Confirmed: Nimoy & Shatner Have ‘Recasting Approval’ Contracts August 31, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Nimoy, Paramount, Rumor, ST09 Cast, Shatner, Uncategorized , 20 comments
Four days ago we reported Leonard Nimoy had told the Toronto Star ” I do, by contract, have the right to approve the casting” (for a recasted Spock). Well this bombshell ran around the internet and raised 4 key questions:
- Is this true?
- Does it apply to Shatner too?
- Is this an old contract?
- What power does he (do they) really have?
Yes/Yes/No/Some
According to a Paramount source it is indeed true: “I can tell you what Nimoy said is accurate, and it applies to Shatner too”. The source also confirmed that no other Trek actor (including ones no longer alive) has the same deal, just Nimoy and Shatner. For the third question, a reasonable assumption would be that these must be old contracts from their heyday in the 80s or maybe during the run-up to Star Trek VI (the last time Paramount considered recasting Kirk and Spock). As it turns out, according to the source, the contracts are brand spanking new and related specifically to Star Trek XI. Which begs the obvious question…why on earth would Paramount and JJ Abrams go out of their way to hand over casting veto power to William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy? (more…)
Trek Movie Report Talks To EdenFX About HDTV Trek…See Their Test Footage
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Interview, TOS Remastered, Uncategorized , 11 commentsOne company that vied for the CGI effects work on the new HDTV Trek project was EdenFX. The L.A.-based digital effects house has a long relationship Paramount and Star Trek dating back to the 90s. The team has racked up a couple dozen Emmy’s for their Trek work, most recently in 2004 for Star Trek: Enterprise. Last year when Eden created a digital version of a ship from Kirk’s era for the ‘In A Mirror Darkly’ arc, fans got a taste of what the classic Trek might look like with state-of-the-art visual effects on HDTV . When word of a new HD Star Trek: The Original Series project started going around town, EdenFX was on the scene immediately. The company quickly put together a bid including test footage (see below). In the end CBS decided to do the initial CGI work in-house. However, EdenFX owner John Gross is still optimistic they can be part of HDTV Trek as the project goes along. CBS Paramount has committed to deliver ‘new’ episodes on a weekly basis, so it sounds like there is a lot of work to do over the next two years.
It’s Official: Classic Trek Coming To HDTV With New CGI [UPDATED] August 30, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Paramount, TOS Remastered , 27 comments
You heard it here first
CBS Paramount are now confirming that Star Trek: The Original Series is coming to a HDTV near you, a story first broke by the Trek Movie Report earlier this week. TV Guide has the details, but they are pretty much what has been reported here:
- TOS remastered for HDTV Syndication
- No DVDs
- New CGI effects for space shots and static paintings
- Static paintings will add some new animation and details
- Will ‘honor original’, but fixes some ‘goofs’
- Original title music re-recorded
- Starts Sept 16th
- First episode “Balance of Terror”
- One episode per week (out of order) over next two years
New Trek Game Will NOT Recreate Classic Movie Battles
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Games, Uncategorized , 3 comments
Star Trek’s return to video games this fall has been shaping up to be a fanboy fantasy. Not only will ‘Star Trek Legacy’ feature a story written by Trek vet DC Fontana, it includes voicework from all 5 Trek Captains (Shatner, Stewart, Brooks, Mulgrew and Bakula). Fans could have reasonably assumed that the epic story spanning the entire Star Trek timeline would include some or all of the classic battles from the Movies and TV shows, such as Kirk’s epic battle with Khan in Star Trek II. In fact, the game’s publisher Bethesda has used the Wrath of Khan battle to demonstrate the game at E3 (see video). But Bethesda developer ‘Gary’ has thrown some cold water on this notion, from the official forums:
Mulgrew & Frakes Want In, Grunberg Getting Desperate
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: ST09 Cast, TNG , 7 comments
It should be no surprise that people want in to Star Trek XI, here are this week’s entries:
Star Trek: Voyager’s Kate Mulgrew (Janeway) told a crowd at Vegas Con that not only does she want to play ‘Admiral Janeway’ again, but she thinks it will happen. Totally Kate reports her as saying: "I think maybe they will do it. This is the fortieth anniversary. Who knows? By the sixtieth all the captains may have come together in some motion picture. With any luck they will." Keep sitting by the phone Kate.
Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Jonathan Frakes (Riker) seems to be a fan of Trek XI prodcuer J.J. Abrams, telling Star Trek magazine "I’m addicted to Lost". He also put in a pitch for another shot at the Trek director’s chair, telling the mag that he hopes Abrams is too busy to direct (Abrams has said he will probably direct, but he does have a lot of stuff on his plate). After Star Trek: Insurrection, not sure Paramount is ready to hand back the keys.
HDTV Trek To Air Out Of Sequence + More Details August 29, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Rumor, TOS Remastered, Uncategorized , 6 comments
News of Star Trek: The Original Series coming to HDTV with new CGI effects has swept the interweb today from G4TV to Slashdot to dozens of forums in the geekosphere. The news is promting a lot of questions and speculation; The Trek Movie Report has learned some more details that should answer some of those questions:
- Broadcasts start in mid/late September
- No DVD (or HD-DVD or BluRay) release in the near future
- Episodes will NOT air in the original production order (nor original airing order)
- First episode will (probably) be “Balance Of Terror“
- CGI Trek Videos on YouTube (here and here) are not related to this project
- TV Land and G4 will continue to show ‘classic’ Trek in standard 4:3 ratio
Again since this is not official some details may change when finally announced by CBS Paramount, which should be soon (they only have a few days until Trek’s 40th B-Day!) (more…)
Mission Impossible IV…Not Impossible?
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Abrams, Paramount , 7 comments
Star Trek XI honcho JJ Abrams got the notice of Paramount after his deft work on Mission Impossible III. Although it made $400M a sequel seemed highly unlikely after Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone very publicly booted Tom Cruise off the Paramount lot last week. However, in an interview with Newsweek, Paramount chief Brad Grey offers an olive branch. “I still admire Tom Cruise, he is a huge movie star and a great actor and I’m sure we’ll work together in the future,” said Grey. Even stranger, the Cruise camp seems open to working with Paramount and even an ‘MI4′. Cruise’s producing partner Paula Wagner tells Newsweek “If it’s the right script why not?…we created that franchise”. If this ever happens one could assume that all parties would want Abrams back in the big chair, Cruise himself delayed MI3 for over a year to wait until Abrams was ready for his big debut. Let’s just hope that any MI4 project does not bump into Star Trek XI…that other little Paramount franchise Abrams is working on.
Nimoy Speculates On Possible Involvement In Trek XI…Fascinating
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Nimoy, Paramount, ST09 Cast , 29 comments
Leonard Nimoy spoke to the Ottawa Sun about his upcoming appearance at Fan Expo Canada and took the opportunity to expand on his recent comments about Trek XI. As someone who has been around the block with Trek, he sees a lot of similarities between today and the 70s before Star Trek: The Motion Picture, telling the Sun “there was this great demand and no product.” Nimoy now reveals that both he and William Shatner have been contacted by Paramount regarding Star Trek XI, and he speculated as to why they have been showing renewed interest in the original Kirk and Spock.
The head of production at Paramount called my agency to tell them about this project and they are aware of Bill’s and my contribution to the franchise, and they’d like us to know they might want some involvement. It was all very, very general…They might possibly want Bill and I to set up the story as a flashback. But that’s just conjecture on my part.
Original Star Trek Getting a CGI Makeover! August 28, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Rumor, TOS Remastered, Uncategorized , 71 comments
Before JJ Abrams gets to bring the TOS era back to the big screen in Star Trek XI, CBS Paramount has a secret plan to get it back on the small screen, but with a makeover. Over a month ago it was announced that CBS was selling a new broadcast TV (not cable) syndication package for the original series. At the time it seemed a bit odd to try selling a 40 year old show to local TV stations, especially after it has just been sold to yet another cable outlet (this time TV Land…home of retro TV). The Trek Movie Report has now learned from trusted insiders, that CBS Paramount are actually offering an HDTV enhanced version of the Original Series with new state-of-the art CGI visual effects.
Ron Moore Up For Trek XI + Updates On BSG Season 3 and ‘Caprica’
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Abrams, Conventions/Events/Attractions, Uncategorized , 1 comment so far
After leaving the world of Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica co-creator Ron Moore has never been shy about his views of modern Trek. He often cites the many flaws within recent Trek shows as exactly what he is trying not to do on his award series. Trek Movie Report had a brief chat with Moore after Sunday’s BSG panel and asked Ron what he thought of Trek XI. He said he didn’t know much, joking “I only know what I read, you can probably tell me more”. When asked about his views in general he seemed quite optimistic about Trek’s new future, saying
“I think it’s a great idea, and I am glad JJ (Abrams) is doing it”
Abrams Needs Shatner and Nimoy To Approve The New Kirk and Spock? August 27, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Nimoy, Rumor, ST09 Cast, Shatner, TNG , 2 commentsThe Toronto Star talked to Leonard Nimoy about Star Trek, Photography and his upcoming appearence at next weekend’s Fan Expo Canada. Nimoy was asked about Star Trek XI and the reported Kirk and Spock storyline, but he didn’t seem to know anything besides what has been previously reported. However when asked if he had any casting ideas, Nimoy said something quite intriguing
I haven’t gone there yet. I think it’s premature. Although I do, by contract, have the right to approve the casting
Want to Recast Us? Only After We Say So
Shatner Still Doing Starfleet Academy Books…After Redstone Said No To A Series August 26, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Books, Paramount, Rumor, Shatner, TNG, Uncategorized , add a comment
One of the persistent rumors about Star Trek XI is that it centers on the life of Kirk and Spock at the Academy. The Academy story is not a new one, it was originally proposed by Harve Bennett as an idea for Star Trek VI; the studio eventually went with Nick Meyer’s Cold War themed ‘Undiscovered Country’. Last year the Academy notion came back when William Shatner revealed that he is working on a Starfleet Academy book series with his longtime writing partners Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. He also revealed at the time that he had pitched the idea as a series to ‘top executives’ at Paramount. The Trek Movie Report has learned from a studio insider that the Shat went right to the top and pitched it to none other than Viacom Chairman Sumner ‘Get Tom Cruise Off My Property’ Redstone. Supposedly Shatner went in to Paramount after Star Trek Enterprise became ratings challenged in it’s second year. Shatner believed that Paramount/UPN would replace Enterprise with his Academy show, but they stuck with Enterprise for 2 more seasons before pulling the plug. There are currently no known plans for new Trek on TV. But Shatner still plans on getting his story out there in book form, (more…)
Orci Reveals Star Trek XI Schedule August 24, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Orci/Kurtzman, STXI Status, Uncategorized , 7 comments
In Hollywood, movies don’t truly get started until there is a script. Our studio sources have been telling us that only the ’story’ (or ‘treatment’) for Star Trek XI has been completed. Now, according to Trek XI executive producer and co-writer Roberto Orci, it seems that Halloween is the target for the first draft of a script with filming starting as early as next summer. Orci revealed the schedule in response to an online query about the Trek XI time frame this Wednesday, saying:
Just started writing it. First draft by end of October, second by x-mas and hopefully shooting in summer or fall. If all goes REALLY well.
Grunberg: ‘Amazing Actors’ Want To Be In Star Trek XI August 23, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Abrams, Orci/Kurtzman, ST09 Cast , 8 comments
It appears that William Shatner isn’t the only big star bucking for a seat on the next Trek enterprise. JJ Abrams pal and expected Trek XI castmember Greg Grunberg is concered about the compeition he is facing for a good part in Star Trek XI. Grunberg tells SciFi Wire:
It would be great to have some great role. But people are coming out of the woodwork. Amazing actors are coming out from everywhere calling J.J. and saying, ‘I want to be in this movie!’
Paramount to Cruise: Thanks for bringing in JJ Abrams, now buh bye
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Abrams, Paramount , 2 comments
Last night it was revealed that Paramount Pictures has ended it’s long relationship with Tom Cruise and producer partner Paula Wagner. It has been reported that Paramount Chief Brad Grey and Cruise/Wagner were in negotiations for restructuring their deal (downwards), and most expected them to come to a deal. Now it appears that Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone (pictured with Cruise: right) has stepped in and cut off all talks and sent Cruise packing. Paula Wagner isn’t going down without a fight and has fired back regarding how much cash Cruise has brought in to the Paramount family, stated they have been responsible for 15% of revenue since they were brought on board. She also cited bringing in JJ Abrams to the Paramount family. Abrams’ work with Cruise and Wagner on Mission Impossible 3 convinced Paramount they wanted him for the long term; recently signing him to a 5 year deal with Star Trek XI as his first film. (more…)
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