Last week at CinemaCon, J.J. Abrams disclosed “The Great Beyond,” his upcoming original feature, following his 2019 “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.” Moving beyond franchises, Abrams seeks originality and expansive world-building in this novel film. Reconnecting with that sense of wonder and possibility we had as kids is very important to Abrams, who seeks to convey it to his “generational” audience through the film’s unique realm.
‘The Great Beyond’ first look
On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, J.J. Abrams appeared at the Warner Bros. Pictures presentation in Las Vegas to share a first look at his original sci-fi film, The Great Beyond. It stars Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega, alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Emma Mackey. In this original sci-fi world, Jenna Ortega and Glen Powell are a newlywed couple battling a supernatural entity with a mysterious, nostalgia-driven plot as they confront an alternate world.
The teaser kicks off with an H.G. Wells quote: “There is, though I do not know how there is or how it may be, another world out of sight and sound.” So, it’s no secret that Ortega and Powell’s characters explore something beyond reality. In fact, it is very clear they’re searching for something novel. “People like us, I think we’re looking for something—something pure,” Ortega narrates. “Something we can’t find here.”
“I wanted it to be thrilling and moving,” Abrams said, sharing his desire for the film after closing the teaser. “It’s about a lot, but at the heart of the movie, it’s about reconnecting with that sense of wonder and possibility that we had when we were kids, which I think a lot of people over time get eaten out of them and lose. It’s about protecting that belief in yourself.”
The Great Beyond will be released in theaters on November 13, 2026. While not solely dedicated to a “mysterious, genre-bending” story, Abrams explores the sense of possibility and imagination we had as kids that is often lost over time. So here are 5 films to rekindle and reconnect you to a “childlike sense of wonder” and “belief in oneself.”
1. Super 8 (2011)
This film shouldn’t surprise you if you’re a fan of Abrams and his work. Super 8 is his original feature sci-fi film, and I think it is genius to initiate this list with his signature film.
Amidst creating a zombie movie, a group of Ohio kids witness a colossal, deliberate train crash. However, producer Steven Spielberg and director J.J. Abrams don’t make this discovery straightforward or child’s play for these young amateur filmmakers. It is this amateurism and ambition that lead them to film a first-ever look at this strange, uninvited extraterrestrial entity. Sequentially, the dangerous alien entity is unleashed, which begins the abnormal disappearances and terrorism in the small Ohio town.
Set in 1979, it stands to reason that a town would ride the wave of cinematic blockbusters and the birth of hip-hop. But the first act of the feature presents a fragmented town set against the backdrop of the Cold War era. A place with broken families, hopeless desires, and economic standstill bestows “childlike wonder” in the second act, where we follow a group of kids who explore a phenomenon beyond them; it feels better to investigate and record an alien invasion than to spend your summer mourning your town’s potential for resilience.
The sci-fi feature explores grief, childhood nostalgia, and a coming-of-age, also described as a “Spielbergian” homage to 1980s creature features. The adventure in The Great Beyond will be intense, which is no different from the intense exploring these kiddos venture into in Abrams’ first feature.
Where to watch: Hulu, YouTube, and Apple TV
IMDb: 7.0/10
2. Earth to Echo (2014)
A far cry from an extraterrestrial takeover, Earth to Echo is everything-friendly, as best friends Tuck, Munch, Alex, and classmate Emma befriend a strange, stranded alien called “Echo.”
The found-footage sci-fi film traces the friends’ adventure as they track down Echo’s missing parts, aiming to rebuild its ship to help it return home. Still, though, they must overcome many obstacles for success. Director Dave Green seriously embeds this chronicled story into the minds of viewers through handheld cameras, security footage, and cell phones manned by its main characters. The boys’ cell phones begin to malfunction as map-like symbols and encrypted codes reveal themselves. A trail guide charted by an amiable, owl-like alien is then exposed to them.
Balmy air, flashlights on bikes, and a tight-knit group of friends can enrapture anyone who anticipates Abrams’ stories. The mission to repair Echo’s spaceship comes with chase scenes and government exploitations as secrets unravel. The premise and shaky cam footage demystify the target audience—a film designed to enlighten a younger audience. Watch easily, knowing Abrams’ idea of exploring “childlike wonder” and “belief in oneself” in his new feature certainly springs to life in Earth to Echo, as the robotic extraterrestrial discovery is inherent in the kids’ curiosity.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Apple TV
IMDb: 5.7/10
3. Summer of 84 (2018)
My attempt to save this film—my favorite film—for last was a tough row to hoe because I’ve been eager to shed light on this subverted but unheralded 1980s-themed dark, brutal thriller. (I failed, as you can see.) It is advisable to be aware—because I’d rather not get it wrong with you—that this “innocent fascination” is not all that fun in Summer of 84 as it is in Earth to Echo, Super 8, and, to your surprise, The Great Beyond. Spare me if you’re reading this after the fact.
It is prejudiced but vigilant to discern your neighbors to ensure your safety is legitimate. So, I don’t find it odd when the narrator and main protagonist, Davey, lays bare the truth we refuse to admit: “Even serial killers live next door to somebody. Tough pill to swallow, I know, but it’s true. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that people hardly ever let you know who they really are.” Thank you, Davey, for informing us, but also making our neighborhood nightmares even worse!
The 1980s nightmarish, nostalgic coming-of-age story follows 15-year-old Davey Armstrong, who suspects his local police officer neighbor, Wayne Mackey, is the “Cape May Slayer,” a serial killer responsible for decades of disappearing local boys. It takes a bloody shirt to convince his friends—Tommy, Woody, Curtis, and his former babysitter Nikki—to join in on the mystery and anticipate the unmasking of the serial killer.
While you may not find retro technology or alien invasions in this horror-grotesque film, Abrams’ idea of “belief in oneself” can be explored in Summer of 84, as Dave’s stubborn demeanor and refusal to indulge in his friends’ and parents’ qualms are the reason we get the reveal of the killer.
Where to watch: YouTube and Apple TV
IMDb: 6.7/10
4. Rim of the World (2019)
Four misfits, a world to save, and a key that activates a defense weapon: you can definitely sense what might occur in the adventure Abrams sets up in his new film by watching this Netflix sci-fi movie. The main protagonists—Alex, ZhenZhen, Dariush, and Gabriel—must travel 70 miles to NASA to end the alien threat. The kids of Rim of the World truly stick to the “possibility” of becoming heroes.
The director surprised me—despite being a master of high-energy action and comedy, Rim of the World appears to be an Amblin-esque film, a term invented by Steven Spielberg to describe a magical, nostalgic filmmaking style. Joseph McGinty Nichol’s Rim of the World is undoubtedly a coming-of-age story, but the idea of a group of kids entrusted with saving the world without the assistance of adults or parents shocked me—one of Spielberg’s key elements is the absence of or distracted parents.
The action-comedy film centers on four misfit teenagers at a summer camp who must unite to save the world during an alien invasion. Alex and the others are entrusted to travel with an important key that takes them on a dangerous journey across California. Their travel from the San Bernardino Mountains to California pushes friendship, forms bonds, and overcomes fears. Their adventure feels close to that of The Goonies.
These misfits aren’t looking for something “pure” or choosing to take this discovery out of “curiosity,” but they are willing to put aside fears and doubts as they follow the possibility of being savers of their world.
Where to watch: Only on Netflix
IMDb: 5.3/10
5. The Monster Squad (1987)
Associated with a Universal Monsters fan club and horror lovers, boy, aren’t these guys brave for 12-year-olds?! They call themselves “The Monster Squad” in this cult-classic horror-comedy. It is worth watching till the end to witness the ultimate showdown between “The Monster Squad” and the universe of monsters—iconic monsters led by Count Dracula.
Sean Crenshaw, along with other misfits—Patrick, Rudy, Horace, and Eugene—and Sean’s little sister Phoebe, is up against classic monsters to protect their town. The Monster Squad must locate a powerful amulet to halt Dracula’s plan to rule their world. The group battles Count Dracula and other supernaturals with the help of a diary and a friendly neighbor throughout the film. It’s no wonder it is often described as The Goonies meets Universal Monsters.
The group takes on high-stakes to stop Dracula and his fellow monsters; however, this adventure is designed to be humorous and fun. I believe you will be buoyed by this childlike possibility through their pursuit of getting rid of these monsters.
Where to watch: Free on YouTube, Pluto TV, and Prime Video
IMDb: 6.9/10
While you wait for Abrams’ next work, The Great Beyond, to deliver a childlike wonder and Amblin-esque story, you can gradually binge-watch these five films. Summer is approaching, so now is the time to slouch on that comfy couch, eat popcorn and sweets, and watch these nostalgic films—they’ll be even more enjoyable at night.
