But, I thought this was a surprisingly insightful paragraph buried deep in the article:
I have a theory about Abrams. I think he was a biiiiiig fan of Disneyland growing up. One of the great things about going to Disney (I lived near Orlando as a kid, so I always think about the Magic Kingdom when I think of the parks) is the way they don’t just have rides. The rides actually begin the moment you step into the park. Everything on the property is about setting a mood, getting you ready for the rides. When you’re standing in line, you get gradually immersed in these environments that drop you into the world you’re about to visit. Like the grave stones outside the Haunted Mansion or the docks on the Jungle Cruise or the ramps up into Space Mountain. You start the ride before you start the ride, and I think that sums up the attitude JJ Abrams and Bad Robot have towards entertainment now.I agree, but I don't think its Abrams's attitude. I think it's the reality of how you interact with your audience these days. The fans love this stage of speculation and theorizing. It's become a form of entertainment in and of itself. And as Moriarty correctly points out, the goal is to create a self-contained world you can escape into. Just like with the Star Wars prequels, Lost from one week to the next, or the next Harry Potter book, it's all about immersing yourself in that world and thinking about what might happen next. The anticipation becomes part of the story (in the grand tradition of Hollywood propaganda).
