J.J. Abrams Taking Over The Film World - One Project At A Time

J.J. Abrams has reached the level of success few genre filmmakers attain. He is a god among geeks standing shoulder-to-shoulder next to Christopher Nolan at the top of the mountain. And he has the massive popularity of Star Trek to thank. It’s the kind of scenario where his name will be suggested by studio executives and fanboys alike for any franchise that needs Adrenaline to the heart. In their eyes, he can do no wrong. That is until (or if?) he falters.

So what’s a geek god to do now that he’s had said success? Keep yourself up to your eyeballs in projects, of course.

First and foremost, there’s the Star Trek sequel which he’ll produce (with a strong indication that he may direct again), Mission: Impossible IV (developing with Tom Cruise), the comedy Morning Glory with Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford coming July 2010 (produced by Abrams and directed by Roger Michell), The Untold Story of the World's Biggest Diamond Heist (which again he may or may not direct himself) and a just purchased “mystery project.”

That doesn’t include the various television-related items he’s working on. The much-popular Lost starts up its swan-song season this coming January 2010 and Fringe (with Trek screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman) is in its sophomore year. Plus there’s two forthcoming projects in development - the currently untitled “spy drama” recently set up at NBC and a “medical comedy” with Fox.

God knows what other projects are in development that haven't been announced yet. Knowing Abrams, quiet a few. For me, the bigger question is he stretching out a bit thin? Possibly. But one has to strike while the iron is hot.