It’s Official – Star Trek Is Back 12/25/08 – Film To Embrace Canon

Paramount have now issued their first official press release related to Star Trek XI with the headline ‘J.J. Abrams to direct Star Trek Feature Film For Paramount in Theaters Christmas Day 2008.’ Abrams is quoted as saying.  

If there’s something I’m dying to see, it’s the brilliance and optimism of Roddenberry’s world brought back to the big screen,…Alex [Kurtzman] and Bob [Orci] wrote an amazing script that embraces and respects Trek canon, but charts its own course.  Our goal is to make a picture for everyone — life-long fans and the uninitiated.  Needless to say, I am honored and excited to be part of this next chapter of Star Trek.

Brad Grey, chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures, adds

We could not be more thrilled to be back in business with J.J. Abrams. The revival of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise is an important part of Paramount’sturnaround.

Here are the facts as laid out in the press release

  • Director: J.J. Abrams
  • Producers: J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof
  • Screenplay: Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci
  • Exec. Producers: Orci, Kurtzman and Bryan Burk
  • Begin shooting Fall 07
  • Release Christmas 08
  • Script ’embraces & respects Trek canon’
  • no details on name, plot, era, or cast

…exactly as TrekMovie.com has been reporting! 

 

Of course TrekMovie.com has also been reporting that the plot of the film will focus on the life of James T. Kirk and his relationship with Mr. Spock. Paramount will probably wait until casting announcements are made until you see them acknowledge the Kirk & Spock storyline officially (if you don’t count the big hint in the teaser poster).  

—————————————————————————————————

The following is the text of the official press release:

 

J.J. ABRAMS TO DIRECT STAR TREK FEATURE FILM FOR PARAMOUNT PICTURES IN THEATERS CHRISTMAS DAY 2008

HOLLYWOOD, CA, February 26, 2007 –  “Star Trek,” one of the most popular and successful franchises in the history of movies and television, returns to the big screen under the creative vision of J.J. Abrams, the force behind “Lost,”  “Alias” and “Mission Impossible III” for Paramount Pictures.

The team behind the film will include Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci (‘Mission Impossible III”) who wrote the screenplay and will executive produce with Bryan Burk.  JJ Abrams and “Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof will produce.  The film will begin shooting this fall for a Christmas Day 2008 release. 

One of the most popular film and television franchises of all time, “Star Trek” has encompassed 726 total episodes for television in six different series, beginning with the original 1966-1969 series created by Gene Roddenberry.  The 10 “Star Trek” films have grossed in excess of $1 billion at the worldwide box office.  The original characters have been named among the 50 greatest TV characters of all time and the Enterprise has lent its name to two proposed spacecrafts. 

"If there’s something I’m dying to see, it’s the brilliance and optimism of Roddenberry’s world brought back to the big screen,” said Abrams. “Alex and Bob wrote an amazing script that embraces and respects Trek canon, but charts its own course.  Our goal is to make a picture for everyone — life-long fans and the uninitiated.  Needless to say, I am honored and excited to be part of this next chapter of Star Trek."

Brad Grey, chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures, said, “We could not be more thrilled to be back in business with J.J. Abrams. The revival of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise is an important part of Paramount’s turnaround.”

About Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global company that produces and distributes filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading entertainment content company with prominent and respected brands including Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks.  The company’s labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, DreamWorks, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies.  PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studios, and Worldwide Television Distribution.

Fact Sheet
“Star Trek” is one of the most popular film and television franchises of all time:
–    726 total episodes for television spanning six television series
–    Original series, created by Gene Roddenberry, aired on NBC from 1966-1969
–    10 movies, grossing in total over $1 billion at the worldwide box office
–    Hundreds of novels
–     $3.5 billion in consumer products
–    3 million visitors of Las Vegas’s “Star Trek: The Experience” since 1998
–    Over 60 interactive software products since 1991; games in production for current and next generation game platforms

J.J. Abrams is a talent widely admired by audiences and critics alike:
–    Winner of two Emmy Awards for “Lost”
–    17 million viewers each week for “Lost”; a top-ten show
–    Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the most exhilarating storytellers in television”
–    Director of “Mission: Impossible III”
–    Creator of “Alias” and “Felicity”

“Star Trek” has influenced the culture:
–    NASA’s first test shuttle was named “Enterprise”
–    The first commercial passenger carrier into space, Virgin Galactic, has announced that the first spacecraft of the line will be named V. S. S. Enterprise
–    An episode of the original “Star Trek” featured television’s first interracial kiss
–    Spock, portrayed by Leonard Nimoy, was named one of TV’s “50 Greatest Characters Ever” by TV Guide

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Tuesdays.

They always announce on Tuesdays. :lol:

As a matter of precedent, the best “Star Trek” film ever was released on Christmas Day, 1999. ;)

This is great news. I like that he will embrace and respect canon but also take it on it’s own course. Sounds like Abrams is taking everything Trek seriously. I am guessing all you canonistas are jumping for joy!

Wow.. I’m first!

damn… I Was first. slow typer I guess.

Now bring in Shatner and fix Generations as part of this story, and they will have made the ultimate movie.

So, new film will embrace canon and appeal to fans and non fans alike?

Gee- where have I heard THAT before?
Who is writing? Orci? The same fan of Transformers?

I won’t hold my breath… I just hope that I can find enjoyment in the resulting reboot. Hopefully Kirk won’t have a bull’s face, Spock a camel’s face and McCoy a bug’s face.

The next 18 months are going to be very interesting.

I really wasn;t excited about this…until today. I don’t know why, but just the way Paramount is handling this seems to be giving me a “different type of vibe” than in the past. Maybe this will be better than I ever imagined?

#2. Dennis Bailey

Which one?

“Galaxy Quest.” :lol:

Yarhoo the good news keeps on coming. Good time to be a Trek fan.
LLAP

Christmas Day, well I guess I will have to ditch the family get-together that day… :-)

What a Christmas present!

indeed…quite the christmas gift, now the fun part starts…im anxious to hear about the casting, although who knows when they’ll start releasing any more details

Fantastic! Although when they the movie will respect canon, I wonder who’s vetting for them? And I’m sure that attention to canon doesn’t include 100% replication of TOS sets and costumes. That just won’t work.

As long as its TOS cannon, then they can create the future from that.

Where’s the announcement that Michael Giacchino is writing the score, dammit!?!

I wonder if they’ll wait with the cast announcements so they can milk all the media attention they can get. If they don’t start filming until fall, then they have no reason to hurry.

#17 let’s hope so! I’m sure if JJ gets his way — and why wouldn’t he? — Giacchino will get the score. And what a great match for the job too. His “Incredibles” score was near-perfect. Can’t wait to see what he would do with some TOS themes for inspiration!

16 – Remember! CaNNon = No No! :)

When does pre-production start? The building of sets? What month in Fall does actual filming begin? Questions, questions.

yeah, I cannot wait for J.J and his cronies to get working on this movie. If it flops Star Trek will be dead and we get on with out lives.

And if it is a success, well, civil war.

Start taking sides now.

Six tv series? I thought there were 5.

TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise

Are they counting TAS as part of the canon I wonder?

And please let’s not have Will Smith as Kirk. We all know what happened when he played that other famous James – West.

And the children of the world were in tears for no presents were found christmas 2008…..

The only evidence to be found….

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8509/chirstmas2008fv3.jpg

Well, Christmas of 2008 brings us a new Star Trek film AND George Bush voted out of the White House. Maybe there is a Santa Claus after all!

I am one HAPPY canonista!!!! :-)

TTM

A part of me can’t wait to see what they do about casting, production design, etc. so I can be even less enthusiastic about it.

I don’t know anything about “Transformers”, but that reference bothers me.

Let’s hope what they said is true.

I check the site everyday for news and this is the best news so far….

Ahead Warp Speed 9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Beam me up.

(Sorry, couldn’t resist!)

Lord Garth is pleased

Now if they can only get Doug Trumbull to get involved with the effects, I can die happy.
(That’s warp 11!)

26. Michael Appleton:

Bush can’t for President, so he won’t be voted out of office.

It’s called “term limits”.

“Our goal is to make a picture for everyone — life-long fans and the uninitiated. ”

That’s a bit different than JJ’s earlier statement to the effect ‘I’d prefer people who know nothing about Star Trek’.

I’m still not investing emotionally until I know a lot more about where this is going.

#25. Skippy 2k

Funny… but oh so sad… :(

Sad… but oh so funny… :)

#34 Yeah, well I think most of us have had quite enough “terms” with this very “limited” President!

First things first, lets get JJ to reshoot the “old” scenes from “The Deadly Years”…

Lord Garth senses a tidal wave of bitching for no apperant reason. I Lord Garth proclaim this to be a day of celebration.

“Well, Christmas of 2008 brings us a new Star Trek film AND George Bush voted out of the White House. Maybe there is a Santa Claus after all!”

Bush will be out ‘cos he’s served 2 terms nothing to do with votes! Departure from thread sorry.

Great news on the film, I will judge it on what they produce.

Awesome

IT’S NOT A REBOOT!!!

The door is now wide open for William Shatner to return as James T. Kirk and right the wrong of Generations.

ST is back in business.

I’m with #8 — I sense a newfound excitement in the tone of the press release. What a great Christmas present! I wonder how they’ll handle midnight showings . . . not that the family will let me sneak out. Then again, my daughter has become such a Trek fan thanks to ST-Remastered, that she may want to go too. :)

I really hope that J.J. and his team will bring the franchise back to glory. Casting announcements, pictures, trailers, new music, hopefully a few cameos . . . lots of fun news to look forward to. Finally, I’m excited for Star Trek again! Thank you, TrekMovie.com, for the news.

THIS IS IT, COME ON I CAN’T WAIT I’M SO EXCITED I’M JUMPING UP AND DOWN LIKE A LITTLE KID.

#40 No politics.
You’re right Anthony, sorry about that!

Excellent news. I hope they can use Shatner and Nimoy, maybe all the regulars. And if they’re respecting canon, read The Making of Star Trek and save money building photon torpedoes; it says they’re bundles of energy.

Everything sounds and looks good! TREK IS BACK! LET’S HOPE THE CAST ANNOUCEMENT COMES SOON!

I cant wait, I think I will call my brother in montana and tell him the good news.

I can see the product tie-ins already on all the Trek sites…”Boldy go”…Depends adult undergarments (you know trek fans are getting older).

I’m curious how they’re going to handle the production design. “In a Mirror, Darkly” did an interesting job at depicting the starship interiors, as well as the Defiant itself. If the plot does jump around in time, I wonder if we’re going to see some other TOS-era starships. I can almost imagine a very young Kirk at the Starfleet Museum, looking at the NX-01.