'Super 8' ruled the box office this weekend, grossing $38 million, far more than industry-watchers expected.
And this is just the first of a slew of movies Steven Spielberg's involved in that will hit theaters this summer and over the course of the year.
In fact, thirty years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, we'll see an unprecedented number of films connected to the legendary filmmaker.
Unlike the slew of summer sequels, Paramount's 'Super 8' didn't have the benefit of a familiar franchise or big brand to draw viewers. Instead, Spielberg's name, as Executive Producer, served as the big brand, along with Director J.J. Abrams. Considering how the trailer and marketing campaign kept so much about 'Super 8' top secret, the promise of Spielberg and Abrams legacy was key to draw audiences. And Spielberg's original fan base turned out in force-- 71% of Super 8's audience is over age 25, far older than a typical Sci-Fi Film.
Spielberg is also the Executive Producer on two other films expected to rule the summer box office. In July both Paramount's third "Transformers" film and "Cowboys and Aliens," which Universal's distributing, hit theaters.