Playboy is historically the magazine that gets its interview subjects- no, not just its models- to bare all. It's where Frank Sinatra called himself an 18-karat manic-depressive, where George Carlin talked about his love of stealing (click here for many more highlights). So when the incisive Playboy interview steps up to the plate with the secretive and sly J.J. Abrams, it's one immovable object meeting another-- will Abrams break open, or will Playboy come up empty?
I'd say Abrams won this round, but you can read the full interview and judge for yourself. While responding with simply a smile when asked about details for Star Wars Episode VII, and insisting over and over again that there's no way he can share details about a movie that doesn't exist yet, he did talk about the relief of having George Lucas around as a consultant-- especially after making Star Trek years after creator Gene Roddenberry's death:
The advantage here is that we still have George Lucas with us to go to and ask questions and get his feedback on things, which I certainly will do. With Star Trek it was harder because I wasn’t a Star Trek fan; I didn’t have the same emotional feeling, and I didn’t have Gene Roddenberry to go to. But I came to understand the world of Star Trek, and I appreciated what fans felt and believed about this universe and this franchise.As recently as last fall you said that directing a new Star Wars comes with a burden of “almost fatal sacrilege.” Do you feel that?I meant if I viewed this from a fan’s point of view—and no one’s a bigger Star Wars fan than I am—or from a legacy standpoint, it would scare the hell out of me. But instead of trying to climb this mountain in one giant leap, I’m just enjoying the opportunity and looking to the people I’m working with. I’ve known Kathy for years. I’ve worked with the screenwriter, Michael Arndt, for a long time. I’ve known George for a number of years and he’s now a friend. Even if this wasn’t Star Wars, I’d be enormously fortunate to work with them.
If you click over to the article, you can see him talking fairly openly about all kinds of other stuff, from how an online review of his script for a Superman movie convinced him to be so secretive to calling Cameron Crowe before making Mission: Impossible III for advice on working with Tom Cruise. (Crowe's advice: "Brother, you are going to be spoiled.") He also admits that he looked online for reactions after he was hired for Star Wars and says the reaction was kinder than he expected (you're welcome!). He also entertained a kind of lightning round of speculation, saying that it's still possible he could direct a third Star Trek movie, that he's definitely discussed an Alias movie, and that Pacific Rim might be able to affect the fate of a Cloverfield sequel:
Part of me just wants to let it go, though we’ve had a couple of discussions about cool ways to do it. I’m looking forward to seeing Pacific Rim this summer. It feels like there are some really big monsters coming down the pike that could inspire something we do.
The interview ends with Abrams talking about his vision of heaven. Spoiler: it includes Rod Serling. Seriously, it's a great read. But you'll have to buy the print edition to see the photos.
