This Week In Trek

Trek XI:

  • EW listed Trek XI as one franchise Hollywood is trying to ‘reboot’, writer Roberto Orci notes that the Trek comes with ‘preexisting expectations’

Trek Merchandise:

Fan Films:

  • Of Gods And Men director Tim Russ kicked up a controversy by saying that OGaM is not a fan filmbut an independent Trek film that will hopefully be available forpurchase with official sanction. However, producer Doug Conway tellsTrekMovie.com that he certainly views OGaM as a fan film and thatalthough they have hopes of getting a license from CBS, there are notalks ongoing and that the delays are due to technical issues.

Trek science:

  • Vocera Communications has won the Wireless Broadband Innovation award for its communication system that is likened to TNG’s Com badges

Trek in the real wold:

  • Rotten Tomatoes reports that even though LucasFilm allowed the film makers of Fanboys to use genuine Star Wars material, Paramount refused to allow them to use Star Trek materials.
  • The New York Times has a feature on Star Trek Meetups
  • FilmCritic.com named it’s list of Top 10 Movie Spaceships, with The Enterprise (in its various forms) coming in at #2 (behind Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon). The Klingon Bird of Prey came in at #7 (Trek was the only franchise with two ships)

Where are they now:

  • William Shatner will host the two signature galas at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival.
  • Speaking of the Shat, his canceled game show has been picked up by GSM
  • Images of the Shadow Puppets featuring Jolene Blalock appear at Fangoria
  • Trek XI director JJ Abrams has confirmed he will direct the pilot of the HBO drama Anatomy of Hope, a show he is developing along with Trek XI (and Lost) Executive Producer Brian Burk. This will be Abrams first project under his TV development deal with Warner Brothers (signed the same week as his film deal with Paramount last summer). Variety reports that even though Abrams did not have any network pilots, that his TV company should become ‘quite prolific’ in the upcoming months.
  • Trek XI writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman will be executive producing a romantic comedy Proposal with Sandra Bullock. This will be the 4th film in addition to Star Trek XI that they are attached to currently as  executive producer.

Trek YouTube Clip of the week

Racecar Shatner

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Hell yeah first.

I do like the idea of a few tv movie being made about Star Trek. They can do one on Riker being the captain of the Titan or another one about Sulu and his adventure as captain. They can make an Enterprise TV movie about the Romulan war or about the Federation coming together. They can use writers such as Ronald Moore, Manny Cotto, Ira, or other Trek people.

I liked it better when you could just plug any of the earlier ST ornaments into one of the Xmas tree light bulb sockets. Now we have to use batteries? I think I’ll skip this year like I did last year.

You know, the “Future” Enterprise-D was really butt ugly! Not all ships that get refitted end up looking as beautiful as Kirk’s Enterprise.

They really should make some ‘TV’ movies of Trek. For me, the big one would be a 4 hour mini-series of TNG, that wraps up the Picard storyline. Bring back Q. Don’t bring Data back to life (it’s been done before)… but, give Picard a touching scene where Q lets him say goodbye to Data (Data’s ‘spirit’, or whatever).

A Titan movie would be cool, but have that come out after a TNG movie(s). Titan can reuse the sets from the TNG film.

Sulu for sure should get one. It would be a fan favorite, and a good way to use Chekov (make him First officer!), Uhura, Tuvok and Rand.

As for “Of Gods And Men”… I don’t see this as canon at all. It’s 100% a fan film in my eyes. I might change my mind after I see the finished product, but from what I have seen in the previews, it is just to of the wall for me to think of as a real Trek. When the Star Trek title card “EXPLODES” on screen at the beginning, I just start laughing. And the effects… some look good, but most just look like cartoons on screen. I’ll enjoy it for what it is, but I doubt I’ll ever think of it as ‘real’ Trek.

I hope Tim Russ isn’t too offended if I say “Of Gods and Men” looks like a fan film. And that’s fine. But it does NOT have the polish of even a TV movie. I know it’s being done on a shoestring budget, and that’s OK. I’ll enjoy it. I’ll even sit through some commercials. What I won’t do is pay for it. I’ve seen the extended trailers. The dialogue, acting and make-up are weak. Also, it’s just goofy to see movie era characters on the TOS bridge, and don’t get me started about the SFX that look like manga. The point in watching such a thing is to have fun, but not to take it too seriously. So far, “In Harm’s Way” has been the best of these, and even it is goofy in parts.

God was that Enterprise D design ugly

I really don’t like Conan O’Brian.

I actually half-way like the ‘futuristic’ D. It’s better than the one that ran for the bulk of the series, which Doohan dubbed a stealth fighter design. I can never get over thecruise ship windows in the D. They’d have to be 3 or 4 decks tall!

Herr CmdrR I was refering to all the Enterprise D designs. Fuuuuuuuugggggllllllllyyyyyyyy. Hell they all looked like x-mas ornaments.
Hell the only nice looking Next Gen designs were the Excelcior class and Miranda class (hey wait a minute those were TOS designs hmmm)

I like the Nebula Class Starship. I know it is based of the galaxy Class but I just like the design and the sensor pod on the top.

I think I still have the Hallmark Galileo Shuttle new in the box.

Great site. Is this the only Trek site I need to check now for Trek XI news and any news about a new Trek Series?

I must be in the minority… but the Galaxy class starship design was always my most favorite. Just a beautiful design to my eyes.

But I must agree adding that third nacelle seemed a pointless addition and looked ridiculous… probably the only thing that annoyed me about “All Good Things…”

#12 Craig,
The site owner, Anthony, does an excellent job of getting out information. I’d say yes… this is the place to be. Check back often.

X

Hmm …

There’s a “Fan Films” category in this week’s news, but no mention of Intrepid’s long-awaited first release? ;-.

http://www.starshipintrepid.net/

It’s an honest first effort that packs a punch, IMO; a rather well-written and engaging story, with a good vibe and loads of potential. Don’t let the uneven audio bother you too much (expect better audio in their next film).

See the fan film that Dennis Bailey has called “… the best-conceived, best-written and overall best-performed ‘Star Trek’ fan film I’ve seen.”

Woohoo Millennium Falcon.

A couple of things in regard to the Hallmark ornaments (and thanks for adding them to the site, Anthony!):

While the Dream Book shows photos of two Star Trek ornaments for 2007, Hallmark actually is releasing three. If you squint and read the type at the bottom of the catalog page, you’ll see we have a Lieutenant Uhura ornament available in limited quantities starting on Ornament Premiere Weekend (July 14-15 — the first days 2007 ornaments can be sold in stores). Anyone wanting to get all three would have the best chance by visiting a Hallmark Gold Crown store that weekend. The Uhura one is likely to go fast.

The batteries vs. pigtail cords question is one that collectors and fans go back and forth about. The starships use tiny watch batteries that seem to last forever, and the bigger ones use two or three AAAs. I get that some people prefer to hang the ornaments and plug them into the tree’s light string for holiday use. I like the fact that batteries allow me to keep the ornaments on my desk and goof with them all year long. The 2005 NCC-1701-A still glows as strong as it did when i bought it, and I fire it up three or four times a day. The Future Enterprise-D looks fantastic when it’s lit thanks to engineering advances since making the 1701-D back in the ’90s — and no pigtail hanging from the back end. I only wish Hallmark was doing batteries when they did the Guardian of Forever ornament a few years ago. I’d love to have that lit on my desk instead of just sitting there cold.

If batteries really were the only reason you skipped last year’s ornaments, Tenacious MC, that’s too bad. The TOS transporter is one of the coolest ornaments Hallmark has done for Star Trek yet — and the Wrath of Khan bridge scene is fantastic with the sound and light. You’ll have to see it for yourself.

The Hallmark Keepsake Ornament line is getting better and better — and I’m not just saying that because I’m involved in it. The designers, engineers and sculptors all are huge fans and really want to do Star Trek justice (as well as it can be delivered in ornament form). And the stuff that’s planned so far for 2008 and 2009 is just as cool … to a fanboy like me, at least. :)