Anyone who’s a fan of Hollywood veteran JJ Abrams knows his theory of the secret box.
Like many modern filmmakers and TC show creators, Abrams obviously believes without mystery there is no love affair, and he’s often explained his love of keeping things secret back to when he was a kid.
For the uninitiated, Abrams has explained this theory many times, but as recalled in the New York Times, Abrams said, “What are stories but mystery boxes? What’s a bigger mystery box than a movie theater? You go to the theater, you’re just so excited to see anything – the moment the lights go down is often the best part.”
When Abrams was a kid, he got a magic mystery box from Tannen’s Magic store in New York. It had question marks on the box, mysterious objects inside, and Abrams didn’t open it for over thirty years. “It represents infinite possibility,” Abrams continued. “It represents hope. It represents potential.”
So does Alcatraz have one? Of course.
As reported on Collider, the (promotional) box is a beat up metal suitcase that was sent to the website.
In the box are a key to unlock a cell at Alcatraz, a tour book, information about Inmates of Alcatraz, a book written by the show’s character Dr. Diego Soto, who is played by Jorge Garcia, a black and white mugshot, a wrinkled newspaper clipping with the headline THE FINAL LOCKDOWN, and postcards, among other goodies.
So will Alcatraz also equal “infinite possibility, hope and potential?” We’ll find out soon enough when the two hour debut episode airs January 16th at 8 / 7 central, on Fox.
