean producer, Anthony… This looks interesting… very much has the look of Close Encounters… could be fun.

Also, been waiting to see your announcement of all the Trek films being screened at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood later this month… starting with the theatrical version of TMP on Thursday the 24th at 7:30 pm. That night will have a panel featuring Visual Effects art director Richard Taylor…

#2

Yes, the whole trailer has that old-school vibe. I’m really interested.

Looks to be quite the tip of the hat to classic Spielberg, who no doubt was a great influence on JJ. Its like the lost Spielberg film from the 70’s or early 80’s. I’m sure JJ and Spielberg had a great time making this one and I’m really looking forward to the nostalgic trip back.
JJ, once again, looks to be proving himself to be quite the capable director. JJ, please direct Star Trek…pleeeeease. (yes I’m groveling)

How about some JJ……STAR TREK!

I plan seeing Super 8, looks good, this trailer makes me want to see it even more.

Wow, Trumpy, you can do stupid things!

It’s curious: In “Super 8” – the truck being driven down the railroad track directly toward the on-coming train; of course “it’s hard to stop a train,” as the saying goes. And the resulting catastrophic derailment as the smushed truck lifts the locomotive off the rails….

Spielberg was inspired, as a child, to go into movie-making by an eerily similar film (the climax, this time) – when, in the Paramount Pictures movie “The Greatest Show On Earth,” a fired Ringling Bros. Circus employee drove his car down the track toward the “second section” of the Circus Train that was about to hit the stopped “first section.” That character died when the on-coming engine hit his car, and of course (as only Cecil B. DeMille could have filmed it at the time, 1951) the train was going too fast to stop and collided with the first section – resulting in a titanic pile-up with scattered debris, 1,400 people aboard the two trains screaming, and hundreds of escaping Circus animals. (Won ‘Best Picture’ of 1952.)

On a recent Academy Awards showing (1 or 2 years ago?) Stephen S. remarked that when his dad took him to see the movie (released in 1952; starring Charlton Heston and James Stewart), he immediately went home and set up his movie camera to shoot footage of his Lionel trains crashing into one another…. and the rest is history. (And he also noted he got in real trouble with his dad for crashing his trains!) Well, it looks like – thanks to J.J.’s film, a hybrid of two different scripts – he got to do the same thing again, and this time, there’s a sci-fi twist.

Is it my imagination, or are railroad-themed movies, or movies with trains in pivotal situations, becoming a fad? We have Chris Pine in “Unstoppable,” now J.J.’s film “Super 8,” and Armin Shimerman (Quark, on ST:DS9) guest stars soon as “Dr. Potter” in “Atlas Shrugged–Part I” – another railroad-themed movie coming out later this year.

Interesting indeed. I’m looking forward to seeing this one, myself!

Hey, Anthony – why not put up a comparison video of that DeMille movie train crash scene [starting with the guy yelling “Stop the train! Stop the train!’ … then driving down the track toward it,with the resulting collision and derailment], just to show how similar the two scenes “feel”? Both “Super 8” and “The Greatest Show On Earth,” filmed 60 years apart, have their train crash scenes happening at night. Here’s the YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUtf_RE6r5Q

I am really excited to see this movie. Looks to be a wild and fun ride. Looks old school and that is a good thing. I like that J.J wanted to do something that was not a franchise. I wish more Directors would do the same and give us fresh and innovated movies. Maybe this could be the start of a new trend. New and fresh.

#7

Yes blame it on Trumpy and the wingett potatoes…

I heard the monster looks a lot like a cat and delivers tomorrow’s newspaper today (obscure Kyle Chandler reference).

;D

So, I guess it’s not a sequel to Joel Schumacher’s “8 MM.” Which starred Nicolas Cage, and involved an alleged snuff film.

Hey Anthony. Be safe ok.

Looks great ! … my guess, a blockbuster movie in the summer ! … definitely ! …I want to see it! :-) :-)

@Anthony: Good luck, and be safe.

Regarding SUPER 8: the trailer looks pretty good, and I’m interested in seeing it.

Of course, this trailer will bring out the JJ haters, but that’s to be expected.

Oh, wait, they’ve already started over at AICN….oh well.

From what I can see here, Abrams’ style and approach seem much more appropriate to this sort of thing than they were to Star Trek. There even appear to be hints of genuine awe and wonder amidst the lens flares, explosions and general mayhem–now, was that so hard? :-)

“goonies never say die!” oh wait, different movie…

Looks like yet another J.J Abrams classic! The guy is a genius, and is already considered one of the greatest minds in Hollywood history. We’re very lucky to have him involved in “Star Trek”!

JJ: Ok, I got this idea for an alien story. It’s going to be set in 1979 and it opens with these kids making a movie on their super 8 camera. It will have this unknown creature that does weird things to the town and these kids set out to do something about it. Are you interested?

Spielberg: Well, I don’t know. It sounds interesting, but I can’t help but feel the story is missing a big plot element that no movie should be without.

JJ: ….family drama?

Spielberg: DEAL! When can we start?

#20

He is more talented than many directors in Reboot Town and has a knack for getting good performances from actors, but I think “one of the greatest minds” might be overstating it just a bit. Give him some time and he may just be that some day. Super 8 looks like a step in the right direction.

Looks like Abrams & Co. are really nostalgic for the 70’s. The script for the Trek sequel has leaked online. Supposedly, the story is about the Enterprise hauling a load of Coors beer from Planet Texarkana to Alpha Centauri, which is logical since the ship has a brewery on board. It’s called:

Star Trek: Spocky and the Bandit

Burt Reynolds has yet to be cast as the villain, but keep your fingers crossed!

Looks good!

Steven Spielberg will always be my favorite, besides the fact he’s from my hometown of Cincinnati but he made the greatest movie of all-time, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

All…What is the musical que used in the beginning?…I know I know this
(Explorers, Cocoon…help!)

Seeing the kid hauling ass on a bicycle reminded me of ET.

Okay, I got chills.

Very classic alien adventure feel, with Norman Rockwell touches. I’ve dug Kyle Chandler since Early Edition.

Nice use of the Deep Impact musical cues (seriously underrated soundtrack).

Also: .http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac123/tokyo_pt/GIFs/flarejj1.gif

Looking forward to this. :)

@1, why would JJ Abrams be bigger than Star Trek? It’s like your saying quick lets grab George Lucas before he becomes bigger than Star Wars….

Hopefully JJ Abrams will sign on – failing that, Spielberg might be free…

@26 Just checked. (it was bugging me too)

….Wrong James Horner. :)

It *is* Cocoon.

#11 I also live where tsunami warnings have gone out, however I live so far away from the earthquake’s epicentre that most of the force of the tsunami would have dissapated. Everybody has been told to stay away from beaches though…:( The entire Pacific region, including west coast of the USA, is under a tsunami alert/warning.

For those here who are not aware, an earthquake measuring 8.9 on the richter scale occurred 126 kilometres off the northeast coast of Japan at 2.43pm (Japan time, 11 March) yesterday and much of the northeastern coast has been inundated with tsunamis up to 10 metres in height. The size and speed of one of those waves is horrendous. Tokyo was one of the cities affected. The official death toll is 1,000 but they expect a lot more as time goes on. Our normal television programmes were interrupted with the news at about 6.50pm (NZ time, 11 March) with the news of the earthquake and scenes of the initial devastation.

Christchurch, NZ has had more aftershocks – a small one a few minutes ago and a larger one in the night, measuring more than 4.0 on the richter scale. Christchurch has had more than 4,000 aftershocks since the first quake on 4 September last year, not including the big quake that hit Christchurch again on 22 February this year. There was a smaller earthquake reported on one of the Hawaiian islands just before the big Japanese earthquake. Seismologists believe that all these earthquakes are connected.

Thoughts and prayers for our fellow Trekkers in New Zealand, the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii and Japan.

I feel so bad for all of those People in Japan and across the world affected by the Earth Quake and Tsunami. I wish all of those folks a speedy recovery.

Kyle Chandler was great on Early Edition. I hope thie movie helps him to get back to the big kids game.

Anthony, have you seen my post on the feedback page?
Thanks :)

This is the Goonies meets E.T. meets Cloverfield. And it looks like it has the best elements of them all……so far I’m saying way to go JJ. I hope this movie is really as good as it looks.

Prayers and well wishes for those affected by these extraordinary events in recent weeks—

The US is only reporting around 188 deaths so far (CNN @ 4:30EST), keachick- I figured it was far more than that.

Have to also reply to #1 Christopher Roberts, JJ is already out of most of today’s directors league imo, and Star Trek is out of the ordinary director’s league as well.

Of course Speilberg is great and all, but JJ and Trek go hand in hand- or at least they should-

@37

JJ did a fine job, but there are lots of fantastic directors who can handle Trek and take it great places. JJ just happened to get the pleasure of doing so, this time.

If he helms the sequel? Great!
If another capable director helms the sequel? Also great!

#31 – keachick

Yes it was a horrible thing … I wish the best for everyone caught in this disaster in Japan … and prayers … <3 <3

Special Visual Effects and Animation by Industrial Light & Magic.

The Abrams/ILM alliance continues, so you know this film will have some knockout VFX!

Oh that is AWEsome. ET with the bad attitude of Jaws. Can’t wait!

JJ Abrams has tiger blood. WINNING!

Looks very cool. Looks very fun. What more could one want from a summer movie?

The kids look amazing. Whouda thunk JJ could direct a movie mostly about kids?

All first impressions from a 2 minute trailer, nothing more. We all know trailers can be deceiving.

Some other thoughts:

The haters are already out on other sites. Derivative.
Spiellberg rip-off. ET wannabe. Goonies wannabe. Etc…..

I for one love movies inspired by other great movies, made by great directors. At least they have high aspirations and a genuine respect for good cinema. Shooting for the highest common denominator rather than the lowest. 90% of the crap from Hollywood in recent years has aimed for the lowest common denominator, only because it makes money, unfortunately.

Give me a good, derivative, homage to another director movie anytime. All good directors and good movies have been influenced greatly by past directors and movies. The difference is doing it well, or even improving on the model.

Super 8 looks really interesting. There just seems to be so many good movies coming up – Paul, Cowboys and Aliens and now Super 8. How will I fit them all in? How will I afford them? Will, then way, I suppose.

OT again, sorry. When I log on to google and go to Trekmovie.com, I see the date and then mention of the T’Pol actresses birthday, except that Jolene blalock’s birthday is not 11th March, but Anton Yelchin’s is…

this looks amazing

Or AMAZEBALLS? LOL

#47 Bobo….

Agreed. How’s it going on that “other”project?

#47 – Boborci – Are you giving ILM plenty to do in the next film?

In your opinion how have they been in realizing what you imagined while writing Transformers (first 2 of course), Cowboys & Aliens, and ST 2009?