It's no secret that J.J. Abrams has a lot on his plate, with Lost wrapping up along with producing Fringe, the new NBC pilot Undercovers and the upcoming Mission: Impossible IV, not to mention the looming Star Trek 2 sequel. It seems that Abrams has added another project to the pile and, according to Vulture, he will be collaborating on a new secretive film project with Steven Spielberg.

The site reports that Abrams had just finished the script for the unnamed project, which was said to be, "a tip of the hat to [Spielberg's] movies of the seventies and early eighties." It was also said that Abrams would direct the new film himself, with production to take place as early as this fall for Paramount.

While details on the story of the film weren't readily available, it was said that the film will deal with ordinary people put in extraordinary circumstances, similar to such early Spielberg films as Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. It was also said that Abrams is "insistent" that Spielberg be involved in the project, perhaps as an executive producer or advisor.

"J.J. wants to make sure Steven is properly paid homage to," said the site's source. "This is really an interpretation of some of Spielberg's earlier films, but done in a personal way."