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Tuesday
12Aug2008

J.J. Abrams Feels the Earth Move Under His Feet

DateTuesday, August 12, 2008 at 10:20AM
J.J. Abrams, who helped realize the worlds of Lost and Cloverfield, is asking you to brace yourself once again. Along with screenwriter David Seltzer, Abrams is preparing a disaster movie for Universal with an earthquake at its center.

The Hollywood Reporter says that the movie is not a remake of the 1974 disaster classic called Earthquake, which spawned one of the sillier Universal Studios theme park attractions. The Reporter also indicates that Abrams is only on board as a producer, at least for now. Though we'll see what he can do with Star Trek, he's probably a better writer-producer than he is a director, at least at this stage.

For Cloverfield, of course, he chose Matt Reeves, who was not exactly the action director on everyone's lips. If I had to guess, I'd say he'll lean on one of the writer-directors he's used on his series in the past, just as he did for Reeves.

And if he's looking to avoid confusion with the Earthquake from the 70s, maybe Abrams should do something really cool like setting the earthquake in the Midwest, where you wouldn't expect it to happen. Just a thought.

Disaster movies, especially bad ones, have enjoyed a second life over the past decade with flicks like Armageddon, Deep Impact, Poseidon, and The Day After Tomorrow all trotting out bad science and attractive casts so enhance our enjoyment of the end of the world. I would expect something a little different from Abrams, a clever variation on the theme.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment3 Comments |

Reader Comments (3)

I thought his Mission Impossible 3 was excellent.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterCarv

I agree. Best of the series, and terribly underrated because of the Cruise backlash that accompanied it.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 | Registered CommenterColin Boyd

Good to see that JJ has something else to worry about other than Star Wreck...

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLost Wilson

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