J.J. Abrams: Working With Steven Spielberg on ‘Super 8’ Was ‘Crazy Good’

J.J. Abrams had a little anxiety about working with Steven Spielberg on Super 8, he admitted to The Hollywood Reporter at the sci-fi film’s L.A. premiere Wednesday.

“Working with Steven Spielberg was a dream, and I was kind of nervous about it because he was like a hero of mine since I was a kid,” admitted Abrams, who rose to his own fame as executive producer on Lost, Alias and Fringe. The Paramount film hits theaters on June 10; a day earlier for Twitter fans.

After they got down to work (Abrams directed and wrote it, Spielberg produced), “it was crazy good,” Abrams said. “I can only say that it was surreal and wonderful and a real privilege.” FILM REVIEW: ‘Super 8’

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Abrams has fond memories of shooting with a Super 8 camera years ago. VIDEO: A clip from Super 8

“The first movie that I did was a really good animated movie and I threw it away later because I realized just how ‘high’ the quality was and that I needed to get rid of it,” he said. “But I tried all sorts of things and God, a lot of it was just ridiculous and experimenting.”

The young stars of Super 8, which include Joel Courtney, Zach Mills and Elle Fanning, watched classic ’80s films as preparation. PHOTO: How Super 8’s poster compares to Spielberg classics

“I tried not to do anything from the outside in and sort of tell them about other movies as much as focus on who these characters were and what their story was, but they already came in as fans of movies like Goonies and E.T.,” says Abrams. “They sort of pre-studied.”

Abrams was more tight-lipped when discussing the next Star Trek. When a reporter asked him what can be expected, he said, “There’s nothing yet on that. I’m hoping to have the answer soon on that. Sorry.”

Lindsay.Powers@thr.com

Twitter: LKPE