The TREK XI Report

The Trek XI Report has moved...and changed names!

2006-08-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Trek XI Report is now The Trek Movie Report

the new location is www.TrekMovie.com

all the articles and info from here are now there...there will be no more articles here...but there are already new articles at www.TrekMovie.com

Orci & Kurtzman Want Fan Input For Transformers Movie

2006-08-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

As reported yesterday, Star Trek XI Writers Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman held a live chat about their next film The Transformers Movie. Unfortunately they did not take any questions regarding STXI, however they did reveal quite a bit about their writing process. Although Transfomers is based on a cartoon, they said they wanted the film to be 'realistic' and wanted it be accessible to fans and non-fans alike. Orci said: "we want everyone to be able to enjoy this film, young, old, girls, whoever". It is likely that a similiar approach will be taken with Trek XI to expand its audience beyond the 'Trekkie base'. One thing that was quite clear is that is these two are hardcore fans of the Transformers franchise and have loved it since they were kids. The pair discussed how they had originally pitched the idea to director Michael Bay (who they worked with on last year's The Island). If these guys approach Trek with the respect and passion that they demonstrate with Transformers then Trek XI is in good hands.

Looking to Fans To Help Write The Movie
Orci and Kurtzman say that they keep a very close eye on the Transformers forums to guage reaction from the fanbase. Kurtzman says: "when we get stuck we go check the boards to find out what the fans want to see". They are now taking this approach to the extreme. They announced an upcoming contest called 'Write a line for Optimus Prime', where fans can submit ideas for a line to be said by the 'leading man' of Transformers Optimus Prime. The winner's line will end up in the movie. Could a 'Talk for Spock' contest be in our future? It will be interesting to see if the writers take such an active approach to the Trek fanboards which are notoriously prickly, especially the one at StarTrek.com

Making changes, but character comes first
One question caught my attention as something that may be a preview of things to come for Trek. One fan asked why a particular character "Bumblebee" had his car changed from a VW Bug to a Camero. The writers reply was "even in a different skin he is the same character that you know". They went on to elaborate that when it came to designing the character it just seemed to work better by changing the 'skin', but that fans will recognize the character through his core attributes, such as being the underdog. Although I had actually no idea what they were talking about, I could imagine similar questions coming up about various cosmetic changes made within the Trek universe.

Vegas Con: Frakes and Spiner Joke About Being In Star Trek XI

2006-08-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

Tipster 'davidoflondon' sends us a Trek XI tidbit from Yesterday's events at the Official Star Trek Convention in Vegas. Star Trek Nemesis and Star Trek: The Next Generation co-stars Brent Spiner (Data) and Jonathan Frakes (Riker) spoke to the fans and took some questions. As expected the subject of the next movie came up. When asked if Spiner's character Data was really dead they said that it was up to Trek XI producer JJ Abrams. Well known for being jokesters, Frakes and Spiner put their tongues in cheeks when asked if Frakes would direct Trek XI. David reports:

He (Frakes) said he was definitely going to and he wanted Brent to play every role. He said Brent does a particularly good Picard and Brent, of course, obliged with an impersonation of Patrick Stewart.

The pair then went on to other topics and more ribbing, including Frakes going into the audience and heckling Spiner. They finished with a discussion of buddy movies and which roles they should play.

A different tone than their co-stars
In recent weeks we have reported comments from Spiner and Frakes' co-stars Micheal Dorn (Worf) and Marina Sirtis (Troi). Dorn and Sirtis seem to have a very negative view of the upcoming film, Sirtis in particular seems determined to get the Next Generation cast another go at the film franchise. Sirtis was joined by LeVar Burton (Geordi) last fall in saying they thought the last two films 'sucked'. It is unlikely that Spiner and Frakes would join in with these criticisms since they were more than just cast members for those films. Frakes directed the ninth Trek film, Star Trek Insurrection, and Spiner co-wrote the story for the last film Star Trek Nemesis. It has also been reported that Spiner and co-writer John Logan had developed a story for an 11th film, but it appears that this was not picked up by Paramount after the disappointing box office for Nemesis.

See David's full Thursday Vegas Report at LiveJournal

Paramount Wants To Introduce Trek To A New Generation...And Says No to The Shat?

2006-08-18T00:28:00.000-07:00

[Rumor Alert]

IESB's Robert Sanchez is reporting some inside info on how Paramount really view the Trek franchise and its future with JJ Abrams. The report starts off with a roundup of the latest Statements from William Shatner. If their sourcing is to be trusted Paramount is very up on Abrams, but not so much for Shatner. The unnamed 'studio source' is quoted as saying "Absolutely not" to there being a chance of the Shat showing up in Star Trek XI. IESB's source went on to say quite a bit about the state of the Trek franchise and how Abrams' Star Trek XI can bring Trek back:

This is not just another Trek movie but instead a total reboot, we will see things that are similar to what is known in the Trek Universe but we will not be held to every aspect of the last 40 years. We are going to introduce Star Trek to a whole new generation and many more generations to come. We have total faith that J.J. and company will take Trek to a whole new level. Trek has been going downhill for the last 10 years and if we expect it to be around 20 years from now we will have to take some bold steps that might be controversial at first but we are sure to bring new fans to the dying franchise

New fans? what about the old fans?
Although their source is unnamed and not very diplomatic, it is true that Trek needs new fans to remain vital going forward. Abrams built in fanbase should help (as would the fanbase of any 'star', like Damon for example). IESB's 'source' elaborated on his views of Trek fandom

Trek fans were not able to keep the last show (Enterprise) on the air and we are looking on bringing over “Alias” and “Lost” fans and if the old Trekkies like the new movie great, if not too bad. We have to boldly go were no Star Trek has gone before.

These types of comments are quite different than what Paramount says publically about Trek. When the Abrams' deal was announed Paramount President Gail Berman talked glowingly about how the Trek franchise has been the great for Paramount. That being said, it is undeniable that their last two efforts (Enterprise and Star Trek Nemesis) show that the harcore base that is still loyal to the franchise just is not enough to sustain it. JJ Abrams himself has said that Star Trek XI is not just for the hardcore fans and that he will not 'pander' to the fans. Bearing all that in mind, it is a bit hard to imagine anyone at Paramount actually saying they are willing to totally blow off the fanbase. Although it is not the entire target market for the film, the 'Trekkie base' is a key component. In addition the loyal fanbase factor in to the home sales which have always been strong for the Trek franchise. One thing that Abrams has said publically on many occasions is that he respects the fans and has learned a lot from the (sometimes obsessive) Lost fans.

A reboot?
I think some fans may get hung up on the term 'reboot'. This term gets used in many different ways. I read it as a 'restart' to the franchise like Star Trek II, with a new team and a new concept, not a 'reimagine' like Ron Moore's new Battlestar Galactica where the entire mythos of the franchise has been changed. All three Trek XI writers (JJ Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman) have been quoted as saying they will respect trek 'canon'. A source inside Paramount tells the Trek XI Report that the first draft of Trek XI is not complete, therefore it is hard to imagine how anyone at the studio would have detailed knowledge about a 'canon reboot' or any so-called continuity violations.

Confirmed plotline?
IESB seemingly confirm the rumored plotline "What is known is that we will be seeing Kirk and Spock in their early Starfleet years. The new movie will chronologically take place before The Original Series." Although we at the Trek XI report use this as our working assumption, we still consider it to be rumor. It is unclear if they have got this info confirmed or not. They also add the following commentary "There are quite a bit of problems with this specific storyline since it goes against established Trek mythos from the last 40 years but that’s a whole other story." If they haven't had a timeframe confirmed to them, they may be assuming the Academy plotline is still valid. As we reported here two weeks ago, our source tells us that the prequel takes place much later on Kirk's first voyage as captain of the Enterprise. Most Trek watchers agree that this later storyline is far less problematic.

Don't forget your grain of salt
Because this is an internet report from an unnamed source (something the Trek XI Report has been known to do on occasion), we categorize this info as as 'rumor'. It should also be noted that we are assuming that 'studio source' is referring to Paramount Pictures and not CBS Paramount Studio...this of course may be a false assumption...we will try to get this and other items mentioned above clarified.

Trek XI Writers Kurtzman and Orci Doing Live Chat For Transformers Movie

2006-08-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci may writing the return of Star Trek to the big screen, but Trek isn't their first job on a big franchise at Paramount (nor their second). Before taking on Star Trek XI the pair co-wrote this year's M:I:3 and next year's Transformers Movie. Tomorrow they will be holding a live chat at Yahoo Movies at 2pm Eastern Time about the upcoming Transformers film. During the chat they will be revealing which specific transformers will appear in the new movie. After that they will be taking questions. Questions can be submitted ahead of time by emailing questions@transformersmovie.com. or visiting the official movie site. I have already submitted quite a few questions related to Trek (it is unlikely they will want to talk about anything but Transformers...but it is worth a try). There will be a full report on any news out of the live chat here tomorrow.

Transformer's Film is a big test for Orci and Kurtzman
The pair have already shown they can jump into a franchise and add new dimensions to the characters with M:I:3. Transformers however is a whole new kind of challenge. It will be very interesting to see how well they take a somewhat fanboyish anime cartoon and make it into a live action summer blockbuster. If they can make Transformers into a film for the general public, then Star Trek should be a walk in the park, especially for two avowed Trekkies.

Will we get live chats for Trek XI too?
It is a welcome sign to see Orci and Kurtzman and Paramount Pictures marketing using the web in innovative ways. As we reported here weeks ago, CBS Digital and Paramount are working on their web strategy for Trek XI on StarTrek.com, we can only hope that these kinds of interactions with the fans will be part of that plan. Chats with fans are not unheard of in Trek, Ron Moore used to do a regular AOL chat for DS9 for example.

Shatner Talks More about Trek XI, Matt Damon and His Final(?) Trek Book [updated]

2006-08-15T00:37:00.000-07:00

It is really becoming Shatner Week around here isnt it? William Shatner talked to the Toronto Star about Star Trek XI and his latest novel. When asked to comment about rumors that JJ Abrams is planning on bringing back Kirk and Spock he had this to say:

I don't know about that...I'd heard a rumour that Matt Damon was signed (to play Kirk), but we don't know if he is signed. I know nothing."

...but if Abrams phones him, Shatner would certainly take the call:

Oh yeah...I would love to do it."

This jibes with the comments he made to Extra recently (reported here yesterday). It is somewhat curious that he used the word 'signed' when referring to Damon. Is he saying he knows a deal is in the works? The Insider's Mark Malkin has confirmed that his sources say Abrams and Shatner have talked about Damon, but Shatner has denied that to StarTrek.com. So things are still as clear as mud...except for the fact that Shatner wants to be in Star Trek XI.

His Final Book?
Counting his latest book, William Shatner has co-written nine Star Trek novels, often referred to as 'The Shatnerverse'. In these books Captain Kirk was brought back from the dead to continue his exciting adventures. He tells the Star that the latest 'Captain's Glory' (co-written with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens) is going to be his last. Shatner says his busy schedule is forcing him to cut back on writing, and also has this to say about the Trek franchise:

"with the ending, the cancellation of the last television series, the audience for Star Trek has taken a step backwards," Shatner says. "I prefer to use that analogy rather than say the audience is dying because I think people are waiting for the next Star Trek entity."

Seemingly he is referring to Star Trek XI as the next 'entity', but it isn't clear. Shatner has said in the past that he was working on a two book series about Starfleet Academy. When asked about this recently, Shatner's editor Margaret Clark told the Trek Report that the project was still active but had no release date. It is unclear if he is now canceling that project, but the TXIR will look into it

[UPDATE: Not his final book]
The Trek XI Report just got off the phone with Margaret Clark and she clarified the situation. 'Captain's Glory' will not be Shatner's last book, but it is the last book in the 'Totality Trilogy'. Clark believes that the Toronto Star may have misquoted or misunderstood Shatner when he was speaking about his final book of the trilogy. The two previous entries were 2004's 'Captain's Blood' and 'Captain's Peril'. There are still 'pencilled in' plans for two (not yet named) Starfleet Academy Books to be written by Shatner with the Reeves-Stevenses.

Captains Glory At Amazon
Excepts from Catpain's Glory at Trek Web
Toronto Star: Shatner Brings Back Kirk - On Paper (NYT News Service)

Shatner Gets Roasted...Tells 'Extra' He Wants To Be In Star Trek XI

2006-08-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

William Shatner told "Extra" this weekend that 'he's ready to go' if asked by JJ Abrams to be involved with Star Trek XI. Abrams may be looking for a new actor to play Kirk, but is rumored to have spoken to Shatner on at least one occasion. Shatner spent the rest of his evening being 'roasted' at a taping for Comedy Central.

Lots of Trek at Shatner's Roast
It seems that even though he is on a hit TV show and has a varied career, Shatner is still most known for his role as Captain Kirk. The Shat (see pic) was roasted in his captain's chair from original series Star Trek. The show started off with a taped comedy video featuring Shatner trying to talk Leonard Nimoy into coming to the show...and failing. People Magazine reports that he then entered the stage riding a horse. Shatner got to show his love of horses with a riding sequence in his last Trek film, Star Trek: Generations. According to 'People', Shatner got jabs about his weight, hammy acting and of coure his hair.

Oh My...recently outed Takei took a few jabs too

Shatner was roasted by an assortment of comedians as well as Star Trek: The Original Series co-Stars Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) and George Takei (Sulu). TMZ reports that Takei (who recently came out of the closet) took a few shots from the roasters as well. Nichols told People "Bill always gets what he wants. Tonight we get what we want. It's payback time." Andy Dick wore pointy ears and a blue uniform to reveal that he is the secret love child of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. Asked by 'People' why he would subject himself to such insults, Shatner stated, "It seemed like a cool idea at the time. No one can say anything that hasn't been said already."

Roastmaster Jason Alexander with his hero

UPDATE:
The following are some of the jokes heard at the roast

Jeffrey Ross to Shatner:

"Are you on Boston Legal or Boston Market?"

Jason Alexander to Shatner:

"That chair fits you like your girdle from Seasons 2 and 3"

Jason Alexander on Takei:

"George is a brave man to come out a mere 35 years after Star Trek — and his career — ended"

George Takei on Andy Dick:

"Andy and I have met many times, Until now, I've never see the front of his head."

The Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner airs Sunday August 20th at 10:00 pm

Links:
People: Pal's Burn Shatner at Roast
CinemaBlend: Shatner Wants In on Abrams' Trek
Comedy Central: Roast of William Shatner
TMZ: Friends (and Strangers) Roast William Shatner
AOL video of comedian Jeff Ross trying out some of his material
NY Sun: Shatner Boldly Goes to the Roast
More AP photos from the Shatner Roast

Trek Captains Shatner, Stewart, Brooks, Mulgrew and Bakula Sign On To 'Legacy' Game

2006-08-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

One of the fanboy wet dreams for Star Trek XI is to have a single film with every single TV Trek Captain, something never done on big or small screen or even in book form. It appears JJ Abrams isn't going to provide that wish fulfillment for the Trek's return ot the big screen, but Bethesda Softworks is going to do it for Trek's return to gaming this fall. Bethesda just announced:

Surrounding the 40th Anniversary of STAR TREK,
William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Scott Bakula, Avery Brooks, and Kate Mulgrew to Reprise Captain Roles for STAR TREK: Legacy™

The Shat isn't ready to give up Kirk yet
William Shatner spoke to Reuters on the state of the Trek franchise and the game's possible impact:

The interest in 'Star Trek' has waned in the last couple years...It's been around a long time, it's a staple of American life and I think we need something new and different in 'Star Trek.'...If it's a good game, keeping true to the characters the best they can and having an interesting story that branches, I think a game can bring a freshness to a franchise like 'Star Trek'

Although the Shat recently told the USA Today that he thinks Matt Damon 'would be great' for the role of Kirk in JJ Abrams' upcoming Star Trek XI, it appears he has some mixed feelings about a new actor stepping into his old space boots, saying:

I couldn't imagine someone else playing Captain Kirk, even in a video game, so I kind of got a little territorial.

Legacy may be the last hurrah for Shatner's Kirk

Legacy is Trek's big comeback for gaming
The history of Trek gaming (like the movies and TV series) has been a mixed bag at best. Until recently it appeared that Trek gaming was as dead as the movie and TV series after Activision sued to get out of its deal with Paramount. Although Bethesda has announced 3 Trek games (ST: Legacy, ST: Encounters, and ST: Tactical Assault), Legacy is the one that will most indicate if Trek gaming can live long and prosper. One can only hope that any possible game tied to Star Trek XI is better than previous Trek movie tie-ins.

Where's Captain Sulu?
The bigggest 'first' for Legacy is the inclusion of what they call 'all 5 Trek Captains', but it appears they drew the line at 'TV Captains'. So George Takei who appeared as 'Captain Sulu' in the 1991 film Star Trek VI didnt make the cut. This is also the first game to feature Star Trek: Enterprise and Scott Bakula. Legacy will be the second Trek game for both Mulgrew and Brooks. Shatner and Stewart have done many Trek games in the past, even working together on the (mediocre) game adaptation of Star Trek: Generations in 1997. This will be Stewart's second appearence in a Bethesda game this year; he received top billing in their megahit 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion'.

Old News?
This may not be a surprise to astute gamers who noticed that last week Bethesda added the line to the Legacy website:

The quintessential Trek Experience.
Legacy covers all 40 years of Trek, the first game ever to do this: The Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise. Storyline by renowned Star Trek writer D.C. Fontana with her partner Derek Chester. Voiceover provided by all five captains.

While promoting the involvement of 2 named veteran Trek writers Behtesda 'slipped in' a mention of 'All 5 Captains', but didnt mention them by name on the site or in their official announcements. Before this morning's announcement, Bethesda wouldn't comment on who they had secured for voicework. Now it appears they haved pulled off quite the coup by getting all 5 captains.

UPDATE: StarTrek.com story on Legacy's Captains

Hey Look It's Kirk and Spock!

2006-08-13T00:07:00.000-07:00

JJ Abrams may be working on the New Kirk & Spock for Star Trek XI, but 'Kirk & Spock Classic' are still trekkin. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy showed up this week at TV Land to promote that network's launch of Star Trek: The Original Series this fall (starting with a 40th anniversary Marathon on September 8th). Shatner had this to say about the launch:

"I'm thrilled that TV Land is celebrating this special anniversary of a show that means so much to me, I am so proud of its creativity and ability to see humanity in the future. It is still amazing to see how Star Trek continues to impact generations of fans around the globe."

Here are some photos from AP and Reuters:

(click Read More to see the other photos)

Hey JJ...they look ready for their close-ups

JJ Abrams: The New Roddenberry or The New Meyer?

2006-08-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

[Trek XI Report Editorial]

Variety first announced Star Trek XI with this sentence "J.J. Abrams is becoming the next Gene Roddenberry.", referring to the late creator of Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as producer and co-writer of the first Trek feature film Star Trek: The Motion Picture. In the recently reported debate, Free Enterprise producers (and big time Trekkies) Rob Burnett and Mark Altman agreed on one thing: Paramount did the right thing by bringing in a new team headed by JJ Abrams. Burnett went on to say that Abrams and his team "bring Star Trek creative blood not seen since Nicholas Meyer". Meyer is the writer and/or director of the Trek classics Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

So which is he...the new Roddenberry or the new Meyer?

Lessons from the first two Trek films
The first two Trek films are a series of contrasts. The films look totally different and feel totally different. Probably the greatest difference is how 'Star Trek' they are. Even the characters themselves seem to be from two different universes. Gene Roddenberry's Kirk in the first film seems stiff and aloof, whereas Meyer's Kirk is an engaging warrior (see photo above). Josh Tyler from CinamaBlend has recently posted a Trek XI preview based on the the lessons he has learned from 'one of the men behind ST:II' (he wont say which one):

What I can say about our conversations is that I've learned something important about Star Trek from him. Here it is: Star Trek works brilliantly when it's not trying to be Star Trek, and fails miserably when focused on being whatever it is that makes it itself.

This notion of over-introspection is right on the money and it is pretty clear what film he is talking about. Star Trek: The Motion Picture was so lovingly adoring of the Enterprise and her crew that it forgot to make an interesting dramatic movie. Roddenberry's story aspired to many lofty ideals, but in the end failed to capture the 'fun factor' that made the Original Series such a classic. The sad fact of the matter was that Roddenberry just didnt have the right approach to make Star Trek a film franchise...and it cost Paramount quite a lot of money to find out. Many thought Trek might be dead or irrelevent, but Nick Meyer was coming to prove them wrong.

Which one seems more fun?

Bringing in some fresh blood
Following ST: TMP Paramount bought out the remaining rights to the Trek franchise still retained by Roddenberry. They then brought in a new team with director Nicholas Meyer and writer/producer Harve Bennet to make a lower budget sequel. These two changed everything from the look of the ship and the uniforms down to the tone of the narrative. CinemaBlend's Josh Tyler describes their approach thusly: "they just wanted to make a great movie and they had a ready made universe of characters and places to make it happen with". Meyer even opened the film with 'In the 23rd century' abandoning the Trek convention of 'stardate'. Something that many Trekkies struggle with is the notion that Trek movies are best when they appeal to a wider audience. A Trek film, especially today, cannot be an exercise in continuity-laden Trekie navel gazing. As Josh puts it, "The franchise needs to shake free all the baggage that comes with being a Star Trek movie, and simply focus on being a great science fiction movie". Meyer went on to write the 4th film in the franchise (still the biggest earner) and was called on yet again for the successful Star Trek VI. It is noteworthy that Star Trek V, which seemingly killed the franchise again, was the first film Roddenberry was involved in since the first film.

Can Abrams save Trek like Meyer did?

Doing another ST:II isn't easy
The notion of bringing back the magic of Star Trek II is not a new concept, in fact the impact of that film hovers over the film franchise and all films since are compared to it. What would be a mistake is to attempt to 'copy' Star Trek II. This was most recently attempted by the 10th film in the franchise, Star Trek: Nemesis. That film shared many plot elements with ST: II from the obsessed villain to the sacrifice of a beloved cast member. There were even attempts at broadening the appeal with hackneyed 'action sequences' (like the much derided dune buggy chase scene). But in the end Nemesis still couldn't break its shackles of being a film that could only appeal to the loyal base. It never really tried to be just a great drama or even just great scifi and ended up just being too much of a 'Trek film'. Nemesis co-star (and well regarded TV director) LeVar Burton summed it up best when he said "it sucked". JJ Abrams has stated he didn't even see the film, but will now to see where they went wrong.

you sir, are no Khan Noonien Singh

So which is he? A bit of Gene...with a lot more Meyer
In a sense, Abrams is the new Roddenberry because he holds the keys to the entire franchise in his hands. That being said, the 'post-Nemesis era' is very much like the time after ST:TMP. Paramount has again brought Trek back, but with a new creative team. So in that sense he is very much the new Nick Meyer. Perhaps he is a bit of both, but I hope when it comes to his approach to filmmaking he takes a page out of the Meyer playbook. The good news is that JJ Abrams has stated that Star Trek II is his favorite Star Trek movie. He has also made the point that science fiction needs to be a good drama first, something I am sure Nick Meyer would agree with. So JJ, if you haven't done it already, why don't you give Nick a call and chat about Trek.

IMDB listings for:
Star Trek: The Original Series,Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and Star Trek: Nemesis

Further reading:
Trek XI 'preview pulp' at Cinema Blend
Nicholas Meyer at IMDB
Papers of Nicholas Meyer at the University of Iowa.
Burnett and Altman's 'Pro and Khan' of Star Trek XI.

Abrams MI:III DVDs to Make Hollywood History

2006-08-11T21:08:00.000-07:00

Paramount has chosen Star Trek XI producer JJ Abrams' debut film to make a bit of Hollywood history. According to the industry trades, Mission Impossible III (which Abrams directed and co-wrote) is to be the first film to be simultaneously released on both HD-DVD and Blu-ray as well as regular DVD. Paramount Home Entertainment honcho Meagan Burrows
has high praise for Abrams' film: " 'M:I-3' set a new standard for action films and is setting a new standard for the home entertainment experience."

JJ Abrams: the Six Hundred Million Dollar Man
According to the LA Times, the DVDs are expected to bring in $200 Million for Paramount (on top of the $400 million for the theatrical sales). $600 mil aint so bad for your first time JJ! (and more than any Trek film). If it weren't for Abrams well received work on MI3, it is likely that Trek XI wouldnt exist. It is MI3 that convinced Paramount that they wanted JJ for his recently signed 5 year deal; with Star Trek XI as his next project. Although Paramount may have expected a bit more out of MI3, Abrams' deal makes clear that he isnt taking any heat. The same can't be said for producer Paula Wagner and producer/star Tom Cruise whose joint deal with Paramount is currently being renegotiated (and as the LA Times report says, the numbers are going down and not up).

More Trek Connections
It seems that since both shows were being shot on the Paramount lot in the 60s these franchises were destined to be linked. The story goes that Trek people would steal stuff from the MI crew during the budget strapped 3rd season of the Original Series. In addition to JJ Abrams, both big screen versions also share the same writing team of Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Abrams himself saw the connection when asked (before the Trek deal was known) if he would like to work on Trek: "I would happily be involved in any project that Leonard Nimoy was at one point involved in" he told CFQ magzine. Any Trek fan who wants to see how well JJ Abrams and his team can take on an established franchise should definitely check out MI3. The Trek XI Report will do a full review of MI3 and what it may tell us about the Abrams team's approach to Trek at a later date.

MI:3 DVD Details
two-disc Special Collector's Edition will include the following special features:

Four documentaries: "The Making of the Mission," "Mission Action: Inside the Action Unit," "Visualizing the Mission" and "Scoring the Mission."
An "enhanced commentary" with Abrams and star Tom Cruise (talking in a corner of the screen while the movie plays).
regular commentary with Cruise and Abrams [DVD version only]
a "Moviefone Unscripted" segment with Abrams and Cruise taking questions from fans [DVD version only]
a tribute montage [DVD version only]

...plus some easter eggs, deleted scenes, a photo gallery and trailers.

Prices vary: the DVD collector’s edition will be $24.99, while the HD-DVD and Blu-ray versions will be $29.99. A single-disc DVD (with only the regular commentary, one documentary and deleted scenes) will sell for $19.99. All 3 versions of the collector's edition and the regular DVD will be available October 30th.

Trek's Future On Hi Def
We can only hope that the eventual Star Trek XI DVDs will be as packed with goodies (all 10 previous Trek films have got the 'special edition' treatment). So far Paramount has not made their Trek plans for Blu-ray and/or HD-DVD known. However, Digital Bits has reported that Paramount are working on hi def versions of Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Enterprise as well as all 10 films to be released as The Ultimate Star Trek Movie Collection.

More info on the MI:3 DVDs at the The Hollywood Reporter and Home Media Retailing

TV Guide Interview With Abrams (from last month) Now Online

2006-08-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

Last month we reported highlights of a TV Guide interview with Star Trek XI producer JJ Abrams. The full interview is now online at TVGuide.com. A few websites are picking up this interview as a new, but it is actually the same interview from last month (just now in web form). If you saw the earlier report, then there is no new information. Regardless, it is a good read to get a bit more insight into the man who has Star Trek's future in his hands.

The following are the highlights in easy to digest bullet points:

Scifi show influences: Twilight Zone and The Prisoner
Favorite: Twilight Zone (fave episode: "Where is Everybody")
Considers Lost to be 'Scifi'...kept this secret from ABC
Will be more involved in Lost Season 3 than Season 2
Describes being involved with Trek 'surreal but wonderful'
Fan of Star Trek (Original Series) and Star Trek: The Next Generation, not so much others (DS9, VOY, ENT)
Has all DVD's of all Trek series
Would only take Trek if Paramount had 'open mind'
Still wont talk specifics yet
In the middle of "breaking the story" (NOTE: at time of interview last month)
Wants to start film production sooner rather than later, but not until ready
STXI Story 'honors canon' but is 'nothing seen before'
Respects Trek fans, has learned a lot from Lost fans
Believes Trek endures because of 'it's characters and emotional connection'

Damon, Allen, Wax Trek and More...in a News Roundup

2006-08-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

Some Star Trek XI numbers
2...ranking of 'TOS' for preferred setting of STXI on new SciFi Wire poll (#1 'something new')
2...ranking of 'Matt Damon' for the preferred new Kirk in a StarTrek.com poll (#1 'total unknown')
5 (out of 5)... STXI's level on Cinemablend 'excite-o-meter'.
7...ranking of STXI on Cinescape top 10 movies in development

Did someone mention Matt Damon? According to Moviehole, he has pulled out playing the title role in the Lance Armstrong biopic, to be replaced by Jake Gyllenhall. The reason given is 'his busy schedule'. Matt will be filming Ocean's Thirteen and The Bourne Ultimatum through the winter. Leaving his spring wide open...JJ

Will Paramount bring back the Star Trek spoof Galaxy Quest at the same time its bringing back Trek itself? Tim Allen tells the SciFi Wire that a sequel idea has been presented to Dreamworks (now part of Paramount). Never give up, never surrender Tim.

Can't wait to see the Original Series crew back on the big screen in Star Trek XI? Well you can catch them on their new world tour, but they may seem a little stiff. According to StarTrek.com, the wax figures from the closed down Hollywood Wax Museum were saved and kept as a group. The crew will be starting the tour August 17th (in Vegas Baby!), they even have their own website.

Ever feel the need to be inspired by the Original Series crew? Well Echosphere.com has posted some real nifty posters to really get the team going. We can only hope JJ Abrams office's are adorned with them. Now where is my stapler?

While JJ Abrams is writing Kirk's return to the big screen, the guy who wrote his death seems to be having some regrets. Star Trek Generations co-writer Ron Moore tells SciFiPulse that the way it handled "was flawed and the impact was not what we'd hoped for on any level".

You heard it here first! Bethesda Software (Star Trek's gaming license holder) just announced what was reported here 2 weeks ago. DC Fontana is confirmed as writing the stories for their upcoming games (Star Trek Legacy and Star Trek Tactical Assault). Plus they announced a PS2 game, Star Trek: Encounters (reported here with the working title of 'Star Trek Battlestations'). See we're not just making this all up. (Trek Web has the full stories: Star Trek Encounters, DC Fontana.)

Speaking of Paramount (and numbers), Viacom's earnings are up 24% and chairman Sumner Redstone tells the LA Times that here are no plans (as rumored) for it to go private. The good results are welcome news to Paramount chief Brad Grey who recently brought on board JJ Abrams and gave Trek XI the greenlight.

Want a Trek XI teaser poster? Who doesn't? Trek Core is giving one away! And dont foget that StarTrek.com is also giving away Trek XI posters all month.

Trek XI to be Kirk's 1st Time as Captain of Enterprise?

2006-08-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

[Rumor Alert] [Trek XI Report Exclusive]

Trekkies want to know: when and where exactly is Star Trek XI going to be set? The teaser poster and the few comments from the film's creators have led us to expect a prequel to Original Series, but that leaves a lot of room. Much of the speculation to date has focused on the rumor of a 'Cadet Kirk' and an Academy setting. When the Matt Damon as Kirk rumor surfaced many scratched their heads tyring to put the two rumors together (eg: a mid 30s actor playing a cadet) . Well the Trek XI Report might be able to clear that up with a little tip from a trustworthy insider who reports:

Star Trek XI will feature the first voyage of Kirk as captain of the Enterprise.

This report makes the Matt Damon report make a lot more sense (he is about the same age as Shatner was during the Original Series). This could also fit within Star Trek history since Kirk's first mission on the Enterprise was never depicted on either the Original Series or in any of the 7 movies with the Kirk character.

Recasting the whole crew and bringing back the Enterprise?
To date much of the speculation about Star Trek XI has focused on just the return of Kirk and Spock, and possibly some adventures before their time on the Original Series. If this tip is accurate (and taking into account the statements from JJ Abrams about honoring Trek canon), then you may conclude that we are going to see recastings of the entire crew of the Original Series (Spock, Uhura, Scotty, Mc Coy and Sulu). Astute Trekkies will note that Chekov didn't join the series until it's second season; then again Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ignored this bit of canon. In addition that means we will be seeing the original USS Enterprise again (NCC 1701 ...not A, B, C, D,or E ), not seen on screen since it was destroyed in Star Trek III: the Search for Spock. Sounds like they have a lot of work cut out for them...we wish them luck.

[UPDATE: Even more astute Trekkies point out that it isnt even clear if Uhura or McCoy were on board the USS Enterprise at the beginning of it's five year mission. They did not appear in the series pilot 'Where No Man Has Gone Before' (which actually was the 3rd episode to air)]

More info on Kirk's history at Memory Alpha

'Shatner Is Kirk' Creator: "just thought it would be funny"

2006-08-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

[Trek XI Report Exclusive]

The new Star Trek movie is still two years away but it has already has it’s very own ‘dancing baby’; in the form of a very angry Captain Kirk. Wherever people are talking about the new movie, invariably you will find a link to the ‘Shatner Is Kirk’ page at ytmnd.com (a community-based site where users upload various humorous animations and videos). Since its creation 3 weeks ago, the vid has been viewed over 65,000 times. You will often see links to the 'Shatner Is Kirk' page posted by those arguing against any actor (including Matt Damon) filling William Shatner's space boots. Clearly it's maker was sending a message that he joins in their ‘anti-recasting’ cause…or does he? The Trek XI Report talked to the man behind this internet hit, and he wants to “set the record straight”.

The fan behind the phenomenon
The ‘Shatner is Kirk’ video was made by Jonathan Riggs, a lifelong (2nd generation) Star Trek fan from Knoxville, TN. This is not Riggs' first ‘film’, in fact he has an extensive portfolio of humorous videos including dozens of Trek themed ones. Although some of his work has got a lot of traffic before (such as 'Burger King Owns Mc Donalds'), Riggs' is a bit surprised at all the attention his latest vid has garnered from around the world, including the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. It turns out that the inspiration for his new 'Shatner Is Kirk' wasn’t the Damon as Kirk rumor, but the backlash that surrounded it. When Jonathan saw how some fans were freaking out and screaming “Only Shatner can be Kirk!!” he thought the angry reactions were quite funny. The phrase itself put an image of an angry Kirk into his head so he fired up his video software and a legend was born. Riggs believed that people would “get the joke, think it was funny and then forget about it”. He finds it quite ironic that the very people he was parodying have adopted his video as a siren call to their cause.

Phasering Paramount...wish fullfillment for many frustrated fans

So how does he really feel?
News of JJ Abrams taking over the franchise has made Riggs quite hopeful. As a big fan of the Original Series, he welcomes a return to that era saying “there hasn’t been any good Trek made in a long time”. Although he would be wary of a movie set as far back as Kirk’s academy days, he is on board for Kirk being recast with a new actor. Jonathan would prefer an unkown actor, but is open to Damon playing Kirk as long as the filmmakers and Damon capture that "Kirk Charisma" that made the character great. He thinks fans will accept a new Kirk, pointing out that many have embraced a new Kirk in the popular fan film Star Trek New Voyages (who claim to have over 30 million downloads). “Times have changed” says Riggs, “10 years ago a prequel would have been a bad idea, but now it makes sense”.

I agree, and whatever you think of Matt Damon, Kirk or JJ Abrams, one thing is for sure...Riggs' vid is hilarious

Check out Riggs' full body of work at ytmd.com

or Rigg's favorite ytmnd.com Trek themed vids by others:
Riker Peeks
Geordi Rainbow
Captain James T God
Quantum Goes Star Trek
Kirk and Edith

or if you ever have some time to kill just go to ytmnd.com and type 'Khan', 'Kirk', 'Picard' or other Trek luminaries into the search...you will have hours of fun

IMDB downgrade Damon, WSJ on the case, Trek XI Report part of the story!

2006-08-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

Trek XI Report's campaign for IMDB accuracy pays off
As reported here yesterday, the Matt Damon rumor went into overdrive after IMDB seemingly confirmed Damon would be the new Kirk. The internet feeding frenzy surrounding this got picked up by the Wall Street Journal who contacted IMDB, JJ Abrams and others involved in the story (including yours truly at the Trek XI Report). The Amazon spokesman (IMDB's parent company) claimed they usually get their info from studios, but when pressed he admitted that for Trek XI they were using 'published reports' (aka 'rumors'). IMDB couldn't even identify what reports they used for their Star Trek XI page, and the studio refused to confrim the cast and plot IMDB published (as Stephen Colbert would say: "Nailed!"). As a result, IMDB have downgraded Damon to 'rumor', removed the reference to 'Captain' Kirk, and removed the rumored Starfleet Academy plot summary...exactly as suggested by the TXIR. Unfortunately the other errors we noted (compser, SFX, etc) haven't been fixed...so IMDB you are still ON NOTICE.

IMDB shouldnt be in the rumor biz
Although I fully support the idea of Matt Damon being Kirk, it is important to separate facts from rumor and conjecture (as is done in the Trek XI FAQ). When IMDB posts cast, crew and plot information, many take that as 'fact', it is good to see someone in the media finally call them on their sloppy practices for films in production. The WSJ did try and get someone actually associated with Star Trek XI on the record regarding the Damon rumor, but neither Paramount nor JJ Abrams will confirm anything. They do quote Damon's publicist as saying: "No one has approached Matt". The Insider's Marc Malkin tells us tonight that he is still sticking by his source who says that JJ Abrams is interested in Damon for the role of Kirk.

Trekkies Worry That Matt Damon will Go Where No Man Has Gone Before?
The rest of the WSJ piece focuses on the fan reaction itself. It goes on to quote various message board posters who aren't too happy at the prospect of a new Kirk. The story seems to conclude that Trekkies are in agreement over recasting, prequels and Damon. What the Journal fails to understand is that Trek fandom is far from being a unified force on any issue and the new Trek film is no exception. The article goes so far as to suggest that maybe Paramount might make changes based the reaction of some fans, citing changes made to the upcoming and overly hyped Snakes on a Plane. The Snakes producers did make some changes to punch up the gore based on initial internet reaction to trailers, but that is a far cry from changing the plot, setting, and casting.

Actually some of us think its just fine
The article did offer some balance to the 'anti-recasting' crowd. The most suprising view came from the man behind the now famous "Shatner Is Kirk" vid who seemed open to the idea of recasting. His view was that the new Kirk shouldn't be a big star like Damon, but an unknown like Brandon Routh (Superman Returns). The Trek XI Report is also cited as being open to the preqel/recast idea and to Damon as Kirk. The article ends with a quote from yours truly: "Star Trek needs star power again"

full article at WSJ.com (reg. req'd)

Free Enterprise Duo debate 'Pro & Khan' of STXI

2006-08-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Mark A. Altman and Robert Meyer Burnett (the team behind the 1998 cult hit Free Enterprise) may be friends but they don't see eye to eye on a Star Trek XI. Their semi-autobiographical indie film about two struggling filmmakers who meet their childhood hero William Shatner (who plays himself) demonstrates that these two take their Star Trek very seriously. In the latest issue of CFQ (of which Altman is a co-Publisher) the pair square off...

Altman taking the 'PRO' view argues that the classic series is the heart of the franchise and still the most entertaining and ironically least dated...

In a world overcome by cynicism, greed and pessimism; the timing seems better than ever to restore the luster of a franchise which celebrated optimism and heroism above all else. ...Not unlike Ron Moore and Galactica, J.J. Abrams has the opportunity to jettison the shackles of the sci-fi stigma and musty cobwebs around the aged franchise and make Star Trek relevant again.

Altman argues that a key element of this success are the iconic characters and their chemistry, especially classic 'troika' of Kirk, Spock and McCoy. He says that the only way to recapture that now is to recast, paraphrasing Kirk "galloping the cosmos is a game for the young"

Burnett takes the 'KHAN' view, arguing that since it started Star Trek has always been best about the new frontiers...

At its best, Star Trek takes us places we've never been, introduces us to concepts we've never grappled with and shows us how to head straight into the unknown, all the while retaining the importance of our humanity....As a franchise, Star Trek always worked best while looking forward. In order to survive and succeed again, the Trek franchise must once again do what it's always done best, boldly go where it's never gone before.

Burnett also seems convinced that it will be impossible to recast the roles of Kirk and Spock, questioning if any actor would even try. He also argues that recasting Kirk is not the same as the (successful) recasting of Obi Wan Kenobi since Kirk was seen through an entire arc from 'the youngest captain in the fleet' to his death in Star Trek Generations.

Shatner in 'Free Enteprise'

One thing both film makers seem to agree on is that the franchise is in good hands with JJ Abrams. Burnett says 'it makes good sense' to bring in Abrams, comparing the infusion of new blood to the arrival of Nick Meyer (director of the 1982 fan favorite Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) . Altman agrees, calling Abrams work on Lost and Alias 'brilliant'. He goes so far as to say that he can't imagine anyone better than Abrams to do justice to the original series.

The Great Trek Debate
The debate between these friends and partners mirrors that of many in Trek fandom. Although almost all agree Abrams is the right man for the job, many lifelong fans struggle with the notion of a prequel and recasting, while others relish in it. These are issues that have been written about here recently, and are listed as 'the Great Debate' in this site's Trek XI FAQ. G4 TV (which reruns classic Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation) held a debate for and against recasting Kirk on Attack of the Show. Robert Burnett himself showed to take the 'anti-recast' point of view against James Cawley (of fan film New Voyages) and Rod Roddenberry (son of Gene Roddenberry) . Mark Altman didn't participate in that debate, however this week he appeared on G4 to defended Star Trek and JJ Abrams in the ultimate geek debate: 'Star Wars v Star Trek'. [enter 'the loop' in the video search, and scroll to see the two different debates]

For now there is no definitive answer to these issues and there wont be until JJ Abrams makes his argument on the big screen in 2008

The '5 Year Mission Extended Edition' of Free Enterprise is available on DVD

The latest issue of CFQ is on newstands now

Damon, Dorn, Dae Kim, and more in a news roundup

2006-08-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

The Matt Damon buzz keeps on going, just today Slashdot and Metafilter are 'reporting' that IMDB is 'reporting' that Damon will play Kirk. Astute readers of both quickly put up links to The Trek XI Report's IMDB Corrections article. To our knowledge it is still officially a rumor...if that changes, Trek XI Report readers will be the first to know.

Star Trek Enteprise vet and avowed Trek fan Daniel Dae Kim tells IGN that he gave some advice to Trek XI producer JJ Abrams: "Dont blow it" and "make sure the ships are cool"...we agree. Lost co-star Jorge Garcia suggests he, Kim and Abrams' pal Greg Grunberg can all don alien makeup for a 'star wars style cantina scene'. Garcia as a Horta anyone?
(tip to TrekWeb)

Trek XI producer Damon Lindelof tells SciFi Wire that fellow fellow Lost co-creator (and Trek XI head honcho) JJ Abrams is 'in the loop' with everything going on with Lost, including working on the script for the season opener with Lindelof (sending things back and forth from his Maine vacation). Lost's third season will begin shooting in Hawaii shortly. Abrams has also recently told TV Guide that he Orci and Kurtzman are working on the first draft of Star Trek XI. Maybe by working on both Lost and Trek scripts at the same time we may end up with some crossover leakage??...Lostzilla attacking the Enterprise? People beaming off the island??

Michael Dorn tells the Seattle Times that he still regularly hangs out with his Star Trek The Next Generation costers Brent Spiner, Gates Mc Fadden and Marina Sirtis. Discussing Paramount's plans for Trek XI, he says that any further adventures for him and his TNG co-stars is a 'longshot' and 'farfetched', concluding "My gut reaction is Worf is Done".

The recent critical comments about Trek XI from Dorn and co-star Marina Sirtis have been making the rounds. Cinematical seems to be taking their side with this: "until Paramount puts the franchise in the hands of people who both love and understand the Trek universe, it probably isn't going anywere but down". We agree, that is why people like non-Trek fan Stuart Baird (director of Star Trek Nemesis) are out and the likes of JJ Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are in...who all seem to both love and understand Trek

Did you know that Star Trek XI executive producer Bryan Burk had an official fan website? Neither did we, but we do now thanks to the the webmaster who run it and sent the Trek Report a 'hello'. She also runs an 'unofficial' JJ Abrams fansite and a fansite for JJ Abrams production company Badrobot called Evil Puppetmasters. (which has a bit about the Trek XI Report today..thanks guys)...it seems they are all over the creative team behind Lost and Star Trek XI...we will keep in touch.

See the DVD's that got JJ Abrams Star Trek. Well indirectly...Abrams says it was an assistant giving Tom Cruise copies of the first two seasons of Alias that got Abrams the gig to do Mission Impossible III, which got his foot in the door at Paramount and the notice of Grad Greay, who in turn used Star Trek as a lure to sign Abrams on to a longterm contract.(did you get that?) TV Shows on DVD report that a special edition box set of all 5 seasons will be released this November. If you want to see some good TV made by 3 members of the Trek XI creative team (Abrams, Orci and Kurtzman), check out Alias...especially the first two seasons (before JJ moved on to Lost)

Trek Today reports that viewers of TV Land will soon be able to watch episodes of the original series of Star Trek. Trek The will air 3 episodes on Sept 8th then put the show into their regular schedule in the fall. It appears it will still will appear on G4. Viewers may want to brush up on their original series shows, since it appears they will be the inspriation for JJ Abrams and Star Trek XI

Abrams Lured to Surprise B'day party with Shatner Meeting Ruse

2006-08-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

[Trek XI Report Exclusive]

A few weeks ago the Insider's Marc Malkin reported that Star Trek XI producer JJ Abrams' wife Katie Mc Grath pulled off a last minute surprise party for JJ's 40th Birthday. Guests (who varied from Don Rickles to Richard Lewis to the Tom Cruise himself) weren't told where it was until just hours before it was to start. That story focused on the Tom/Katie/Suri angle so Malkin left something out, but he has sent it our way since we are all Trek XI all the time! Marc tells the Trek XI Report that in order to keep JJ from finding out about the party; he was told that he was going to a meeting with none other than William Shatner (Star Trek's original Kirk). Although that was just a ruse to keep Abrams from finding out about his party, it is intriguing that his people used a Shatner meeting as their choice for distractions. This is even more intriguing when one looks at the various comments being made by Shatner regarding Abrams and Star Trek XI.

Are Shatner and Abrams talking?
The buzz started when the Insider reported that Abrams had sought Shatner's blessing to cast Matt Damon in the role of Kirk for Star Trek XI. Since then the Damon rumor has been all over, but so far JJ has refused any comment. Shatner on the other hand did tell the USA Today that he thought Damon 'would be great'. This comment seemed like a confirmation of both the Damon rumor and that Abrams and Shatner were talking. However, a short time later there was a brief mention at StarTrek.com saying that Shatner denies he is meeting with Abrams. This week the Trek XI report contacted both StarTrek.com and the Insider's Marc Malkin to try and clear things up, and both are standing by their stories and sources. Malkin is quick to point out that he hasn't claimed Damon has signed on, only that JJ is interested and that Shatner is in the loop. Can all the reports be true? It is possible. ST.com's editor suggested that Shatner may be acquiescing to the cloak of secrecy that JJ Abrams has imposed for Star Trek XI. He went on to say that they will keep an eye on the story and will update it when they learn anything.

Shatner seems to be OK with Damon as Kirk

What would they be talking about?
If there are indeed meetings, it is an intriguing question as to what they could be about. Perhaps they are just about Shatner's blessing for Matt Damon playing Kirk. That seems to be something that could be handled in a simple phone call, but then again Shatner is Star Trek and Hollywood royalty so a face to face might be called for. There is a more intriguing possibility however...that of Shatner appearing in Star Trek XI. This is pure speculation, but it has been suggested that Shatner may appear in some kind of 'book-end' flashback type of way. A Shatner cameo would go a long way to satisfying many fans who want to see him one more time since his death in Star Trek: Generations and convincing any leftover fanboys sulking over Kirk being recsat. Plus Shatner is still a hot commodity, he was recently nominated for another Emmy for his work on Boston Legal and is even being roasted by Comedy Central later this month. For now, its all speculation...but we at the Trek XI Report will be on top of any new developments.

Kirk (last seen 1994's Star Trek: Generations) to live again?

Trek XI Poster Inspiring Speculation, Imitation, Parody...and even a Hoax

2006-08-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

It has been 10 days since Paramount announced the first teaser poster for Star Trek XI. This was big news and has been picked up all over the world in both the geekerazzi and the mainstream media, even Christianity Today. Most of the news analysis came to the same conclusion as the Trek XI Report, that the poster is an indication the new film will be 'old school Trek' from the TOS era. Now Playing Magazine puts it succinctly: "The Trek poster would seem to indicate that the new film will return to the era of the original Kirk and Spock adventures" obviously picking up on the two major clues, the insignia (only used on the Original Series) and the colors (matching Kirk and Spock's uniforms). But of course being about Star Trek...the speculation doesn't end there.

JJ wont wont say, but the colors dont lie

Speculating boldly
Trek fans are of course known for their keen eye in spotting the most minute things in their favorite franchise, so it is no surprise that the Trek XI Poster has sparked heated discussions all over the internet; such as those on IMDB, StarTrek.com, TrekBBS, TrekWeb and elsewhere. There is universal agreement that the poster has essentially confirmed the rumors about a TOS era film with Kirk and Spock. In addition many (like TrekWeb's CapricornTwo) have noted the use the specific insignia of the USS Enterprise (during the Original show each Starship had its own insignia, in later shows and the movies a single insignia was worn by all...although the insignia changed over time). This leads to speculating that the poster indicates that the good ol NNC-1701 will be the setting for the movie, perhaps showing the launching of Captain Kirk's 5 year mission. On the other hand, CHain at ST.com suggested that the old style logo confirmed rumors that the setting would be at Starfleet Academy with a younger 'Cadet Kirk'. Others seem to buy into the Enterprise being the setting but suggest it may be one of Kirk's predesessors in the big chair (Captain Pike or possible even Captain April). Even more speculative is the notion (profferred by TrekBBS's Iceburgeruk) that the colors not only reveal Spock being in the film, but the percentage of blue being larger than that of gold implied that Dr. McCoy (who also wore blue) would be in the film. And then there is TrekToday's Reviewer and Writer Michelle Erica Green who has our favorite bit of (tongue in cheek) speculation: The blue comes down beneath the insignia at sort of an angle, kind of like a slash. So I think the new movie will be the Kirk/Spock love story we've all been waiting for", referring to the king of all 'slash' fanfiction .

NCC 1701, No bloody A, B, C, or D?

Imitation is the sincerest form of flatery
Not only are Trekkies excellent nitpickers, they can be quite imaginative and creative...just look at the entries from this month's Trek Art Contest at the TrekBBS. So when some fans saw the new poster their first reaction was to fire up Photoshop and get cracking.

ST.com member Adam Murguia seems to think he can do a better job than Paramount...you be the judge:

[NEW]TrekBBSer dukesman picks up on the Matt Damon rumor and runs with it:

Tony (aka NextWave) has sent the Trek Report his alternative version of the poster using the insignia from one of the alternate reality/future episodes.

Another artist inspired to create alternatives based on other Trek shows and possible futures took it a step further. Somoene calling himself 'ParamountSpy' on TrekBBS tried to suggest Paramount was planning a series of teasers using various insignia, claiming to be 'leaking' insider info and artwork. Eventually he admitted they were fakes, but that hasn't stopped many fans from using the designs as their avatars

And Evil Kirkneivel at TrekBBS has tried put together all known facts to come up with a different take altogether .

One thing is for sure, people are talking about the new movie. A Trek insider tells the Trek XI Report that all the theories and imitations and discussions are quite welcome, saying "we invite the speculation, the more the better". Well it is clear that Paramount got what they wanted...the buzz machine on Star Trek XI is in full swing. We can't wait to see what is next.

If there is anything we missed...let us know by making a comment or sending us a tip

with thanks to the people and sites noted above as well as Memory Alpha and Spike's Trek Page for research on Trek lore.

Sirtis & Burton want Trek XI to be a TNG film...admit Nemesis 'sucked' [VIDEO]

2006-08-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

Marina Sirtis (TNG's Deanna Troi) and Levar Burton (TNG's Geordi La Forge) attended a panel (last September) to discuss their work on Star Trek: The Next Generation. In a video posted this week to YouTube (below) you can see their answers to questions about their most recent Trek films as well as Paramount's plans for switching from the TNG cast to a TOS prequel for Star Trek XI (UPDATE NOTE: since this video was shot Paramount have cancelled plans for one prequel project from Rick Berman and greenlit another prequel project produce by JJ Abrams...but both concepts are rumored to be set pre-TOS and not include the TNG casts)

[update: astute reader TRexx tips us that the panel was from Last September's DragonCon.]

Want another shot
Neither seem to feel that the TNG cast had a film where they can make a proper 'bow out' for the TNG era (like the Original Series cast did with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country).Sirtis takes it further and slammed a prequel concept for Trek XI and calls on TNG fans to 'innundate Paramount' with letters and emails demanding that she and her co-stars get another shot at the big screen. [again, although the specifics have changed, Paramount still seem to be planning a prequel without the TNG cast]

Arent happy with their last films
Burton and Sirtis both admit that their last effort Star Trek Nemesis was less than stellar. Burton explaination on why Nemsis did so badly "because it sucked", Sirtis followed on by saying "it didnt suck as much as Insurrection", referring their previous film Star Trek: Insurrection. They seem to agree the fault of Nemesis poor performance and quality lands solely at the feet of director Stuart Baird who they say never had seen a single episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. One has to wonder who they blame for Insurrection 'sucking' (as they put it), Insurrection was directed by fellow TNG co-star Jonathan Frakes.

video via YouTube user Olafsdotter

Dorn calls STXI a 'mistake'

2006-08-01T03:08:00.000-07:00

Now it's Michael Dorn's turn to let us know how he really feels. Dorn (Lt. Worf) talked to the Houston Chronicle as part of the release of the new 'Star Trek Fan Collective: Klingon' set of DVDs. Regarding the possibility of Star Trek XI being a TOS prequel he says "I think that would be a mistake...you dont go backwards in Star Trek". Like Sirtis, Dorn also takes a swipe at the Trek TV Shows made after Star Trek: The Next Generation, "I don't think he would have done any of those shows" Dorn said, referring to the late Gene Roddenberry (creator of the Trek franchise). Presumably Dorn's comments are limited to Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise being that Dorn was on the Paramount payroll for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for 5 years. Dorn who has the distinction of appearing in more Star Trek episodes than any other actor believes that Paramount has 'milked the cashcow almost dry', but would he play Lt. Worf again? "I'm smart enough to never say never".

Deja vu all over again?
This all seems to be part of a pattern actually. There was quite a bit of sniping from the stars of the Original Series and first 6 Trek films after it was decided the film franchise would switch to Dorn, Sirtis and their fellow TNG series co-stars. Paramount's judgement was also called into question at that time. George Takei was especially vocal, claiming that the fans were demanding films with him starring as Captain of the Excelsior. This all died down after the the TNG based films started to do well at the box office. Sirtis and Dorn will grow to accept the changes just as the TOS actors did. In fact, Takei has recently been talking up JJ Abrams and Star Trek XI...then again maybe he thinks Sulu is coming back!

(Full Article)

Recasting...does it work?

2006-07-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

[Trek XI Report Editorial]

One of the issues that many Trek devotees seem to be fixated on is that of recasting. The assertion of these fans is that audiences will not accept new actors in the roles made famous by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. But Hollywood has never shied away from recasting roles...even iconic ones. This week the top film is Miami Vice, in which original show creator Michael Mann has recast quintissential 80s stars Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas with Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. The film made over $25 million in its first weekend in the US (The LA Times saying it is on track to exclipse Mann's 2004 hit Collateral). Are Kirk and Spock any more iconic than Crockett and Tubbs?

Olmos more Adama than Greene?

Devoted fans hold tight to their idols
When word of a possible recasting of Kirk and Spock hit the interweb it wasnt long until a faction of Trek fandom started throwing around words like 'sacrilidge', 'impossible', 'doomed' and of course 'online petition' .It is easy to understand why some hardcore fans find it difficult to see their favorite characters get recast, they have a deep emotional investment in these shows and their stars. The performances are burned into their psyches...it is hard to accept anything different. A recent example of this was the storm created in the run up to Trek vet Ron Moore's revamp of the classic series Battlestar Galactica. BSG's co-creator David Eick recently told the crowd at Comic-Con that it got so bad on the internet forums before the show aired that they just stopped reading fan input. Then the show came out and became a hit. Now most would agree that Edward James Olmos (ironically an Emmy winner for the original Miami Vice) is a better Commander Adama than Lorne Greene ever was.

Routh fit well into Reeves boots

Recasting has a long track record
Hollywood has been successfully recasting roles for decades, just look at the list of TV Adaptations to the big screen that have made it. And of course many film franchises have surivived and thrived with multiple recastings, such as Bond, Superman, Jack Ryan, and coming soon: 'Fletch' (to be recast with Scrub's Zach Braff). And of whatever your opinion of the latest Star Wars prequels (Episodes I, II, III) there seems to be universal agreement that Ewan Mc Greggor's portrayal of a young Obi Wan was near perfect. The closest example may be the Batman franchise, like Trek it had seen better days and so (again like Trek) they decided to get back to basics and do a recast and an origin story with Batman Begins. That film went on to be a mega-hit for Warner Bros. and just today they announced its sequel. It does not seem to matter if a character was originally created on the page, TV or film either, recasting has worked in all cases. To be sure there have been some duds that had recasting (like last year's Bewitched), but was it recasting with Will Farrell or a bad script that killed that one? In the end Star Trek is just another film franchise and it is subject to the same laws of Hollywood Physics. Mainstream audiences seem fairly flexible when it comes to recasting...its really only the hard core fanboys that have a hard time coping, and often even they come around.

Bruce...have you met Bruce?

Kirk and Spock wont be easy
Although recasting works, that does not mean it is easy, just ask Brian Singer who went to great lengths to find his Superman. That being said, the rumor that Matt Damon would play Kirk has actually been well received in the media and amongst fans, even William Shatner has said he thinks 'its great'. He is seen as having star power, being able to do drama and action, and having a 'fit' with the character. The big question at Paramount is: does it need a big star? It is easier for a good unknown actor (like Routh) to emboddy a role made famous by others, but a big star helps ensure box office success and bringing in new fans (something the Trek franchise could use). Although Damon seems like a good choice (if true) there seems little consensus on the more difficult Spock character. Opinions vary widely from Keanu Reeves to Jude Law to Adrien Brody to lesser-knowns like Milo Ventimiglia. One thing people tend to agree on is that Damon shouldn't be paired up with his buddy Affleck. The TREK XI Report is a strong believer a pairing of Matt Damon with Juaquin Phoenix in the roles of Kirk and Spock. One thing is for sure, recasting is one of the hottest issues in fandom, and will remain so for the next two years.

Damon and Phoenix...the next Kirk and Spock?

Sirtis critical of direction for Star Trek XI

2006-07-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

In a live chat with fans on her official site, Marina Sirtis (Troi from ST: TNG) didnt seem too happy with the direction Paramount is taking for Star Trek XI. "I agree with you all about the pre-quel, Gene Roddenberry always said that Star trek should go forward" she replied to the sentiments that the next Trek film should be set after Star Trek Nemesis, despite it's dissapointing box office. Her fans seem to want the new Trek film to focus on 'the Rikers' aboard the the Starship Titan. Star Trek Nemesis established that Sirtis' character Troi and Jonathan Frakes' character Will Riker were married and went off to have their own adventures on the Starship Titan. The Titan has become the basis for a series of popular Star Trek books.

More letter writing campaigns?
Many of her fans discussed sending protests to Paramount executives regarding the new film (seemingly a perennial Trekkie tradition). Sirtis let them know her view of the executives: "I just dont think anyone at Paramount gets Star Trek anymore", going on to say "they are killing Trek. They're trying to reach a new 'Lost' audience....they just dont get it". She went on to suggest that after the exectives 'killed' Star Trek that Euegene 'Rod' Roddenberry (who recently told a panel at Comic Con that he knows almost nothing about film making, scifi or Hollywood) should buy the franchise back. Siritis didn't stop with the new Trek film, she also took the time out to take a swipe at the last Trek TV show "Enterprise was NOT Trek. Just had so called Vulcans thrown in for seasoning to call it Trek". One has to wonder if she let the executives at Paramount know her views of their show when she agreed to appear in the series finale of Enterprise last year. Well work is work, she had this to say about reprising a role in another scifi franchise: "I would reprise my role in Stargate in a nano second, but they've not asked me...maybe you could all write them angry letters demanding I should be back on the show".

Perhaps her most telling statement was "if I'd have invented Star Trek, I'd still be on it"

(full transcript of chat), via Trekweb

StarTrek.com plans innovative web strategy for Trek XI

2006-07-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

[Trek XI Report Exclusive]
Since their first announcement over 3 months ago, StarTrek.com hasnt had much content for Trek XI. Well that is all starting to change according to CBS Digital’s Sandy Stone (Content Producer for Star Trek.com), telling the Trek XI Report that StarTrek.com has been deemed the official site for Star Trek XI. The first evidence of this was last week when the first Star Trek XI teaser poster was announced on the site, as well as being made available for download. 'StarTrek.com' features prominently on the poster and will also adorn all future promotional materials, trailers, etc. This is all part of a new coordinated effort between CBS and Paramount Pictures (now separate companies after the split up of Viacom) . In addition the Trek XI section on ST.com has already been expanded to include some news and interview reprints, bios & photos of the creative team as well as some downloads. .. “and this is only the beginning” says Stone promising much more in terms of exclusive content.

New creative regime bringing new ideas
According to Stone, JJ Abrams and the new creative team behind Star Trek XI are very web savvy. It was this team, along with Paramount Marketing, that decided that ST.com should be the hub for Trek XI. StarTrek.com is seen as a great tool for building interest and excitement (or 'buzz' as they say in H'wood) during production for the upcoming Trek film. All types of behind-the-scenes content, such as production diaries, blogs, interviews, photos and videos are being discussed as possibilities for the site. Although new for a Trek film, these are the types of things being done by some of the more innovative official film sites, such as bluetights.net and kongisking.net. “We are really excited about working with JJ Abrams and the new team”, says Stone "they really see the potential of the internet, and we all want startrek.com to be the hub for Trek XI content"

innovative film sites an inspiration for StarTrek.com?

Getting Lost with Star Trek XI
A clue to what may lie in the future may be how Star Trek XI producers JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof have handled that other little project of theirs...Lost (you may have heard of it). On the official Lost Website you get the usual things (pictures, vids desktops, webgames, etc), but it is all very topnotch...this week they are featuring a video of 'fan theories' shot at ComicCon. In addition there are a series of podcasts with interviews and insights from the cast and crew of Lost (including Mr Lindelof himself). StarTrek.com has dabbled a bit with podcasts during the last year of production for Enterprise so it seems like a natural fit. There is also the very innovative 'Lost Experience', which is a web based game for the hardcore Lost fans to find clues to their favorite show around the web and by phone, part of which includes a blog on the official site as well as a number of official tie-in sites like HansoExposed.com (will we learn that the Hanso Foundation were responsible for the genetic experiments leading to the creation of Khan?). Lost also has an innovative mobile strategy that will include a series of 'mobisodes' broadcast during the show's hiatus this winter. These things show that the new creative team are indeed quite up to speed on the web...lets hope that we can see this kind of creativity show up with Trek XI.

is 'the Trek XI Experience' in our future?

More integration at ST.com is a welcome sign
Not only is it good news to hear that there will be new kinds of content for Star Trek XI on the web, it is good to hear that it will be centralized on ST.com (although there are bound to be some subsites and possibly a site put up by Paramount Marketing…all content will be available at ST.com). To the outside world StarTrek is a single brand and franchise (very much like that other franchise ‘Star Wars’, whose starwars.com is an excellent central resource for everything associated with that brand). However, unlike StarWars, Star Trek is spread around quite a few companies and subsidiaries of Viacom, CBS and their licensees, as evidenced by the many ‘official’ Star Trek related sites. For example, besides StarTrek.com there is Simon and Schuster’s Star Trek Books site , plus Bethesda Software’s Star Trek gaming hub (which itself has no mention of a key game: Perpetual’s Star Trek Online with its own site). The Trek XI Report is glad to see the coordination with Trek XI and looks forward to more of this kind of coordination on ST.com.

Pick a Trek site...any Trek site

Win a Trek XI teaser poster at ST.com

2006-07-28T23:38:00.000-07:00

StarTrek.com is giving away 40 of the Star Trek XI teaser posters (in honor of the 40th Anniversary of Star Trek). They will be giving away 10 posters per week for the next 4 weeks.

Click the banner to check out the contest:

[UPDATE: rules state contest is for 18 year old + USA residents only...sorry]

StarTrek.com has also posted their first of two Comic-Con reports: Alive and Trekkin' 1, where they had this to say about Trek XI:

But of course, there is something new to look forward to, though it's two years away — an 11th movie under the leadership of J.J. Abrams. And to that end, Paramount Pictures used Comic-Con weekend to unveil its new teaser art: an Original Series Enterprise badge with a cloth texture, surrounded by command-uniform gold and science-officer blue, with "2008" and "STARTREK.COM" prominently shown in lieu of a title. The image first appeared on this site digitally as a splash page Saturday morning (related story), and concurrent with that, the Paramount booth at San Diego starting handing out 19.75"x13.25" mini-posters to everyone who passed by during the latter half of the con. There was no formal announcement or anything — not even at our Friday panel, when we were still sworn to secrecy! — just a discreet dissemination of the image. As our earlier article noted, let the speculations begin!

What you can win

Not to go off on a rant or anything....
I was at that event on Friday (as reported here) and am a bit shocked they didnt announce it then...

CBS Panel on the Future of Trek...where is the poster proving it has a Future?

...There it is (a day later) hiding in the tiny Paramount Booth

I have been told the poster was ready to go days earlier, but for some reason Paramount marketing wanted to wait until Saturday to bring it out at their booth...with no announcement or event. Seems like there is still some coordination issues between CBS and Paramount

/rant

...irregardless it is a cool contest...so go win a poster!

Taking a red pen to the IMDB entry for Trek XI

2006-07-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

IMDB is a fantastic resource for fans and film industry people alike. For films that have been completed it extremely accurate and can be relied upon. But for films development that is another story. People should remember that IMDB is like wiki in that most of the content is submitted by users (just like you). And it appears that Trekkies are a bit overzelous in their contributions because the IMDB entry for Star Trek XI is riddled with wild speculation and rumors and it appears to be getting worse.

continue reading to get a full breakdown on what is real and what is myth...

Lets start with the Plot Summary and the Casting.
The first thing to remember is nothing is confirmed by anyone. Abrams has been consistent in saying it is a secret, but he along with StarTrek.com have made a number of 'indications'. That being said, whoever has been submitting at IMDB went way too far...here it is with my corrections:

Plot Summary
According to a report filed on a reputable website, Matt Damon is slated to play the role of Cadet James T. Kirk. The newest installment of the Star Trek franchise will be an Original Series Prequel, focusing on Kirk, Spock, and McCoy during their Starfleet Academy days.
Reliable reports indicate: a prequel to the Original Series Star Trek (1966) probably including the characters of Kirk and Spock.

Cast
Matt Damon....~~Captain~~ James T. Kirk (rumored)

Here is what was wrong and why it was changed:
1. Damon is not confirmed by anyone
2. how can he be both 'cadet kirk' and 'captain kirk' (especially as a 35 year old)
3. Academy plotline has been denied by Abrams
4. Mc Coy has never been even rumored to be involved
(really should have left it all blank to be hyper vigilent)

And the crew listings are riddled with errors as well
Here are the corrections noted in red

Director
J.J. Abrams (option) [Abrams has yet to commit]

Writing credits
Alex Kurtzman ...screenplay
Roberto Orci ...screenplay
J.J. Abrams ...screenplay [Abrams is confirmed as writer]
Gene Roddenberry ...characters
[NOTE:writers say they will use old characters so Rodenberry entry is OK]

Produced by
J.J. Abrams .... ~~executive~~ producer
Damon Lindelof .... ~~executive~~ producer
Bryan Burk .... executive producer
Alex Kurtzman .... executive producer
Roberto Orci .... executive producer
[NOTE: producer changes based on ST.com credits entry]

Original Music by
~~Michael Giacchino~~ [Regular Abrams colaborator, but only speculation as of now]

Special Effects
~~Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)~~ [have worked on Trek films before but as of now just speculation]

Budget
~~$100,000,000 (estimated)~~ [$100M is a good guess, but pure conjecture]

NOTE: my corrections have been noted in Star Trek XI: the FAQ, and (I fear) will be a continuing 'feature' for this site.

FAQ and Site updated...plus a new name!

2006-07-27T19:52:00.000-07:00

Well Star Trek XI: the blog is less than two weeks old but already we are getting hundreds of visitors a day and have been linked by the official Trek XI Wiki as well as numerous Trek sites. Since it seems that this site is going bigtime I have updated the design...most importantly there is a new cool navbar at the top (^look up^) that links you to the 3 key sections
[update...now with new names]

1 The Trek XI Report
what you are looking at now!...for the latest news, rumors, musings, etc
2 Star Trek XI FAQ
all the info on STXI summarized in an easy to digest form
3 Star Trek XI media
all available downloads and media for ST XI

In addition I have updated the FAQ to reflect events from Comic Con and some more interviews. If you are confused about all the rumors or need more info...get the FAQs. I have also added a 'tips' link to send in emails for anything we missed...or any inside info (I am looking at you CBS/Paramount/BadRobot people that I know are reading this).

The future is bright
Not only is this the first, but I will endeavor to ensure this is the best site for Star Trek XI up to and after its release (then of course...the The Trek XII Report...electric bogaloo). The last couple of weeks have been hectic with the Abrams deal announcement and ComicCon, so news on STXI may die down a bit, but I plan on blogging away...finding any little morsel of Trek XI related news. Plus I have some interviews lined up and will be writing some (brief) thoughts on the direction of the franchise and Trek XI (just for you JJ!) So stay tuned to the Trek XI Report. And for those tech savvy users...don't forget to subscribe to the feed.

CBS to handle licensing for Trek XI

2006-07-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

In the immortal words of Yogurt from Spaceballs (pictured right holding Spaceballs-the Flame Thrower...kids love it) "Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made." To that end Paula Block from CBS Paramount consumer products announced at a Comic-Con that CBS Paramount will be handling the licensing for Star Trek XI. CBS Para has been on a bit of a roll lately for Trek liscensing, bringing Star Trek back into the world of gaming after a 3 year drought, along with a new magazine and even a Manga comic book. Block summed it up thusly:

"Contrary to some people’s opinions, Star Trek isn’t dead"

One franchise...many companies
It may not seem significant that CBS Consumer Products will handle Trek XI licensing, but one must remember that Paramount Pictures (the maker of Star Trek XI) is part of Viacom and a totally separate corporation from CBS (which includes CBS Paramount Television, CBS Consumer Products and Simon and Schuster...all of which are involved in Star Trek). When Viacom split into two companies earlier this year, Star Trek ended up like a child with joint custody. That being said I am told that there is a good working relationship between the Trek XI team (at Paramount Pictures) and the people at CBS Para, etc., and they are looking forward to working together. Perhaps the best indication of this relationship was the release of the teaser poster on ST.com (part of CBS Para). I have been told that ST.com will be the home for Star Trek XI...again this may seem obvious, but Paramount Pictures has their own website as well as subsites for each of their upcoming releases (like the Orci and Kurtzman penned TransformersMovie.com).

Star Trek now brought to you by....

Tie-ins seen as more important part of genre films
Recently Variety ran an article 'Piqued by Prequels' about comic and cartoon tie-ins with other genre movies

Once redundant as merely franchise adaptations, today tie-in comics and cartoons frequently provide valuable supplemental details to the story and characters, rewarding fans who do their homework with key background information

As examples they cited Kevin Smith's 'Chasing Dogma', Brian Singer's Superman Returns Comic Book series, the Star Wars Clone Wars cartoons bridging the gap between Ep. II and Ep. III and the Animatrix animated backtories for the Matrix Films. Variety notes that these products not only provide backstory for hungry fans, but also help promote the films. One of the more ambitions tie-ins seems to be from Titanic creator James Cameron whose upcoming scifi pic Avatar (also slated for 2008) promises to just be part of a expansive multimedia experience, including a new MMORPG.

Star Trek: The Animated Series

CBS should take note of these trends
The Star Trek universe is rich with books (and some comics) which have filled many 'gaps' between the films and the TV episodes, but these are considered 'non-canon' (in other words...not 'true' within the universe). Plus these books and comics often come out years or decades after the theatrical releases (with the exception of the 10 Film novelizations which have always come out on the same day). Plus the Trek universe hasnt seen anything animated since the 70s and there currently is no liscense holder for Comic Books (excluding the Tokyo Pop 'magna comics'). There should be more to licensing than toys and action figures.

Star Trek Manga Comic

Dont forget the gaming
Trek film tie-in games have always been subpar and I hope they put more of an effort into it this time. It is worth keeping an eye on the upcoming Lost game to see how well the Lost team (which is the Trek 11 team for the most part) create an effective and well made game tie-in. Another strange coincidence is that there already is a Star Trek themed MMORPG in development and scheduled for full release in 2008 (same as Trek XI), however that game is set in the post Nemesis time period (over a century past the rumored TOS era of Trek 11. It would be interesting if they could somehow create a tie-in with the new MMORPG...its not like Trek hasn't played with time travel before.

Star Trek Online Concept Art

Stewart on being in ST XI "I dont think it's going to happen"

2006-07-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year after it appeared Rick Berman and Eric Jenderson's script for Star Trek: The Beginning (which was to have a whole new cast set 100 years before the time of Kirk) was going no where, Patrick Stewart got some 'one more TNG film' buzz going. Stewart told an online magazine in March that he had 'got some calls from some money people' regarding reprising his role as Jean Luc Picard. Since that time word of Abrams being signed and a likely TOS era plot have come out. Stewart has continued to be very noncommittal on whether he would even want to be in another film

In todays Daily Telagraph Stewart discusses the idea

So could he ever be seduced by Hollywood again? Another Star Trek movie? "I have such mixed feelings about Star Trek. It's like a romantic relationship that's over. I don't think it's going to happen, but I haven't ruled it out...

"X-Men is another matter," he says, brightening. "There were all those all-may-not-be-over teasers at the end of the last one. But I have no reason to believe Hollywood will be for me what it has been. The past six months has absolutely convinced me where my real commitment lies. All I want is for Michael Boyd [artistic director of the RSC] to call me into his office and say, 'Here is a three-year contract.'"

Seems too late now
JJ Abrams has already written half the first draft...if this film centers on the TNG crew and or the character of Jean Luc Picard one would imagine they would have given him a call. It is my belief that there were some within Para that considered another TNG (or at least Stewart) based film, but all indications are that Abrams wanted to do his film his way and he told TV Guide he wouldn't sign on until he saw that Paramount were open to ideas and his creative vision. Abrams has even admitted that he never saw Star Trek: Nemesis, but notes that he will watch it now to note where they went wrong!! There are still many fans of Star Trek that would love to see Picard in uniform again, but it appears that Steward has hung up his spacesuit.

ST XI Scribes Orci and Kurtzman to produce thriller for Dreamworks

2006-07-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

Seems like Abrams isnt the only STXI writer cutting deals. Variety (via DarkHorizons.com) is reporting that Trek XI co-writers Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci will be producing a big screen adaptation of the Thomas Perry Novel "Nightlife" about a female serial killer. This is in addition to their work as writers on next summer's blockbuster in waiting Transfomers...and of course the script they are presently writing the first draft of...Star Trek XI. It seems that Paramount/DreamWorks cant get enough of these guys..who appear to be joined at the hip (they are actually best friends who started a writing partnership back in high school). Although best known for their writing, they have signed on Ehren Kruger (Brothers Grim) to do the adaptation of Nightlife.

To learn more about your Trek Writers..
Interview with the WGA
Podcast Interview with Creative Screenwriting

Comic-Con: New Game..Star Trek: Battlestations for the PS2

2006-07-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

Star Trek XI isnt the only big comeback for the Trek franchise in 2006. This year also marked the return of Trek to the gaming community with the announcement of a deal with BethesdaSoft last January. Star Trek had been out of the gaming world since Activision sued Paramount to get out of its licensing deal back in 2003.

New PS2 game confirmed and Fontana confirmed as Legacy writer
So far Bethesda had announced 2 games: StarTrek: Legacy for the PC and Xbox 360 (with a story, now confirmed, to be written by Trek Vet DC Fontana), and Star Trek: Tactical Assault for the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. Now it appears that they can cross the console with the largest installed base off their todo list: At the 'Star Trek 41 years and counting' ComicCon panel, CBS Consumer Products Executive Paula Block announced a 3rd game called 'Star Trek: Battlestations' for the PS2 (She did also say that the name wasn't final). [NOTE: PS2 and not PS3] It is too early yet for any announcements on a game tie-in with Star Trek XI...we can only hope that sales for Bethesda's first Trek games goes well.

A different game
It is interesting that Battlestation is not a port of either Legacy or Tactical Assault but a totally new game. In describing the difference Paula Block said "if you just want a good starship shoot-em-up you get Star Trek: Battlesation, if you want a good story you can have Star Trek: Legacy". I suspect (especially with it being a PS2 game) that this game was in development before the Activision lawsuit in 2003, I find it hard to believe that they would start a PS2 project in 2006. Launch date was this fall.

Paula Block (3rd from left) Announcing Star Trek: Battlestations

Comic-Con: Braga Talks Future of Trek and scifi on TV

2006-07-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

I had a chance to ask Brannon Braga (C0-Creator: Star Trek Enterprise, EP: Star Trek Voyager, Producer/Writer Star Trek: The Next Generation, etc) if CBS Paramount was considering bringing Trek back to TV now that Paramount Pictures has greenlit another Trek film. He quickly responded “There are no plans for Trek on TV”. In a follow-up I asked him and the panel why (even after the success of Lost and a bit of a resurgence of ‘genre’ TV) there are no shows set in the future. The panel included fellow Trek Alum Rene Echevarria (Medium), David Goyer (Blade), Jeph Loeb (co-executive producer, Heroes), Bryan Fuller (consulting producer, Heroes), and Frank Spotnitz (Night Stalker, Star Chamber) who all agreed that TV executives are still afraid of scifi, “especially when you start talking about ships, aliens, robots and all that stuff” said Fuller.

Scifi on TV vs Film
Braga noted that although half the top grossing films are scifi/genre films, there is a limit to how scifi you can get on TV, as an example he said that he co-creator (David Goyer) were told to not mention the word ‘alien’ when promoting their now cancelled Threshold. Braga said that scifi is all about 'experimenting', then explaining the demise of his latest show he said "Threshold was an experiment that failed". Brian Fuller noted that many people who enjoy Comic Book films don't realize they are watching scifi. Braga joked that a network can have a dozen procedural crime shows on but gets nervous when they have more than one scifi show (which seems a dig CBS...home of Threshold and rights holder to Star Trek on TV). Star Trek XI’s JJ Abrams himself recently discussed this issue of the ‘scifi taboo’ on network TV by finally coming out of the closet and admitting that his mega-hit Lost is scifi to TV Guide but saying that he kept that a secret from the executives at ABC.

Comic-Con: Trek XI Producers are fans of the new Battlestar Galactica

2006-07-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

Lost and Trek XI producer Damon Lindelof (pictured in the middle) was asked for a reaction on Lost not being nominated for Best Dramatic Series Emmy for its second season (after winning for its first season). Lindelof exclaimed "Battlestar Galactica didnt get nominated either and thats a great show". Fellow Lost and STXI producer Bryan Burk (pictured on left), along with Lost producer Carlton Cuse (pictured on right) joined in on the praise agreeing with Lindelhof's assessment...as did the crowd of Losties who applauded the mention of Galactica.

Trek XI producers like the anti-Trek?
The much lauded Battlestar Galactica (co-created by former Trek writer/producer Ron Moore) has been touted (along with Lost) as redefining the scifi genre. Moore constantly points out how much BSG is nothing like Star Trek (or more specifically the Trek of the last decade). Battlestar Galactica could be defined as the 'anti-Trek', in his regular podcasts Moore invariably invokes Trek and how he endeavors to find a different way of doing things on each episode.That being said it is not surprising that the Star Trek XI creative team are fans of BSG, many of the recent comments coming from JJ Abrams sound very much like those of Ron Moore regarding how scifi needs to be a great drama first which needs to have realistic characters. Some hardcore Trekkies may not like the comparison or that the co-producer of Trek is a fan of the 'anti-Trek', but I believe that Trek does need a kick in the pants compared to recent outings (most of which it appears Abrams has never seen). Although Abrams has stated he wont be rewriting the canon (as Moore did with the BSG franchise) it is good to see that they are sympatico with the best scifi on TV.

Producers Lindelof and Cruse w/ Daniel Day Kim

Comic-Con: Abrams work on Lost Season 3 is minimal.

2006-07-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

JJ Abrams is still being non-committal about whether or not he will direct Trek XI (along with co-producing and co-writing), only going so far as saying he will 'probably' direct. The holdup is probably his multiple projects and deals...a big one of which is his work on the hit show Lost. At a Comic Con panel on Lost, Bryan Burk (Exec Producer on both Lost and Star Trek XI) revealed that JJ Abrams will only have limited involvement in season 3 of Lost. More specifically he stated that JJA will be co-writing the season opener and directing the 5th Episode (scheduled to be on this fall). Since landing the directing job for Mission Impossible 3, Abrams has been mostly absent from the shows he created for ABC (Lost and the now ended Alias). After recently signing on to produce, write and probably direct Star Trek XI (along with additional production deals with Paramount and Warner Television) it is actually surprising Abrams has any time left at all.

Comic-Con: Paramount selling its only TOS-era set

2006-07-23T03:23:00.000-07:00

During a panel about various Trek issues, Mike Okuda (long time Trek graphic artist) told the audience that the set built for the Enterprise episode 'In a Mirror Darkly' is one of the many lots being auctioned off by Christie's this fall. The original series sets were of course destroyed decades ago, so Paramount spent a considerable amount of money recreating the TOS era bridge set required for that popular episode. Since then it has been in storage, but as Mr Okuda stated "storage is expensive". I spoke to the people at the Christies Star Trek Auction booth and they confirmed that the entire set is being sold as a single lot and they expect $25,000+ for it. They also said that a additional TOS era items (including uniforms) will be auctioned off, all seem to be replicas made for 'In a Mirror Darkly' or the Deep Space 9 time-travel episode 'Trials and Tribblations'

What does this mean for STXI? No TOS-era movie?
Some in attendance who wanted to see that set again on screen were shocked. Many in Trekdom have felt the Christie's Auction indicates some kind of 'death of the franchise'. Some are questioning why they would sell a TOS set if they are about to make a TOS era film...making them wonder if maybe all the indications are wrong. My view is this...Trek XI may be set in the TOS era, but it will probably be updating the production design. It was fun to see those garishly colored sets in an homage episode on TV, but they wouldn’t work on the big screen. They even knew this when they made Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. Although JJ Abrams has stated he will respect Trek 'canon', and the teaser poster does harkens back to the TOS-era uniform colors and insignia, does this mean they should slavishly use the costumes, props, models and set designs from a 60s TV show. Some purists say yes...the rest of us in the real worlds say...hire a good Production Designer. I am sure the designs for Trek XI will have many of the same features; they will also be made for film and a 21st century audience

Comic-Con: Roddenberry Jr. given advance notice of Trek XI announcement

2006-07-23T02:23:00.000-07:00

Today at Comic Con, Eugene 'Rod' Roddenberry Jr. (son of late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry) told a crowd of fans that the Roddenberry family got a call a couple day in advance of Paramount's announcement on Star Trek XI. Roddenberry said this was noteworthy because he and his mother no longer have much of a relationship with Paramount, nor any say over the rights to the future of the Star Trek franchise. Mr. Roddenberry noted that that in the 80s Paramount purchased the rights to the franchise from his late father (after the disapointing results from Star Trek: The Motion Picture). Gene Roddenberry did retain some creative control, but that lapsed after his death in 1991; leaving the Roddenberry family pretty much disconnected from Paramount and Trek. "Before they wouldn't even bother talking to us" he told the crowd.

Doesn't want to be exploited
I asked Mr. Roddenberry if he felt that they would be keeping him in the loop on developments regarding Trek XI and he said he wasnt sure, but commented "at least now there is someone I can call to talk to". Although he saw the heads up as a nice gesture. Roddenberry believes that he shouldn't (if asked) get involved with Star Trek officially. Such a move, he fears, would just be a publicity stunt...mocking the slogan "Son of Star Trek creator involved new Star Trek".

Roddenberry was at Comic-Con previewing and promoting his documentary 'Trek Nation' about his personal journey learning about his father and what his father's work meant to people. More info at Rodenberry.com

Comic-Con: 1st Trek XI Poster revealed...subtely implying Kirk & Spock storyline

2006-07-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

3 months to the day after the first leak hit Variety Paramount released the first teaser poster for their 11th Star Trek film at ComicCon. Even after all the confirmations and discussions about Trek XI from Abrams and even Paramount themselves (especially in the last week), there is something about a visual image that makes it seem even realer.

My quick takes:
- TOS-era
- Kirk and Spock
- No firm date
- No name

The poster art is also adorning StarTrek.com, which had this to say.

"The production team that now holds the creative reins for the next Star Trek movie project has released a piece of artwork this weekend (to coincide with Comic-Con) that provides a Polaroid of an era past, as well as a vision yet to be revealed. With this familiar imagery, the direction of the next movie is now officially open to speculation."

For indepth geek-analysis on each point, continue reading...

1. Trek XI to be in the TOS era?
This poster just screams TOS (the Original Series). The primary image of the poster is the familiar arrowhead design that is the basic 'logo' for Star Trek...but in this case they used a very specific design, one unique to the Original Series (worn by all members of the crew of Kirk's Enterprise). This insignia is quite different than the insignia worn for the 6 'movie era' films, and the insignia for the 4 TNG crew films and all versions of Trek on TV. Not only does this indicate that we arent going to see Picard and the boys again, but that we are going back to a time before all the previous films...back to the roots of it all...also known as TOS. (or as I believe the time immediately preceding TOS).

NOTE: although the arrowhead design on all versions of Star Trek after the Original Series symbolized Starfleet as a whole, on the Original Series it was actually unique to the USS Enterprise (1701). TOS canon had each ship with its own insignia, however I do not think (although do not rule out) that the poster goes so far as to indicate the film will take place on the Enterprise or even in the exact timeframe as the Original Series.

2. Kirk and Spock can live again?
But lets get even geekier...it is gold and blue...gold on the left and blue on the right. Gold is the color of command uniforms and blue the color of science (When you click to see the full sized version you can see that the colors are even textured like the uniforms) Oh by the way, Kirk wore gold and a certain pointed eared (half) Vulcan wore blue!! Abrams and company may be being cagey...but this poster says it all. Even the article announcing it on StarTrek.com admits it by saying ' poster sends indications of direction of new movie'. Even more telling is that they now have two new STXI Desktop downloads...one called science and the other command (and none for engineering, medical or other disciplines)

3. '2008'
Seems like they don't want to get more specific yet (like 'June 2008' or even 'summer 2008'). Abrams has already stated that he wants to move as quickly as possible, which would indicate an early summer 08 release. The problem for Paramount is that this would conflict with another genre film which they are distributing (as part of their deal with the new Marvel Studios). Just recently they gave Iron Man an early May 08 release date. Ironically Jon Favreau was only made available for Iron Man after his 2008 John Carter of Mars movie was shelved by Para to make room for Trek XI...my bet early/mid-June 2008

4. No Name
No 'Star Trek XI', No 'Trek Returns', etc etc...only Trek indication is the web address (and logo of course). It is likely that there is a bit of debate going on within the Abrams camp and/or Para on what to call the film...but they still have time. It is a big question and one that Trekkies are already debating. Will Trek even be in the name (remember the last show Enterprise didn't have the name in the title originally)...more on this naming issue in a future posting.

Trek XI blog going to ComicCon

2006-07-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well I wasnt going to go to ComicCon, but now there are a few other things going on down in SD with fam and friends (including a couple of Thievery Corporation shows)...so its roadtrip time. While in SD I plan on dropping in on ComicCon. I have never been to one of these things before so I dont know what to expect...except lots of dudes gawking at chicks dressed as spandex comic-vixens. Of course from Hollywood's point of view Comic-Con is now, as Variety puts it: "Where Hollywood courts the nerd herd". The Hollywood Reporter goes so far as to say Hollywoods yearly pilgimage to ComicCon proves 'geek' now means 'cool'. Hear that kids? time to get your lunch money back!!

Star Trek XI and ComicCon
Since it is so early in development there are no events at ComicCon associated with Star Trek XI. That being said there are quite a few events about Star Trek. StarTrek.com has a full breakdown of any event that can be tied to Trek in any way. Some of the events are actually about Trek, others just with those associated with Trek (like Moore talking about new BSG or Behr talking about 4400, etc). I certainly plan on seeing Moore and checking out the Christies Trek Auction disply. Ther are some events that may prove interesting from a Trek XI point of view though:

Star Trek: Year 41 and Counting
which will have some folks from CBS Paramount (but not Paramount Pictures)

Trek Nation
About Trek fandom with Eugene Rodenberry

Lost: Season 3
Panel will include STXI producers Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk

TV Guide Presents: 2006 and Beyond
about future of scifi..panel includes Brannon Braga, Rene Echevarria, Bryan Fuller

I will be missing an event held today 'Star Trek as a Cultural Phenomenon' with Rod Rodenberry and David Brin...maybe someone can brief me on that later. There are also other various informal Trek events including some Klingon ceremony I will try and check out.

Anytime I am anywhere near anyone who might know anything...I will try and get some info. If there is any news (or even rumors) to report about Trek XI, I will endeavor to report it ASAP (with pics and maybe vid if tech permits). I will also attempt to make at least one update to the blog while in SD regardless...time permitting.

Abrams: Trek XI "won't be like anything you've seen before"

2006-07-19T17:33:00.000-07:00

After months of not hearing anything now JJA is talking to everyone! This time it is TV Guide's turn, but of course he is still being cagey about details on plot... refusing to confrim or deny 'young Kirk and Spock'. He did reveal that he is a big fan of TOS and TNG, but no so much DS9, VOY and ENT. While die-hard Trekkies may balk at this, lets face it...that is pretty much standard based on the ratings. Here is the moneyshot:

"We're in the middle of breaking the story, and it's coming along great," Abrams said. "We have an incredible beginning of a really dramatic story, and it very much honors the canon of Star Trek. On the other hand, it won't be like anything you've seen before." He adds, "I'd be happy to start sooner than Paramount thinks, but not a moment before it's ready."

So there you have it...soon, canon-friendly, but different...what more can you ask

continue reading for the full text of the TV Guide interview and a comment JJA gave to Cinefantastique ...
TV Guide Interview:

How exciting is it to find yourself in charge of resuscitating the Trek franchise? It's sort of surreal but wonderful. I'm producing and may direct.
Which of the Star Trek series were you a fan of? The original, and I thought Next Generation was terrific. I didn't really get into Deep Space or Enterprise.
What about Voyager? Not so much.
Do you own Star Trek DVDs? Oh, yeah. [Laughs] I have every DVD of every Star Trek episode from every series. I haven't seen every episode of every series, but I certainly know it well enough to be working on the movie.
When Paramount asked you to be involved in the film, did you immediately say yes? Not exactly. There have been 10 films and all these different series, so it was a question of finding out what they were anticipating. But it became clear pretty quickly that they were in a really open frame of mind. Then it became, "Hell, yeah!"
It's been reported that the film will focus on Kirk and Spock's early days and include their meeting at Starfleet Academy. You've said that was not entirely accurate. What parts are? I think we have an incredible story, but we've sort of promised each other we wouldn't talk about the specifics yet. But I can say that we're actively working on it, we're in the middle of breaking the story, and it's coming along great. I'd be happy to start sooner than Paramount thinks, but not a moment before it's ready.
Why the shroud of secrecy? It's way premature. Anything I say, people will read into it and make assumptions. But we have an incredible beginning of a really dramatic story, and it very much honors the canon of Star Trek. On the other hand, it won't be like anything you've seen before.
Do you feel any pressure taking on such a beloved franchise? I feel respectful of it. Fans of Lost don't compare to fans of Star Trek, but working on Lost gives us a view into how important it is to respect the fans.
Why do you think Star Trek continues to fascinate? It was incredibly smart television. The original series and Next Generation were about something — human nature and the idea of coming up against the unexpected and the often terrifying. It was a good story that happened to be science fiction. When I watch episodes with my 7-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter and see them so vitally respond to a show that was made the year I was born — it's not because it takes place on a spaceship. What endures isn't a genre, it's character and emotional connection.
===================
In a sidebar, Abrams' cohorts from Lost — Damon Lindelof, who will co-produce "Trek XI," and Carlton Cuse — discuss the Emmy-winning show's sci-fi roots, including Star Trek.
"It wasn't just people beaming down to other planets," Cuse says. "Philosophical and moral issues were embedded in the stories." But the article points out that the Lost-Trek connection only goes so far. "The secret to the characters on Lost is they're not static," Cuse continues. Lindelof adds, "Spock was always Spock, Kirk always Kirk. But Locke (O'Quinn) is not the same as when we started."
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Cinefantastique has an interview with Abrams mostly dealing with MI3 (the interview was probably done during the MI3 press tour) but JJA had something very interesting to say about Star Trek:

CFQ : Mission: Impossible is a Paramount franchise so I wanted to ask you about another franchise from the studio : Star Trek. How do you think you'll fix that ?

Abrams : I would happily be involved in any project that Leonard Nimoy was at one point involved in, and both Star Trek and Mission: Impossible are those. I'm a real fan of Star Trek and I think there is without question life left in that series. I think that the fact that they ran so many series for so long, including an after-the-film series, is sort of remarkable, and I think that this downtime is only good for it. It needs a minute and it should exist because it's the right story, not because it's the right time to exploit an intellectual property. I think the good news is that it hasn't seen the light of day again yet because it shouldn't, but I am convinced it will soon and it's something that without question has a very bright future and done right could be as compelling as anything. The key to doing any of these things correctly is that it has to treat the situation and the characters with the exact respect and integrity that you'd treat any drama, whether it happens to be a comedy or science-fiction. You can't tell the story in a cheap or pandering way otherwise it just doesn't hold water.

Variety celebrates Trek 40th Aniv. with Abrams interview

2006-07-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

Todays Daily Variety has a 3 page spread on the 40th Anniversery of Star Trek with a number of articles. Most cover the history of the franchise, the fans and fanfilms. They also got Mr Abrams to talk about Trek XI. Abrams starts of by telling Variety that he started off working on Trek at his Bar mitzvah...because none other than Nicholas Meyer was in attendance! He again confirms that he will be working with his usual suspects (Burk, Lindelof, Orci, Kurtzman, etc) and again says that it is too early to talk about plot details and again cant confirm if he will direct. He reveals that Paramount has flooded the team with 'every published Star Trek work' including the books...now that must have been a big delivery. The team he says has a variety of levels of Trek fandom, calling himself a 'big fan' (but wont go so far as calling himself a 'Trekker'), Orci 'has immediate recall of all things Trek' and Burk seems to be a newbie...giving them as he says 'all points of view'

Trek XI will be scary and not just for the hardcore
Abrams adeptly addresses the issues of appealing to both the hardcore and the general public.

"we absolutely feel beholden to the fans, but at the same time, we have to recognize that you cant' go out and make a movie or TV show for a group of people that live and breathe a show"

On his views of Trek and his approach to the film I think he really hits it out of the park:

"Star Trek to me was always about infinite possibility and the incredible imagination that Gene Rodenberry brought to that core of characters. It was a show about purpose, about faith vs. logic, about science vs. emotion, about us vs. them. It was its own world, and yet it was our world"

"Trek was always a favorite when it was a little bit scary, when they would deal with beaming something on the ship that was an incredible mystery or there was a clear threat. All of these things I loved about the series is what we're working to incorporate into the story for the movie"

Sounds pretty good...and does that sound like (the often panned) 'Academy Movie'? NO. Again everything you hear from Abrams makes it clear...the Trek franchise is back and in good hands.

Just the FAQs on Star Trek XI

2006-07-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

Star Trek: The Blog now brings you...Star Trek XI: The FAQ . The FAQ is your one stop shop for all you need to know about Star Trek XI. It covers the basics and answers many of the burning questions (who is doing it, who is in it, etc). It also covers some of the contentious issues (can Kirk meet Spock before TOS, Why a prequel, etc). The FAQ will be updated periodically and is available on the top of the sidebar (to your right). When the FAQ is updated there will be a new post in Star Trek XI: The Blog. In addition there is a small info area on the sidebar of the blog that will have info on the status and latest goings on for the project.

Dont forget to subscibe to the RSS feed of this blog for all our news and updates

People are talking about JJ and Trek

2006-07-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

News of the JJ Abrams deal with Paramount and Warner TV hit the wires and the trades on Monday (2 days after your humble blogger brought you the news). For the most part the reports focus on how amazingly rich and powerful Mr. Abrams is about to become, but our favorite topic (Trek XI) is mentioned in almost every report...most like this tidbit in The Hollywood Reporter

Abrams already is attached to direct and produce a revival of the "Star Trek" film franchise for Paramount, which is his first project under the new feature deal.

but Variety (who were first with Trek XI news in April) has a bit more info on how Paramount views the Trek franchise and Abrams place in it:

In addition to helming his first feature for Par, "Mission: Impossible III," Abrams has been put in charge of resuscitating its "Star Trek" franchise by producing and developing an 11th edition. ... It's a very clear strategic move," said Par prexy Gail Berman. "We worked with J.J. through 'Mission: Impossible III' and we got to see his abilities in a large movie. We talked about 'Star Trek' and turning the biggest franchise in Paramount history for a rebirth; then this was the natural progression."

Even our old friend George Takei (Sulu) got into Abrams buttkissing act.... Over the weekend he (along with Voyager's Ensign Kim: Garret Wang) sung Abrams praises at a panel at the Toronto Trekker Conference:

Takei: You know the last star Trek series "Enterprise" was not very popular and the last Star Trek movie failed and Paramount had decided they aren’t going to do anymore Star Trek. However there is a big Star Trek fan who also happens to be a very quality director, he directed Mission Impossible III. And he told Paramount “the picture I want to do is a Star Trek movie” and he pitched the idea and sold them on an idea that the Paramount powers-that-be had decided they weren’t going to do anymore

Wang: JJ Abrams, good luck to him. He does the right thing, lets put it that way. It’s truly incredible, it’s a worldwide phenomenon if you think about that. It’s the only show where you can go to any contintenet and they are going to know about it..people know it.

Where George is getting this info I dont know...but it does seem to jibe with other reports that it was Abrams and not Paramount that started the ball rolling on Trek. His last comment about Trek XI was pondering "I wonder what young Sulu was doing"...Give it up George...they are not going to give you a job.

Another interesting quote from Paramount President Gail Berman is this

"The kind of stories J.J.'s interested in are very different," Berman said. "On one hand, he can be interested in something like Star Trek, but on the other hand, he created Felicity, which is more intimate storytelling. To be interested in both is a rare thing."

I guess what she is saying is 'he can make chick flicks too'. Along with Para Chairman Brad Grey's comment about Abrams being a 'tripple threat' (producer, writer, director) it seems that Paramount thinks Abrams is their new jack of all trades.

.

Shatner Reacts (and Reacts) to Damon as Kirk Rumors

2006-07-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

Much has been made about the recent rumor reported by the Insider that JJ Abrams wants Matt Damon to be the next Captain Kirk. The original report specifically said that JJ Abrams sought and recieved Shatner's blessing. Since then USA Today reported Shatner as OKing Damon as young Kirk, quoting him ""I think it's great. The tragedy is that when somebody else is playing you younger, you're really old." Now StarTrek.com is getting into the mix saying sources 'close to Shatner' claim Abrams seeking his advice is 'news to him' going on to say he hasn't heard anything from Abrams or the producers of Star Trek XI. So there you have it...clear as mud.

BTW: Damon friend Kevin Smith has his doubts as well, but suggests that if True Ben Affleck should play Spock!!! (My vote: Damon Yes...Affleck No)

One creative Shatner fan has come up with his own version of how he thinks Shatner might react to Damon as Kirk.

Although funny, Shatner fans should remember that Shatner was on board for(Star Trek II-V producer) Harve Bennet's Academy idea with recast young Kirk and Spock over a decade ago (that idea was shelved in favor of Nick Meyer's cold-war themed Star Trek VI)

My view is that, if true, it is a good sign that Abrams and Paramount are looking for brand-named starts to help relaunch the Trek Franchise. Plus looking at older stars and not kids indicates the film would focus on Kirk as a junior officer and not as a much younger cadet (something that would please critics who don't want to see an 'Academy Film')

Paramount signs JJ Abrams for Star Trek XI and multipicture deal

2006-07-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Was Trek the clincher?
It has been reported that Paramount's Brad Grey has been actively pursuing Lost co-creator and MI3 Writer/Director JJ Abrams to sign on with Paramount after his deal with Disney ended this summer. Although Abrams had many suitors (Sony, Disney, Warner, etc) Grey had something the other studios didnt...Star Trek. Grey went so far as sheving another scifi project (Jon Favreau's John Carter of Mars ) in the pipeline for 2008 to make room for a new Trek feature. Getting hold of this venerable (but now dormant) scifi franchise was a fanboy dream and something it appears that Abrams and his band of brothergeeks couldn't resist. On Saturday the LA Times is reported (reg required) that Paramount had finally got their man for Trek XI and beyond.

Abrams Lands TV, Film Deals
After months of on-again, off-again negotiations that pitted the major Hollywood studios against one another, producer J.J. Abrams has cinched separate multiyear movie and television deals at Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Television that together are worth more than $55 million.

At midnight Thursday, at Paramount's Melrose Avenue lot, Abrams' representatives finalized the terms of a five-year movie deal with the Viacom Inc.-owned studio.
....
Paramount guaranteed Abrams $2 million a year for five years and another $2 million a year for Bad Robot overhead. He also will receive an annual $500,000 discretionary fund.

For the first movie he directs, which the studio hopes will be a "Star Trek" film, Abrams will get $5 million plus some back-end profit if the movie is a hit.

Was Trek the sole reason Abrams went with Paramount?? Probably not, but the fact that Grey took Trek off the backburner and handed it to Abrams was quite the show of faith in the young director. This deal makes clear that Grey and Paramount are happy with Abrams direction of MI3 and don't fault him (or his team of producers and writers) for its below expectations results. That being said it appears they arent too happy with Cruise, Variety recently reported that Paramount is considering not renewing the production deal for Cruise/Wagner which expires this summer (or at the very least reducing the cost of the deal). Here is the money quote from Grey:

"We think J.J. is the next Steven Spielberg," said Paramount Pictures Chairman Brad Grey, who had been pursuing Abrams to make Paramount his movie home base since late last year when Abrams was prepping "M:I:3." "He's a triple threat: a great writer, producer and now, a first-class movie director."

As for ST XI...the one thing that I thought could derail ST XI was if another studio signed Abrams...but that isn't a worry anymore. It appears that Trek XI is gonna happen. In the past Abrams and team have said the original Variety article from April 20th announcing STXI was an unofficial leak. I speculated it was an overzelous Paramount PR person trying to show the rest of the contenders that they already nailed down Abrams. Hopefully this means we will get some more official words about Trek XI from Abrams and/or Paramount in the near future.

It is also worth noting that Abrams will have final cut. Not only that, but Paramount took the unusual step of announcing that longtime Trek Producer Rick Berman was not associated with Trek XI way back in April. Compared to previous Trek film projects that were wall to wall egos and executives, it appears that Abrams will have an unprecedented amount of creative control. So for good or for ill, JJ Abrams and his band of brothers are in the drivers seat of the Trek franchise