Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Can anyone imagine being invited to work with an idol? That’s exactly what happened to J.J. Abrams, but it couldn’t have been worse timing. He had the chance to team up with Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise onWar of the Worlds, but fate had other plans. To this day, he looks back on that moment with a ton of regret.
Fortunately for him, the tides turned, and his dream finally came true — not just with the director ofE.T., but also with an actor who seemed genuinely impressed by him. Cruise’s invitation was nothing short of amazing, and it turned out to be the right move, as the production directed by Abrams ended up being the one that essentially saved one of the biggest action franchises out there.
J.J. Abrams Refused Collaboration OnWar Of The WorldsWith Steven Spielberg
WithStar Wars,Star Trek, andLoston the resume, it’s tough not to catch the eye of filmmakers likeSteven Spielberg, a legend in the sci-fi genre.J.J. Abramshas always looked up to him as an inspiration, which made it even more shocking when he felt totally unworthy after being approached by Spielberg.
The director and screenwriter actuallyworkedwith Spielberg when he was a teenager, but when the opportunity for theWar of the Worldsproject came up, it felt like everything had changed. Suddenly, he was on a whole new level — his idol wanted him as a partner.
“Because I’m older”: 77-Year Old Steven Spielberg’s Confession on a String of Mediocre Movies after War of the Worlds
In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, Spielberg looked back on the making of the film featuringTom Cruisein the lead role. He admitted he was really impressed by Abrams’ work, which is why he thought he would be the perfect choice to write the script for the project.
The issue was that the plans didn’t pan out because Abrams was tied up withLost, working on the pilot for what would become an iconic series in the 2000s.
At the time, Spielberg even invited Cruise over so the three of them could chat, which made things even more daunting for Abrams. He later said he felt like he “had just committed career suicide” when he had to turn down the offer. In the same interview with EW, Abrams confessed:
I was like, What the hell? None of it made sense. I felt like it was an episode [of] Punk’d. We had this two-hour meeting. I had known Steven for a few years, but it was always an out-of-body experience, and so to compound it with having Cruise on the same sofa, it was freaky.
Eventually, the two directors were finally able to collaborate on the movieSuper 8, while Cruise called Abrams to join the hugely successfulMission: Impossiblefranchise.
Tom Cruise Invited J.J. Abrams To DirectMission: Impossible III
Mission: Impossible IIIis one of the most beloved films among a few fans of the franchise, largely thanks to Cruise’s smart choice of director. Abrams accepted the invitation and also contributed to the script, bringing his unique touch to the project.
According to Spielberg, the actor was really enthusiastic about the work of theStar Warsdirector and wasted no time in reaching out to him.
It’s true that some people might feel indifferent to the plot, but the reality is that Abrams managed to infuse a bit more emotion and humanity into the story — something essential for its future.Mission: Impossiblehad two films, but Ethan Hunt didn’t resonate with the audience until this one.
There Were at Least 6 Mission: Impossible Scenes That Should’ve Killed Ethan Hunt, Tom Cruise’s Plot Armor Saved Him Each Time
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocolwas a sequel that really entertained people, and for that to be possible, Abrams needed to experiment with a more comedic tone through the interactions of the spy team in the third film. This approach quickly became a trademark of the franchise.
The truth is, without Abrams’ vision inMission: Impossible III, the subsequent films could not have achieved the same level of success. Innovation was crucial to avoid the risk of becoming repetitive, and Abrams brought a fresh perspective that revitalized and shifted the direction of the series.
Mission: Impossible IIIis available for streaming on Paramount+.
Catherine Delgado
Articles Published :141
A geek enthusiast of fantasy and sci-fi, Catherine is also a screenwriter, completely obsessed with pop culture. Graduated in Audiovisual Production, she creates characters and writes about fictional universes when not writing articles, binge-watching shows, or reading sagas.
