Star Trek XI Coming 2008!

[Guest]

This is GREAT NEWS!

Variety has reported that Mission: Impossible 3 helmer J.J. Abrams will produce and direct the eleventh Star Trek feature film, targeted for release sometime in 2008.

Abrams' executive-producer partners from TV series Lost, Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk, have been named to co-produce the as-yet untitled Trek flick. Burk also worked as a co-producer with Abrams on Alias.

M:I-3 writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are aboard to pen the ST:XI script with Abrams, for a story that "will center on the early days of seminal Trek characters James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, including their first meeting at Starfleet Academy and first outer space mission."

Daily Variety journo and Paramount specialist Dave McNary credits this new deal to the studio's bullishness on the upcoming (May 5th) M:I-3, and that it underscores the brand revitalization goals of executives Brad Grey and Gail Berman. McNary doesn't mention a role for Rick Berman who, under Sherry Lansing's tenure, had been trooped with producers Jordan Kerner and Kerry McCluggage (story). The script for that production, assigned to Erik Jendresen, was recently announced as abandoned (story).

See the full report in "Trekkies have a new leader" at Variety.com

Harve Bennett had proposed Star Trek: The Academy Years for the sixth movie, and got the green light from Paramount. "When they said I could do the next Star Trek movie, they wanted an anniversary piece -- and wanted it done in nine months," recalled Bennett for a 1999 article at StarTrek.com. "I figured it would take three months for a script, considering that the fastest I'd ever done one was six weeks. Then I figured that it would take a minimum of six months for the opticals, so I passed."

Ralph Winter went on to produce Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, but Bennett's Academy idea would again come under serious consideration.

"Before Sherry Lansing left [Paramount Pictures] last year, we had a meeting, about two years ago, in which I proposed that now was the time to do Starfleet Academy. And she loved it," Bennett told Trek Nation just earlier this year. "We would have made it. But then she said the television department had asked her not to do it, because Enterprise was being produced and they thought that should be the prequel. Therefore, we did not do that. Could we make it now? If somebody wants to, I'm there."

UPDATE:

GEORGE TAKEI STATEMENT ON VARIETY STORY:

This is a startling new development for the "Star Trek" franchise and I am very excited about the news.

When we filmed the pilot in 1965, we were praying it would sell - to think that in 2006 Paramount would be revving up to make the 11th "Star Trek" feature film would have been beyond the most fantastical of thoughts back in 1965.

I wonder what Sulu would have been up to in those early days at Starfleet Academy?

We've lived much longer than we ever thought, and will continue to prosper in so many unimagined ways in the future.

http://trekweb.com/articles/2006/04/21/44488f278b8d2.shtml

[T'Lara]

Okay, now, I agree that Star Trek can and should make a comeback. But it should be done logically (excuse the pun) and with thought, not just "how do we squeeze one more dollar out of a dead horse?"

1. Get rid of that guy ... the one who replaced Roddenberry ... (can't remember his name right now. Must not be worth remembering) because he has ROYALLY screwed up Star Trek. Take it away from him before he finally does put the last nail in the coffin.

2. Hire a writer who didn't just graduate from some low-level correspondance course in screen writing.

3. Do not make the characters look stupid or do things to appeal to the "youth market."

4. For the love of god, have a decent storyline and ... heavens forbid! ... A PLOT!

Just my .02, but hey, no one ever said I knew everything.

[Nemitor]

hopefully this wont go the way of StarWars episodes 1-3 (the new ones)

which SUCKED

im really looking forward to this, it should be good.

[Denix]

Just one point really, why is everyone obessed about going backwards in time??

Decent script and decent researching, thats all I ask for!

[Beta]

I was always told if you can't say anything good dont say it so i wont. Ok well maybe a little, star trek is great but what it's missing is new ships, and new future history not going back in time as Denix pointed out whats with all this going back. It's not needed and should not and will not be done if i could do something about. I am really disappointed with star trek now. This is a poor poor show of work on Parmounts part. When/if this is released, this will only alienate the all ready vast trekies. I am sorry but this film with the current idea should not be produced.

[S McCall]

Have to agree with T'Lara, you can hear the ringing of tills already....

The other three points are entirely valid as well. Abrams had done a pretty good job with Alias until series 4 which looks like naff copy of series one. Pretty sure the guy is out of ideas..

The idea itself is going to be bad, are they going to try and drag Shatner back and try and make him look a 100 or so years younger? You would have though they would have learned the lesson of "going back" from Enterprise, while not awful it had a habit of undermining what had come before. Things have moved on since 1965 when the idea came up and I don't think it will work. To be honest I think it will do worse than Nemesis.

A new film, yes, but the writers in the UFOP could come up with a considerable better ideas for the film than the borrowed one from 65. Good writing, ideas and plots made Star Trek, not following the markets. They did not listen to the fans about Enterprise and if they don't listen now they won't be a whole lot of new Star Trek in the future.

[Guest]

I am excited about this, but mostly because it is J.J. Abrams who will be running the show. I am a huge LOST fan and he's done a great job with that series.

As for this idea alienating the Trek fans, I think it depends on the quality of the movie. If you have great writing, a great storyline, and a well produced movie, then it will be a success regardless of the pre-conceived notions about going back in time to the mid 23rd century. What has hurt Trek recently has primary been that the writing has been weak and the storylines have been shaky.

I am putting my faith in J.J. Abrams. I mean he has to do a better job than Berman and Braga!

[Salak]

I have some faith in the writers but not in the basic plot idea. Enterprise did enough to damage the back story, I fear this film idea will do further damage.

If the idea wasn't good enough for Star Trek VI (when it was first proposed), why is it good enough now? Need I remind that McCoy, Spock and Kirk are different ages; By the time McCoy would have finished the academy, assuming he entered at the same age as Kirk, Kirk would still be applying. Also, the final year at least was on a starship, getting field experience; the Republic in Kirks case, the Enterprise in Spocks.

I don't like the idea... If we have to go backwards, I'd rather have a look at the B (preferably without Harriman) or the C, both of which we know little about.

[Guest]

Kirk and Spock are only 2 years apart in age, so this portion of the story is possible. I haven't heard if McCoy will be a part of the story or not.

[Salak]

I'd heard all three... Kirk and Spock would be able to fit the known backstory, i just hope it doesn't try to find the slate, wipe it and start from scratch thus undermining TOS...

[T'Lara]

Both Nimoy and Shatner are 75 years old, and making them look younger would take extensive Photoshopping. De Kelly is dead and Scotty is dead, so at this time I don't think they are inclined to do any more work. I agree, though, if we MUST go back in time, (oh god please NO!) I think they should focus on something other than the original crew. (TOS, not ENT original Enterprise crew)

Or, here's an even better idea: COME UP WITH SOMETHING ORIGINAL! The thing that really drove Trek was the idea. The moment Piller and Co. decided to plunge into the "sex sells, to heck with the writing" market is the moment that Trek started to decline. Think about it ... 7 of 9 and her tight bodysuits. Deanna Troi's plunging necklines, T'Pol and her very obvious assets (and the fact that that woman's butt crack was shown so often it should have recieved it's own credit.) All the obvious sexual tension in Enterprise. For the love of god, this show was not about SEX. It was about STORIES! It was intergalatic exploration, new worlds, new civiliazations! Going boldly (and in Picard's case, Baldly) where no one had gone before! Relationships! Wars!

But Piller decided he had to go for RATINGS. That all important youth market! Unlike Roddenberry, who sacrificed ratings for good plots, Piller was a corporate man thru and thru, and gave Paramount exactly what they wanted. And then exactly what they didn't want: backlash and lower profit points.

There are great writers in Hollywood who would KILL for the chance to write an epic story, which is what Star Trek is. Let someone with a true appreciation of the franchise write the story, direct the movie, and star in it! I heard a rumor on some web site that Tom Hanks is interested in working on a Trek film. He is a HUGE Trekkie. I say, let him! It's about time someone who cared about Trek stepped up to the plate.

[Salak]

Very nicely put T'Lara.

[T'Lara]

Thank you. This is a subject I feel very passionate about.

[Beta]

Very nicely put T'Lara.

Yea what he said. But honestly T'Lara your dead right. I just want trek 2 go on but not back! It's not needed. You can build on the already great trek story. Not add in the missing bits.

[S McCall]

Problem is that the idea is not liked by some current fans and it won't get any new ones either. Paramount lose more cash than nemesis and the end arrives.

I agree with Mal that J.J. Abrams will do a better job than Berman and Braga, that is not too difficult as they were not far off from killing off Trek. I guess we will wait and see but I have to reiterate that the idea for the new film is not a good one.

[Rocar Drawoh]

I hate Lost and don't think much of the mission impossible films. I also don't think much of efforts to set things before TOS but making everything look newer.

I say give me a pen and the $$$$ budget and I could write you a better trek movie any day!

Edited April 25, 2006 by Rocar Drawoh

[MedaiCyrce]

I have to agree with pretty much everyone. This is a shaky plot premise at best. Going back is overdone. What about the present? Aside from the enormous continuity damage inflicted by Nemesis, what is going on?

I'd like to see something set now, possibly a multi-cast movie, some DS9, VOY and TNG characters. Maybe a multi-angle story, something bigger than Picard and Data or Kirk, Spock, McCoy. Anyone remember characters like Kira or Bashir? Or even when Dr Crusher actually had to learn some lines before she stepped on the set? Let's see something new.

Cyrce

[T'Lara]

Let's think about this for a second. What made "First Contact" so good? Was it sexual tension? No. Was it the fact that they went back in time? No. (Although meeting Zephram Cochran and CO was cool) What was it?

"First Contact" is a prime example of how good Trek can be when it is in the right hands. The writers have an appreciation and knowledge of what makes a good story. The director, in this case, Johnathan Frakes, had an appreciation for the material. The story was strong. The action was strong. Everything about it was good. There was nothing that smacked as "Gimmick" (except, of course, a few set-up Worf jokes). It was pure Trek.

Now think of what made "Nemisis" bad. (Although I do like parts of the film)

1. The cheap thrill of a Riker/Troi wedding and erzats sex scene.

2. Sexual tension between Picard and Crusher? It's always been there, yes, but this time it was way played up.

3. B4? What's next 2B and Not2B? This is a set up for:

4. Data kicking the bucket. DUH! Brent Spiner just wanted to kill the character so he could start all over again with B4. Different character, same premise. Only will "RainData" (as I have called B4 ... well, before) might have more of a struggle because Soong has managed to create the worlds first mentally disadvantaged andriod.

Data's death smacked of being a gimmick. The Riker/Troi pairing, again, smacked of being a gimmick. The wedding scene: Guinan and Wesley Crusher ... where the heck did he come from and why was he in a SF uniform? I pinpoint that movie as the moment that Paramount began the slow murder of Star Trek. Because a few months later, along came Enterprise.

I guess I'm preaching to the choir, but the real need here will be for STORY DEVELOPMENT and CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Enough gimmicks. Paramount needs a writer who can go back to the story-line and action driven days of First Contact and deliver the goods.

Heck, I'll even volunteer to come in and write the stupid thing for WGA scale!

[Salak]

Is someone calling for a writer as we have quite a few here who could knock together a good story.

Correction; have put together many good stories already.

Like I've said, if we're going to go back, don't go as far as that. We've seen from Enterprise how much going back can damage the rest of Trek. As for TOS, if it isn't Shatner, Nimoy & co (which it can't really be now as both DeForest Kelley and James Doohan are sadly not with us anymore) then don't bother, it likely won't work.

Combining TNG, VOY and DS9 might work. I'd say a new character or 2 would be advantageous as you have to consider certain points... what are the chances that of all the personnel in the entire fleet, a new crew will be comprised entirely of members of only those 3 crews? Pretty slim I think.

I see 2 options which could churn out a good story, others might see more;

1. New Crew. We'd need to get to know them but it's a clean slate. Set it around the middle of the Dominion War at the earliest, probably the end so we aren't repeating DS9 plots, and start from afresh. We seem to manage often enough.

2. If we have to go back, don't go back THAT far... Like I've suggested before, the Enterprise-B or C are relative enigmas. A ship doesn't always have the same crew, so if the crew from Generations is a problem, show Harriman handing over the B to a new crew and start from there. If not, there is also the C of which we only know the Battle of Narendra III. Untapped stories galore in those 2 ships, surely? Also, a large gap between 2393 and 2362 to play with.

I haven't mentioned TNG, DS9 or VOY for certain reasons.

1. I seem to recall (at least) some of the TNG cast claiming Nemesis was their last Trek movie?

2. The DS9 cast was all spread out at the end of that series and it seemed fairly closed. Can't see how it realistically lends itself to a movie. Mind you, Worf is meant to be on Qo'noS yet how often has he popped up on the Enterprise-E at random moments?

3. Voyager was left fairly open ended but the series was about the journey, as Kim said. Janeway has a desk job and the ship is in the Alpha Quadrant. Might as well just get a new ship instead as a film would not really add much to the Series and wouldn't link to it except for cast and ship. The Alpha Quadrant setting doesn't really fit the series.

4. As for Enterprise, don't even bother thinking about it...

Edited April 26, 2006 by Salak

[Jordan aka FltAdmlWolf]

I'm not sure that any premise outside of a new crew is really plausible. As illuminated above, most of the rest of the crews are wrapped up.

- No one wants to see ENT (clearly).

- A pre-TOS story is really pointless -- there is nothing big that can happen in their lives that we don't know about, so why bother?

- TNG really needs to retire with grace without another movie. Trying to cobble together another movie on the TNG would be both contrived and tired. Probably the only movie I'd be willing to see from this era would be something with Titan. The question, as always, is how to get Worf back involved. I hated how they shoe-horned him into the last two movies, and the fact is that they can't do a movie without him. So how they will get him back, I have no idea. But they could definitely do Riker/Troi on Titan with some cameos by the other crew.

- DS9, as said, is mostly wrapped up. Everyone went elsewhere, and there's not much of a point in trying to bring them back together.

- VOY, as said, is pretty pointless. The only crew I would imagine seeing from VOY might be a Titan story with one or two of the crew as part of the new Titan crew. (B'Elanna and Paris, maybe Kim, possibly 7 of 9 in a non-crew role.)

I think the possibilities and desire are there for a Titan story, which gives us some of the main TNG characters without forcing everyone back into some kind of awkward reunion. The only hitch is Worf. They took him out of the action, and now trying to bring him back to the ship(s) is just forced.

[Nathan Baker]

I have several concerns about this turn of events.

1. The plot. It sounds great in theory, but what two-bit adventure could two fresh-out-of-the-gate cadets really get into? Is there a planet in desperate need of a drop kick or mind meld?

2. Casting. Who the heck are you gonna get to play Kirk and Spock? If you try and put A or even B-list actors into the rolls, nobody will buy it. Conversely, relatively unknown actors won't be as good and won't help the movie/story/characters either. The only people I would EVER trust in those rolls are Shatner and Nimoy. END OF STORY.

3. The history. Plenty of other people have mentioned this, so I don't want to beat a dead horse. However, something like this will severely impact the trek history already in place. Prequels were born and should've died with Star Wars Eps 1-3. Enterprise was fine, but still didn't live up to what it could've been. You figure the Trek boys could've figured this out.

4. The Director. I can't sit through an episode of Lost without saying "Huh?" 15 or 20 times. I've given up on that show. Plus, I'm not a big fan of the MI movies either. So are we supposed to believe that a guy who hasn't touched the Sci Fi genre is going to automatically reinvigorate the ST franchise with another prequel? My prediction: Star Trek dies at the hands of J.J. Abrams.

It's time for new blood, both in the stories of Trek and the writing staff. How hard can it be to find some decent Star Trek fans who are also great writers and can truly reimagine Roddenberry's original vision?

Apparently a lot harder than we can imagine.

[MedaiCyrce]

Personally I'd like to see an end to Worf in every movie. When I watch reruns of TNG and DS9 nowadays, I realize I can't stand his character. Though I didn't think about it much as a teenager watching those shows, his character is quite ridiculous most of the time. Seldom if ever does he really do anything useful. He growls a lot, demonstrates constant arrogance and occassional incompetence. It's very cliched, this is a Klingon, 'I am a Klingon and that's why I act this way'. Though they put a lof stuff in his past, I find Michael Dorn's performance quite static. And other than comic relief, I don't think he adds anything anymore. I'd like to see some new characters, new directions for some old characters and more than anything a multi-angle story.

Cyrce

[Jordan aka FltAdmlWolf]

Here's a quote from Abrams about the movie:

http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/04/25/abrams-c...ar-trek-rumors/

[Kwame Alexander]

Ummm, so I don't mind watching a *good* movie about a young kirk and spock. I'd love for them to drop some gems that show up in the character later on.

Matter of fact ::inching toward exit:: I wouldn't mind them creating TOS the series, reimagined and more scientificlly plausible, based off this new movie...

::Runs like the wind::

[TLea]

Personally, Alias and Lost are two of my favorite shows, so I will be VERY interested in seeing what JJ does with Trek.