When the first 'Earth to Echo' trailer unexpectedly emerged a couple months ago, we were still very much in the dark about what this mysterious film by director David Green was all about. The bare bones of the story involved a group of children who stumble upon a diminutive alien intelligence and form an 'E.T.'-esque bond with it, but thanks to the theatrical trailer, we no longer have to speculate.

The official synopsis reads:

Tuck, Munch and Alex are a closely bonded trio of inseparable friends, but their time together is coming to an end. Their neighborhood is being destroyed by a highway construction project that is forcing their families to move away. But just two days before they must part ways, the boys find a cryptic signal has infected their phones. Convinced something bigger is going on and looking for one final adventure together, they set off to trace the messages to their source and discover something beyond their wildest imaginations: hiding in the darkness is a mysterious being, stranded on Earth, and wanted by the government. This launches the boys on an epic journey full of danger and wonder, one that will test the limits of their friendship and change all of their lives forever.

By the looks of the new 'Earth to Echo' trailer, which shows off the film's found-footage format, it seems to be equal parts 'Super 8,' 'E.T.' and even 'Wall-E.' (Did you see and hear how adorable that alien is?) While the horror genre has successfully utilized found footage to convey their stories from this intense, almost more personal perspective ('Paranormal Activity,' 'Devil's Due,' etc.), 'Earth to Echo' seems like something more befitting of a younger crowd.

'Earth to Echo' opens nationwide this July 2.

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