JJ Abrams Confirms Kirk In Star Trek XI

In the new issue of Star Trek Magazine, JJ Abrams finally breaks his silence….a tiny bit. Trek XI’s producer/director  tells the official Trek mag  "James T Kirk appears in the movie." Although this has been the rumor and essentially working assumption, it is actually the first time that anyone associated with the film has officially disclosed any plot detail about the film. Still no word on who will actually play Kirk in the film or any other official details from Paramount, but Abrams did offer this…

The respect we all have for Star Trek canon – and for a brand-new audience – is massive. The script is done. We’re now starting pre-prep, and we can’t wait to start shooting! Many more details to follow!

Although more of a confirmation than breaking news, it is still a bit of a coup for Star Trek Magazine to be the first to get Abrams on the record, and TrekMovie.com is told we should expect more Trek XI exclusives from the mag. It is also heartening to see Abrams finally break the total ‘cone of silence’ and to commit to ‘more details.’ 

 

For more pick up Star Trek Magazine (#132  in the UK#5 in the US) on newsstands this week.

 

VOTE:

The area of Kirk’s life that Trek XI will focus on is still not known officially. Vote on where in Kirk’s life you would like Trek XI to focus on.  

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First! But this is not really news, just confirmation.

I can not tell you how exciting it is for me to learn that my single favorite *and best-loved* childhood hero (followed by a closely second held space filled by Superman) … THE Captain James T. Kirk, will be appearing in the new upcoming movie, a new saga involving my most-beloved fictional characters…

As usual, my thanks go out to you, Anthony for providing me with my much-needed “fix” for this drug called “Star Trek,” and my best wishes, thoughts and prayers go out to you and your loved ones.

Shalom,

Cameron Boehme

(I thought I had first, but someone beat me to it!)

It’s juvenile, yes, but I enjoy all of it so much – that I just don’t care how childish I appear!

Best to all!

Prospering with long life!

Cameron

If this movie is about how Kirk became captain of the Enterprise or the first mission of it then Gary Mitchelle should be in it.

Unless he’s talking Bill Shatner as Jim Kirk, then Kirk is NOT going to be in the film. Just some punk ass usurper to the role doing a bad Shatner impression…

Shatner is the only Kirk.

Listen theres NO WAY shatner can be Kirk again – he’s too old (maybe he can be in it via an X Men 3 style cameo where we see K & S pre Generations going on about their early years at the start of the film)

re casting is the only way.

The only other thing they could have done would be to have done the film with Pike as the main character on his final voyage as captain aboard the NCC 1701 and have had him hand over the ship to a CGI 1960s Shatner Kirk in the last few minutes of the film….

Why has no one mentioned the possibility of doing the movie entirely with hand puppets? That way not only would you save a _ton_ of money on production but you could have the original cast return to do the voices. For those who really need their Shatner fix, you could occasionally see Shatner or Nimoy peeking their heads above the puppet stage…

for the shatner fans maybe they could do a special film all about shatner..it would follow him around as he does his daily business like that Shatner vision on his site..on this would be 70 mm and only in cinemas..

I can’t wait for more!
Has anyone read the full article? are there more details?

Talk about spoonfeeding plot details…Kirk will be in the film.Wooooo.Second? the film will take place in outer space.

it sounds increasingly like it’ll be a Bond or batman – “Star Trek Begins” or “Kirk Begins” probably to centre on Kirk and the events leading up to his taking command of the Enterprise

Look at how critically acclaimed Casino Royale, Batman Begins and Battlestar Galactica have been – Paramount will want that for star trek – going back to the classic characters origins..(especially since they weren’t explored in TOS)

I doubt it’ll be a prequel in the same way the Star Wars prequels were (i.e. adhering exactly to the original films continuity)..it’ll be more of a reboot showing some of the events talked about in TOS and movies like the Kobiashi Maru test, the Academy (maybe briefly skipped over in a similar way to the academy scenes in The Departed starring Matt Damon), maybe Carol Marcus, the USS Farragut incident, eventually leading to Kirk taking over the NCC 1701 from Pike etc but totally re-doing it at the same time (i.e. it wont seem in perfectly with TOS like the star wars prequels did with the original SW films costume/set wise etc)

Perhaps like Battlestar Galactica – not as rebooted as that (changing characters genders) but sorta that way…taking the basic premise, story, characters, ship designs, elements of the music score and rejigging it..

However Abrams says he will adhere to and respect the continuity (and he did design that wonderful Teaser poster) so it’ll probably be something of a prequel as well as a reboot.

Yes hand puppets and please add another crappy cgi Enterprise. This of course a jab at CBS D’s Enterprise. The Enterprise in the series Enterprise was excellent and perhaps the best first CGI model for TV that was fitting for film.

How about Chris Evans (Sunshine, Fantastic 4) as Kirk?

I’ve a feeling Damon wont do it as he’s hit the big time with being in mega succesful Scortese films and Ocean films and Bourne films etc…why would he want to do star trek?..even if he was a huge fan? plus have everyone compare him to Shatner? – he’s too big a name..i mean he’s cost alot wouldnt he? and what about sequels?

I saw Sunshine recently and Chris Evans had me thinking that he wouldnt be a bad Kirk

I really hope they wont pick big names for the leads. Tobias Menzies (Brutus in Rome) would be perfect for Spock.

as long as they get Nimoy for a cameo as old spock along with El Shat the fans will be happy….

not to have those 2 in it while they are still healthy will cause a massive out pouring of grief from trek fans the world over..

It’s time to face the following facts:
1. KIrk and Co. are the most interesting/or at least the most well known characters of STar Trek.
2. Shatner can’t play a young Kirk, but it would be cool if he could still make a cameo as older James T Kirk.
3. Whoever they get to play James T Kirk is going to play the role differently, like it or not. The same for all other familiar characters-as fans we need to have an open mind and get over it. We can’t have The Shat, Leny, and co. come back. Isn’t this better than never seeing the characters again.
4. For those of you that just answered no, I’ll agree if they butcher the characters and make them “evolve” into some other personality types. But, if they are written correctly, Captain Kirk and Co. could be exciting to see again, even if Kirk doesn’t overact or have “pregnant pauses”!
5. Abrams WILL be a departure from B&B. We HAVE to give this a chance. We have becoem SO cynical thanks to the numerous disappoitments we have endured recently.
6. Abrams respects Star trek canon, B&B used to whine about it,
7. Many say Star Trek movies need to go in a new direction, well, here it is!
8. You have a 100% chance to get “Joe movie goer” more interested in this movie with Captain Kirk’s charcter than you do even if you combined Archer/Picard/Sisko/Janeway together!
9. Star Trek needs to live long and prosper!

Well said, Jim J.

Gollee Gee Whillikers!

I agree-Well said Jim. I’m excited and yet nervous by this film. Surely, the best of times!?

I’ll second that, Jim.
(Abrams should change his name to James R. Kirk though…to fit in with… established canon.)

I’m keeping hopes up for Nimoy to appear in “XI”…
Has anyone noticed lately if he is growing his hair out, pointing up his sideburns and shaving off half his eyebrows?

“The respect we all have for Star Trek canon – and for a brand-new audience – is massive.”

I hope that holds true. While I know I could handle a complete reboot eventually, I’d really prefer a prequel that won’t negate the forty years of canon that have already been established.

Also, I’d still like to see an early scene with a young Kirk meeting a very old Archer, just to give a nod to the other series. The biography in the Defiant’s data banks shown in “In A Mirror, Darkly” showed that Archer died the day after the NCC-1701 was launched. Kirk would have been 12 when Archer died. Perhaps a chance meeting led to some inspiration for young James T.?

Someone mentioned Zachary Quinto for Spock a few months back. He’s got the build, the look, and the demeanor, but not the voice. That deep Spock voice is pretty important in my opinion.

Sinise = perfect casting.

Damon needs a tan for the part, but I can’t really think of any other options.

No one can play Kirk or Spock except the original actors…period.
I’m willing to accept them at their current 76 years of magnificence in some sort of wrap-around…rememberance sort of plot. Shatner & Nimoy has to at least bookend the main part of the movie!
If JJ adheres to the classic canon, then he must have the original stars in it, before they become far too aged and possibly we’ll loose them as Kelly and Doohan. Time waits for no one.

Oh, and right on, Jim! I agree completely.

I recently saw a Boston Legal where they cut in a young Shat with a current actor. Perhaps with a little work they could cut Shat and Nimoy in as the age of the characters just before Kirk died.

Shatner and Nimoy will always be Kirk and Spock in the same way that Connery will always be James Bond.

I don’t think that makes anyone some sort of traitor for thoroughly enjoying Casino Royale.

Likewise for the new Trek.

13 OK Anthony .After I wrote that I did think that maybe I was being too sarcastic.I’m with you on the Abrams ‘opening up’ as relevant.

To quote Spock, “Change is the essential process of growth.” I’m 47 and have been a fan since 1972 (I’m from the “Star Trek Lives!” generation). I and others from my time are the reason why we’re sitting here debating this issue – we kept Star Trek alive. In 1987, I refused to call ST:TNG “Star Trek.” I thought it an insult and called it “Starfleet: The Next Generation.” I, thankfully, turned out to be wrong. “Star Trek” has evolved beyond the original triad of Kirk-Spock-McCoy into a whole universe. So long as the producers remain true to the sense of hope and the focus on humanity that is behind all Star Trek(s) I will have no problem with XI. As for who should play Kirk, I don’t care. I do think however, that it would be nice to see William Shatner as an aged Kirk before the film flashes back to earlier days………

I’ve seen an actor in a movie on TV recently, Emile Hirsch. I think he’s being tapped to play Speed Racer in a remake, but for some reason I see a little of young Kirk in him. But, he may end up a little too young if it’s James Kirk’s first mission on the Enterprise.

I like Lost. Best Show on t.v. Fans hate a character , producers brutally kill them off. J.J. listens to the fans. We are in such terrific hands. I’m stoked. Now that the official unoffical confirmation has been made the well of tidbits will start to flow, casting, sets, effects, ect. If we can’t get Sinise for McCoy I vote for Sawyer from Lost, he’d be terrific as our crumudgionly loveable heroic southern doctor. Now Marta will perform a most erotic dance for J.J.

One of the more interesting rumors (and again, just a rumor) I have heard is that the film will involve a crisis for the ‘older’ Kirk. Spock and he will be trying to find some way to save JTK from some disease that is ravaging his body. Spock (and possibly some other Medical type) will decipher that the Captain Kirk contracted the disease when he was much younger, and it has taken this long for the pathogen (or whatever) to cause a problem. Kirk will then have to remember when and where he may have gotten it so that he can somehow go back and warn his younger self. It may somehow be related to the temporally active micro-organisms that Johnathan Archer had in that Episode of Enterprise where he was sick with amnesia everyday and T’Pol had to take care of him. I believe the episode was called “Twighlight.” The main bulk of the film will be the ‘young’ Kirk and Spock through a series of flashbacks — ala’ Abrams and Company’s “Lost” television series.

Sounds interesting, but again, just a rumor. I’m stoked that we finally know Kirk will ‘appear’ in the film.

Old Kirk or new Kirk? Both? From the excitement I’m assuming the Shatner one./

For those of you wondering about Nimoy being involved, it was Nimoy that told Abrams to contact Richard Arnold about reading a message about the movie at the recent Grand Slam convention. That alone tells me that he has some involvement. I firmly believe that Shatner and Nimoy WILL be back as Kirk and Spock for one last appearance.

Maybe they can get David Hassellhoff to pick up where Shatner left off in generations and play Kirk in a continueing storyline.that way they would have an actor that’s round about Shatner’s age at the time.then Nimoy can play Spock again suffering from a post-genesis aging syndrome.

#5 Doug –

I hope the actor (whoever he may be) doesn’t do a Shatner impersonation — that would make for an awful portrayal of Kirk. I’m hoping the new actor is good enough to do his own thing and still convince me he’s Captain Kirk (no Shatnerisms required).

Yipee, let the rumors roll!!!!!!! Fun aint it!!!!!!!!! Evengilline Lilly from Lost for Kirk’s love interest!!!!!! She’s entoxicatingly lovely and very natural!!!! Bruce Boxleitner for Kirk’s Daddy!!! Jack from Lost for Captain Pike (in or out of the chair) Wouldn’t it be heartwrenching to see how his accident happened!!!! Sinise for McCoy, if not Sawyer from Lost!!!!! Daniel Day Kim for Sulu if not then Takeshi Kaneshiro from House of Flying Daggers and Cofession of Pain!!!!!God Damn this rumor mongering is fun. Boy George for Picard’s Great Grandfather!!!!!

39…. Wrong Shatnerisms are required because Shatnerisms are Kirk!!!!! But I agrre that whoever plays Kirk it can’t seem like a contrived impersonation. But they have to be there tonally. Especially if Shatner does indeed appear as older Kirk. Shatnerisms For Kirk!!!!!!!!! Yippee multiple posts like Josh T!!!!!!!!!! John Dykstra and Douglass Trumbull for FX!!!!!!

Abrams better not open with an exciting battle scene with a young Kirk in command of a ship, having him vanquish the enemy, just to have us be told that we’re watching him in the Kobyashi Maru test where he “changed the conditions” to win. A cheap rip-off copying of the opening to TWOK is not an auspicious beginning! Let’s hope for something a little more original than THAT!

With the exception of season three (when it became clear Bill was starting not to care), I don’t think William Shatner overacted. Shatner is actually a great actor. They don’t hand out those Emmy awards to anybody.

Also, I completely understand that only a new actor can play a young Captain Kirk. I understand that the new actor will play him differently. I have an open mind just like the next guy. But that doesn’t mean it will be easy for me to simply “get over it”.

This isn’t like James Bond, Batman or even Superman. All of those characters have been played by many many different actors. Captain James T. Kirk has been played by only one actor, and has been played by that actor consistently for 40 years. I know I have to get over the fact that this will all change very soon. But that still doesn’t change the fact that, for me, accepting this will be harder than a long-time smoker waking up one morning and giving up cigarettes cold turkey. When I think about James T. Kirk…I get an image of William Shatner in my head. This might be easy for Jim J. to get over, and that’s great. I envy him. I want this to be easy. But this will probably end up being awkward for me. All I ask is that you understand this. I really hope the casting for this movie will be like Superman Returns. Where they went with an unknown that looked like the iconic Christopher Reeve. Casino Royale went with a well-known but still small name actor. But even Daniel Craig had Sean Connery’s nose and mouth. But if they go with big name actors or even actors that look absolutely nothing like the original cast, what can I do? I won’t complain about it like the other childish purists. I know I’m in the minority. But so what? I have a right to express my opinion in a civil manner. Even if it isn’t popular.

I hope the next actor that plays Kirk will have a few subtle mannerisms of William Shatner when playing the role. Please don’t flame me for this. If you don’t agree with me, just say that. I fully realize the new actor probably won’t add in a few Shatner mannerisms here and there. It’s like winning the lottery. The average joe probably won’t win it, and he knows this. But that doesn’t mean you can roll your eyes and laught when he states that he hopes to win. At least not in front of him. :)

# 38 …PSYCHE!!! Well,maybe in the’ theatre of the absurd’ .Joking aside . Any actor that portrays Kirk will have to get into the spirit of the character,not copy Shatner.

Maybe they can have a reality show contest like they did with Grease.they could call it “I Wanna Be Kirk”

“I (pause) , Wanna (pause) , BE (pause) ,Kirk!

I guess that we should expect more of the Shatner vs. (unknown actor) stuff until the casting is announced.
IMO…. we need a recast. I cannot see using Shatner in the role at his current age. I know that a recast just cannot be accepted by some among us and I accept that as your opinion. In my opinion a recast costs less, allows more freedoms for action (fights, etc.) and truly frees the storyline(s) (future movies?) from the dreaded flashback sequences. There should only be one man portraying Kirk in the film. I don’t want direct comparisons between Shatner and the new actor, it will hurt the story and flow of the film.

X

awaiting Stanky now…. I suspect the word “fake” will be in his thoughts if not in his post… correct, Stanko?