There’s been wild rumors and speculation over a secret, surprise screening of a work-in-progress film from a “legendary director” at this week’s New York Film Festeival. Will it be Stephen Daldry’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”, with its very New York connections? “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” from David Fincher, who forewent bigger festivals to premiere last year’s “The Social Network” at NYFF? Stephen Spielberg’s “War Horse”, Cameron Crowe’s “We Bought a Zoo” or even, inexplicably, Jason Reitman’s “Young Adult”? Well, the day of the screening is upon and it is actually “Hugo”, the first 3-D family-friendly adventure from Martin Scorsese that will be shown tonight to audiences who purchased the “mystery” tickets in advance.

Newcomer Asa Butterfield shines as a recently orphaned kid living in the walls of a Parisian train station who gets wrapped up in a mystery revolving around a robot/music box left by his recently deceased father (Jude Law) and Chloe Moretz, who happens to possess the heart shaped key that unlocks the machine. A magical adventure kicks off and a colorful troupe of supporting characters, including Sacha Baron Cohen as a grouchy train conductor and Ben Kinsley as a mysterious shop owner, create trouble and mischief for the youngsters. As Moretz’s character self-references, “it’s like Neverland and Oz and Treasure Island all wrapped into one” in Scorsese’s first family film. The director speaks of the film and previews tons of new scenes ahead of its premiere tonight in the video below.

The rest of us not invited tonight will get to see “Hugo” on Thanksgiving weekend.