J.J. Abrams: ‘I feel incredibly lucky working with the folks at Apple TV+’

In a newly-published interview, American film director, producer, and screenwriter J.J. Abrams says he’s “a big fan of the people at Apple TV+” and “love[s] the experience so far.”

Kayla Cobb for Decider:

When Stephen King decided he wanted to adapt Lisey’s Story, he had one longtime collaborator in mind: J.J. Abrams. That’s how a master of the screen, and the master of horror came together to create something completely new… A Stephen King adaptation completely written by the author himself, which premieres on Apple TV+ on June 4…

Cobb: What’s it been like collaborating with Stephen King? Because you’re both legends in your respective fields.

Abrams: Well that’s insanely generous. He definitely is a legend. I would say that working with him is always, it’s a joy in all sorts of forms, which is to say there have been projects that we’ve done together — 11.22.63, Castle Rock, we’re working on something else, a couple things now. It’s always an education working with him because his brain works in such a remarkable, multidimensional, and specific way. Even though I don’t know if any of us will be able to really understand how he does what he does, it’s a marvel to watch close up, especially on this one. Because it meant so much to him, reading the scripts and seeing how he adapted it — he didn’t just transcribe it — how he adapted the story into something that works on screen, how Pablo Larraín, our amazing director, was able to sort of help in some cases where some things may not have translated quite as easily, finding a way with Stephen to achieve the desired effect. It was really just an incredible experience. Again, I feel insanely lucky to have been a part of it.

Cobb: I also know that you’re working on a project with Jennifer Garner and Apple TV+, My Glory Was That I Had Such Friends. What has it been like working with Apple TV+? Because it seems like you have a budding partnership with them.

Abrams: Yes, and there are a couple other things that we’re also doing with them. I will say I’m a big fan of the people at Apple TV+ and I love the experience so far. Certainly on Lisey’s Story they’ve been incredible partners. I feel like at the end of the day a big company, a big network, it’s going to be the people who are there, who are calling the shots, and who you either feel like you see eye-to-eye or you don’t. I feel incredibly lucky working with the folks at Apple because I think we seem to be seeing things that excite us all at the same time in a way. So I’ve been nothing but happy working with Apple.

MacDailyNews Take: You really don’t hear a lot of complaints about working with Apple from producers who create content for Apple TV+, more often you hear praise, often gushing – which is a very good thing!