Producer Stephen Spielberg was attracted to the hybrid project due to its ability to meld real world issues with sci-fi elements, just as he had done with E.T. years earlier. His influence extends to the film's tone, which draws from E.T., Stand By Me, The Goonies, and other popcorn films of the 1980s, with some X-Files for good measure.

For Abrams, the decision to finally open up in light of the trailer's release is a matter of drawing enough attention to the project to remain competitive. "Look, I feel we need a little bit of a coming-out party because we are up against massive franchises and brands and most people don't know what 'Super 8' means," he says. "We're a complete anomaly in a summer of huge films...and we don't want to be so silent or coy that people don't care or don't hear about it."

Don't expect as much coverage as summer rivals like Captain America, Harry Potter, or Pirates of the Caribbean, however. Abrams doesn't even use Twitter and prefers the old days of film, where every development wasn't a news story and the entire process had more mystery to it. Secrecy worked for Cloverfield, so hopefully he can turn it to his advantage again.

[LA Times via JoBlo]