July 2007

Orci Ready To Engage Trek Fans

I had a chance to talk to Star Trek co-writer Roberto Orci at an evening event during Comic Con. For the most part we just chatted informally just like any two Trekkies, but I did ask him about some fans’ questions regarding how the new film will fit into Trek’s canon. Orci admitted that in the case of his (and writing partner Alex Kurtzman’s) recent film Transformers –  they did make some significant changes in the universe, but that that film was translating a cartoon to a live action film. However, he also made it clear that any changes to Star Trek would be much more carefully considered. Orci (emphatically) said: We are ready to engage any fans…lovingly…over the plot of Star Trek.



New ‘Star Trek’ Gets Big Coverage

News of the original Spock (Leonard Nimoy) joining a new Spock (Zachary Quinto) in J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek movie was big news around the world. All the major news wires (AP, UPI and Reuters) ran with the story – getting the story into hundreds of news outlets such as CNN, The Guardian (UK), and even Forbes. It was also covered on some TV shows, including a debate segment on G4’s Attack of the Show.  


Review: Star Trek: Klingons — Blood Will Tell #4

Blood Will Tell #4 is the latest in IDW’s series of famous Trek stories told from the Klingon point of view. In this case: "Day of the Dove."  K’ahlynn accompanies her grandfather, Kahnrah, to the Museum of Military Triumph and Conquest. They meet Morglar, an old comrade of Kahnrah’s, and former security officer aboard the Voh’Tahk, commanded by Kang. Morglar recollects the events of Day of the Dove.



Robbie Williams Rumor Not True

Just an update on the rumor that singer Robbie Williams was the leading candidate to be the new Kirk. Although Paramount policy is to not comment on rumors, a source tells TrekMovie.com that it is 100% not true, and it seems likely that Williams own people are behind the rumor. So that is enough of that. 


Trek Producers Behr, Moore and Fuller On Latest Trek News

I ran into three different Trek writer and producing vets today at Comic Con and had quick moments to get reactions on the news Zachary Quinto is the new Spock and Leonard Nimoy will be joining him in the new Star Trek movie. Here is what they had to say. Ron Moore (TNG, DS9, ST: GEN) [Quinto] is a great choice…sure why not? I am curious who they pick for Kirk. I think they should go with an unknown…somebody we have never hears of.


Search For Clues In The New ‘Star Trek’ Poster and T-Shirt

In a new Variety article (‘Most Anticipated Films of Comic Con’ where Trek is # 2 behind Indy 4 and ahead of Dark Knight) producer Damon Lindelof is quoted saying:   There may be a couple (clues) in terms of T-shirts and movie posters floating around the Con that may signal to fans when and where our movie is going to be set. So here are high res images of each    (front)   (back) 



CBS Testing Remastering TNG in HD

I had a moment to have a chat with some of the CBS team behind the TOS Remastered project at Comic Con about what’s next (after TOS). David Grant tells TrekMovie.com that they have "had discussions" to bring Star Trek The Next Generation onto high definition. They have also created an HD test for one episode. One concern is the visual effects which were were done in video and therefore more difficult to translate to HD. The team are seeing if the effects can be ‘upresed’ or if they need to be entirely redone (as they did with TOS). Ryan Adams says "that is part of the tests that we are trying to massage and figure out." No decisions made yet on if, when or how, but TrekMovie.com will keep an eye on this exciting potential project.


Tabloid Rumor: Robbie Williams as Kirk

There is a new rumor being floated by the UK’s Daily Star tabloid that singer Robbie Williams (wiki page) is  in "final discussions" to be the new James T. Kirk in the new Star Trek film. According to their report Williams is a big time Trekkie who "jumped at the chance." The Star even claims to have a quote from  director JJ Abrams saying "I think he’d be a good Captain Kirk. The Kirk in my movie is quite young, it’s like the early years…. But I can’t comment on who we are casting just yet. You’ll have to wait." TrekMovie.com cannot confirm this rumor and has heard nothing about it to date (unlike both the Nimoy and Quinto casting which there were rumblings of for the last couple months).



Comic Con: Abrams Confirms Nimoy and Quinto – Still Wants Shatner + New Poster [UPDATED + Photos]

Highlights from Comic Con panel on  (2008): All producers attended (Abrams, Orci, Kurtzman, Lindelof, Burk, and Leopold) Poster revealed (right) Zachary Quinto introduced as new Spock Leonard Nimoy introduced to be in the film (playingSpock) Abrams says they are ‘desperately’ trying to find a way to get William Shatner into the film, but will not just ‘shove him in’ No Kirk has been cast Quinto will be influenced by Nimoy’s take, but will put own spin. Honored to be working with Nimoy. Nimoy says script is ‘fabulous’ and predicts "this is going to be a great movie" UPDATE: Watch the video More quotes from Abrams, Quinto and Nimoy below



Details on TOS-R HD-DVDs [updated]

CBS has released details for the upcoming 1st season of Star Trek: The Original Series digitally remastered for HD-DVD: Disks: 10 (box)Format: HD-DVD Combo (double sided w/ HD-DVD on one and standard DVD on other)Sug. price: $217.99 [oh my]Release Date: November 20, 2007HD Features (include) a "Starfleet Access” interface picture-in-picture video commentaries,  comparisons of re-mastered vs. original effects, encyclopedic information (science, life forms, technology), episode trivia and more on seven episodes. in-depth tour of the starship Enterprise documentary on making of remastered Trek behind the scenes footage (also on regular DVD side) [related story] more details below…


Review “The Squire Of Gothos” Remastered

“What does God need with a starship?”–James Kirk, “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” I know, it’s off the map to mention “Star Trek V” in a review of a TOS-R episode, but in watching “The Squire of Gothos,” I couldn’t help but replay the moment from the 1989 movie through my head where James Kirk faces down a God-like being with some healthy skepticism.  Captain Kirk does not suffer deities kindly, especially those who abuse their power.  Be it an Ancient Greek god or a super-computer, there is a recurring theme that comes up throughout The Original Series and it is best summed up by Mr. Spock in this very episode: “I object to intellect without discipline.  I object to power without constructive purpose.”  Fellow Trek fans, this is the sort of stuff that elevates Star Trek above your average science-fiction fare.  “The Squire of Gothos” is vintage Trek.


Star Trek and TrekMovie.com @ Comic Con 2007

Everyone knows that this week’s comic con in San Diego is going to be a big moment for Star Trek. The two biggest news events will be on Thursday the 26th.[all time PST] Thu 12:30 – 1:30 TOS-R on HD-DVD: All about new Remastered Trek on HD DVD. Thu 1:30 – 3:30 Paramount Presentation: Covers multiple Paramount films including Star Trek and 1-18-08. JJ Abrams to attend with other producers…Trek expected to be last TrekMovie.com will report from both as soon as possible…so keep checking back. Later on Thursday I will also be a panelist on a Geek Monthly.com Star Trek Panel.  Plus there are other Trek related panels & events (details on all Trek events below)


Quinto Spock Deal Looks Certain – Will Split Time Between Star Trek and Heroes

More and more reports continue to support the story that Zachary Quinto will be the new Mr. Spock. Moviehole is now reporting that that Quinto has finalized his deal with Parmount. TVGuide.com has also confirmed the story and noted that Heroes exec producer Tim Kring says he is ‘thrilled’ for his star to be the new Spock. One of the big issues for Quinto is how will he fit Trek in with his current job playing the villain Sylar (pictured right) on the NBC hit Heroes (currently shooting). Quinto himself is already dealing with juggling with the publicity. In a new article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Quinto states I would love for it [the Spock role] to be true. We’ll see what happens. We can only talk about ‘Heroes’ today. I’m under a strict directive from NBC. When I have something to say about ‘Star Trek,’ I will.


New Star Trek (Dominion War?) Wii Game

Haven’t heard much from Bethesda since they launched a slate of Trek games in 2006, but this week a new game titled ‘Star Trek: Conquest’ has come out of nowhere. It has shown up at the Gamefly rental service (which is known to leak games from time to time). Gamefly only provide a game category (Action/Aventure), a release date (11/03/07) and box art (pictured right…click to enlarge). The Nintendo Wii is the best selling new game platform and so it is a natural for the Bethesda to take advantage of it. From the looks of it this is a new game and not a port of one of the other games. Hopefully the game will take advantage of the Wii’s unique ‘Wiimote’ controller. 




Quinto-As-Spock Deal Almost Done [UPDATED]

You heard it here first. We have been reporting on Zachary Quinto as Spock since last December and it appears our sources that recently told us that Quinto is in talks were correct. E is now reporting that the Heroes star has a deal in place to be Spock for the new Star Trek movie, and all that is left to do is a few lawyers to sign off. Assuming that this is true this means two things we have been reporting would also be true Abrams is looking at lesser known actors for the major roles Abrams is looking at young actors, but not as young as 20 (Quinto is 30) UPDATE: Deal complete – Quinto will split time between Heroes & Star Trek. 


Shatner On Tabloid Stories: Not Upset – Not Lobbying For Part

If you just cannot get enough of Shat talking about not being in the movie…here is more from Shatnervision. Shatner says he has ‘known for a while’ that he will not be in the new Star Trek, and that he called director J.J. Abrams after the recent rumors hit the tabloids to tell him he wasn’t upset. The original Captain Kirk did admit to being ‘disappointed.’


IDW Planning Alien Series, New TNG Series And More

IDW Publishing staff laid out some of their plans for Star Trek comics in this week’s Focus On… Star Trek. When Blood Will Tell concludes this fall, the creative team of Scott and David Tipton, and artist David Messina, will kick off a new six-issue mini-series, Star Trek: Alien Spotlight, with a tale of the Gorn. In each subsequent issue, different creative teams will focus a spotlight on other alien races from the Star Trek universe: Vulcans, Borg, Andorians, Orions (everyone’s favorite green gals, to be precise), and Romulans. IDW promise ‘six different races their own issue in which to see things from their side, no matter how alien the perspective.’


Nimoy Coy About Part In New ‘Star Trek’ – Shatner Says He Is Not In It [UPDATED]

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy appeared today at a Creation’s New Jersey Star Trek convention. TrekMovie.com received a con report from Ky-Malairn who reports that Nimoy was pestered for details regarding his participation in the new film, but would only repeat As of this time I don’t have a deal to be in the new Star Trek movie.


D.C. Fontana On TAS Canon (and Sybok)

Dorothy Fontana (aka D.C. Fontana) was with Star Trek since the beginning as both a writer and Story Editor for Star Trek: The Original Series. She had the same job for The Animated Series and went on to write episodes for both TNG and DS9 (and even for the recent Trek game and New Voyages fan series). Fontana is interviewed in the new ‘Focus on Trek’ from IDW Comics. The interview covers a number of subjects, but her comments on the often debated issues of canon were noteworthy. Regarding TAS and canon Fontana says that Gene Roddenberry never took TAS seriously. She also does not seem happy with the makers of Star Trek V who gave Spock a half brother (details below)


TOS-R Producer Explains Remastered Production Process

CBS Digital Executive Producer Toni Pace has a new article at DigitalMediaNet where she gives some behind the scenes insights into the Star Trek Remastered project. She says that so far been over 1,800 shots to do and that  the project "cannot be done without advanced technology that can track and manage the information on each shot.": To that end she has created a special database to track each shot. Pace goes into detail on how this database is used. For those interested in this kind of thing check it out Digital Media Net, but bear in mind it is written for post production professionals.


Perpeutual Show New Strange New Worlds From Star Trek Online

The second biggest Trek project going on besides the new Star Trek film is ‘Star Trek Online’ the MMORPG being built by Perpetual Entertainment. Just this week Perpetual have added a ‘DevLog’ to the official STO site. The first DevLog written by story designer (and avowed hard core Trekkie) Mike Stemmle discusses the process for making each of the planet designs from concept to 3D build in the "World Machine." Here is a final result



Kissing Goodbye To Shatner As Kirk?

In the last week we have learned that William Shatner is probably not going to be in the next Star Trek movie and a week from now we may very well know who the next Kirk will be. Regardless sometime soon Kirk will be embodied by a new actor and Shatner will be a bit like Sean Connery to the Bond franchise (beloved, but not the ‘current’ star). So for our Friday Night Movie it feels appropriate to give our favorite captain one last big kiss.