(Cover) - EN Movies - J. J. Abrams says he's "guilty" of directing sequels, although he did it out of "passion".

The 45-year-old moviemaker is currently promoting Super 8, the sci-fi thriller starring teen actress Elle Fanning which he directed and Hollywood icon Steven Spielberg produced.

J.J. has enjoyed a varied career, and admits his work on sequels such as 2006's action movie Mission: Impossible III, the third picture based on the spy-themed Mission: Impossible franchise, could have seen him accused of opportunism. However, because he brought fresh ideas to the table, this was avoided.

"There is this natural tiredness when it comes to super heroes, even if this genre of film isn't dead, as we can see with Iron Man. But, audiences understand immediately when a movie has been released only due to financial decisions.

"You need novelty ideas and passion. I directed sequels, I am guilty. But I plead passion!" he told France's Les Inrocks.

J.J. also took the time to praise the innovative nature of last year's sci-fi smash Inception, which was directed by Christopher Nolan and received vast critical acclaim.

The moviemaker thinks Inception helped people realise there is more to cinema than just using tried-and-tested formulas.

"When a movie like Inception comes, people ask themselves good questions. They understand that movies based on comic book characters, sequels or reboots from pre-existing franchises are not the Holy Grail," he explained. (C) Cover Media