Takei: Wouldn’t Be Surprised To Be In Star Trek Movie September 25, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: ST09 Cast, TOS , trackback
George Takei is still hoping for one more go at big screen Star Trek. Takei tells Entertainment Weekly "I wouldn’t be too surprised if I am" when asked if he might appear in J.J. Abrams new Star Trek feature. EW added the editor’s note "[To be clear, Takei means this in a''You never know what the future may hold''-kinda way, not in a coy,''I may or may not be dead''-kinda way."']" The original Sulu was also very complimentary of his Heroes co-star Zachary Quinto saying "I’m very happy for him. The physical resemblance he shares with Leonard Nimoy is uncanny. I told him, ”Now you know what you’re going to look like in 40 years.”" Takei appeared in last night’s season premiere of Heroes and will appear in next week’s episode as well. Whether or not Star Trek New Voyages’ "World Enough and Time" will be the last we see of Takei’s Sulu remains to be seen. Read the full interview at EW.com
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First! He was awesome on New Voyage.
They should include Sulu! They should everyone who is still alive!
I guess if the material is good than Takei will always return to Trek. I think it’s great that these Trek spin off allowed people like Takei, Nimoy and others a chance to come back the play the characters we all love them for. Sure Flashback had it flaws but for me I didn’t care it was just great seeing Sulu in action and center seat. Takei got another chance to shine again in New Voyage.
If the money is Good than Shatner will always make a return to Trek. This movie is already allowing Nimoy to come back and play Spock again and I hear a rumor that Nichelle will be on New Voyages once the right episode comes her way.
105???
So, he’s already lobbying for somebody to bankroll “The Adventures of Admiral Sulu?”
If they were making TOS today, the only thing perhaps I think they could change would be to give the support players more to do. It did not happen in the 60’s and it wouldn’t be the show we remember if it had. But, today TV shows go for breadth in a bid to have a little lasting power.
Oh, and for a codger, I think George can still kick some serious butt.
Great job on ST-WEAT George!
Don’t get me wrong, I dance the SULU DANCE, and I dance it dirty, but my kneejerk response to all this is that Old Sulu is very much overestimating the worth of his contribution to the franchise in making that sort of arrogant comment. He’s no Shatner.
Plus I think the Karma from all the years of badmouthing SHAT has really hurt his chances of reprising the Sulu role. You just can’t be talking bad about the Shat, it’s not cricket.
Outside of those issues, I love the guy. Don’t know too much about this Heroes show because of course NO SHATNER in it, (denny crane) but I love Sulu’s work on Howard Stern especially when he swears or says something vulgar. Thats really bizzarro world kind of stuff.
In his performances on Howard Stern’s radio show, Sulu has demonstrated himself to be a kind and thoughtful person who is not only respective of all cultures but also he’s just a class act. Well, about 99 percent of the time when he’s not badmouthing THE SHAT.
BEST!!
=h=
MAJOR “HEROES” SPOILER ALERT!
I was *so* disappointed that they killed off Kaito in last night’s episode. I hope that it turns out that Kaito Nakamura has Claire’s healing powers, because I’ve really enjoyed watching George on “Heroes”. I was **really** hoping that we’d see George and Nichelle together in a scene… that would have made the fanboy in me go “SQUEEEEE!”
“I dance the SULU DANCE, and I dance it dirty”
Careful, Hitch. In Atlanta that can get you… dipped.
I think a Captain Sulu Series would be good…
#6 Just to add a little salt to your dance. Mr. Shatner for years has been undermining George Takei and the character ‘Sulu’.
I will not question what Mr. Shatner has brought to the table for the Star Trek franchise. But if lady justice has any way of balancing the scale here. I think it be fiting if Takei/Sulu were to make any kind of appearnce and Mr. Shatner were not.
457 dtST
Bring on the “Trek Greats”
This is wonderful news, Im wondering who else may be in this.
Im sooo looking forward to this movie,
Come on Mr Shatner,,,
“Give death a,,,, fighting chance to live”
Uhura’s on that show too???
The Vulcan in me is applying the logic to override my humonz feelings in asking is there a pattern here, a pattern of force if you will?
What is this Heroes show, a gathering of the famous ShatBashers™? Dig up old Jimmy Doohan and the circle is complete.
I’ve never seen the Heroes show but maybe now will tune in just to confirm my suspicions. Is the new Spock on that show too?
Am I leaping in drawing a conclusion that lest he be a ShatBasher™ as well? NOW we know the real reason that the new Trek movie dot com dot org will have no Shatner? Is it all a conspiracy, headed up by Kurt Russell himself?
I dare not think it let alone say it publically on this interweb. Cease these communications at once. You’ve been warned.
BEST!!
=h=
^ Hitch, just in case you’re not kidding here, wake up and smell the Fall Seaons. Heroes, now in its sophomore year, has more Trek references and alums (along with at least one Doctor Who) than you can shake a lirpa at.
I hope there are lots of flashbacks (or perhaps Obi-Wan-type appearances?) for George. Looking forward to Nichelle’s appearances, too.
Ok, if the movie is based when Spock is an old guy and tells a story or goes back in time or whatever, Sulu is LONG dead.
Takei is one calss act! Wonderful actor and a great person. Wish we would have had more adventures with Sulu as the captain of the Excelsior
McCoy lived to be at least 137, when last we checked!
That was in the TNG universe.
Spoilers for Heroes fans:
I also hope that George’s character is not dead. I think his acting was much better then his work on Trek here. When he’s speaking his dialogue in Japanese, it suits him and adds weight to his character.
Good grief .That would be c h e e s e y. (Takei in Trek 2008)
#11
Uhhh…..Takei is NOT in the new movie. This isn’t news. But please stay happy.
It’s a shame he was so awful in that VOY episode. If he was half as good then as he’s been on Heroes or New Voyages, he might have gotten that Sulu spinoff after all.
Next to Shatner, Takei’s probably the most charismatic and appealing out of all the original actors.
Re 19
I did say,,, “May”
# 20 George was not awful in that episode of Voyager, The WRITING was!
After all, as they say “If it aint on the page, It aint on the stage.”
James Cawley
#21
Right……..
True, James. True. Although Grace needed some work on her acting.
I think George did wonderfully well in STNV: WEAT. (I hope I got the acronym right; it makes my head hurt almost as much as FTWIHAIHTTS.)
^ I mean George was good in both. Grace was better in WEAT, but seemed kinda summer stock in the episode “Flashback.”
Well yeah, the writing wasn’t great either. But Takei’s acting was still kinda shaky and uneven at several points in that episode– which I remember being surprised by, as he was cool as hell in STVI.
And lots of people commented on it at the time, so I know it wasn’t just me.
Always welcome another appearance by Takei as Sulu. I thought Flashback was horrible, because Sulu was reduced to a side act. The way it was done was particularly bizarre, although it was nice that Berman allowed one of TOS cast to reappear.
22 James i agree totally. In fact George’s acting was the only decent part of the episode. Flashback is probably one of the worst episodes for violating contuinity ever written. The most obvious being they killed Valtane before Khitomer when he was clearly at that battle and seen in Star Trek VI…. but i dont want to get started on Flashback lol
WEAT showcased Takei as doing some of his best work to date. He is more impressive lately than he ever was earlier in his career and what better achievement as an actor to get better with age.
I say bring him on. Get them all involved. It would make the movie far more fun and a far better torch passing event.
I doubt it will happen. They won’t even take the no brainer and get Shatner. But Takei was outstanding in New Voyages.
I wish he could get more chances at playing Sulu. What a waste of these actors.
“# 20 George was not awful in that episode of Voyager, The WRITING was!
After all, as they say “If it aint on the page, It aint on the stage.””
Thank you for saving me the trouble of saying the same thing. An actor can only do so much with the material he has to work with.
“Next to Shatner, Takei’s probably the most charismatic and appealing out of all the original actors.”
AHEM*Nimoy*AHEM
And for the record, George Takei rocks. I think it is fantastic that he’s finally getting some of the props and respect and *quality work* he’s deserved for a long time. Go, George, go!
Oh and if the new movie is some kind of prequel/first adventure/whatever, George would make a great Admiral Nogura.
Tacky, as always, George.
George is a class actor and a good human being. I’ve enjoyed him in Heroes.
#6 – LMAO@Hitch. :D ‘Course, one would think that after all these years, both of those old farts would quit being such divas and just bury the damned hatchet already. I mean, jeez, carrying a chip on your shoulder for that long has gotta start rotting you away from the inside out.
Keep trying Mr. Takei! I somehow think if Shatner is not in the movie you wont be either… …
So let me get this straight…Takei and Shatner are still not in the next Trek movie? I refuse to believe that!Will JJ Abrahms and company ever come to their senses? This is an outrage!
Keep hoping George! Sulu may still have one last- “phasers locked Captain” in him yet!
Mike :o
PS: I feel the same way Aaron R, I really, really, really doubt the character of Sulu would be cast if Capt Kirk was not in the next movie too.
I don’t mind if George Takei is in the movie or not. Without getting too deep into it, I don’t see how it would mess up a classic Star Trek feel having him there.
I still say that Conan O’Brian should play Charlie X in something. If nothing else in a spoof. But I have a lot of ideas that suck. Like if movie makers want to remake classic T.V. into movies when the hell is someone going to remake a Tales of the Gold Monkey? Get a good cast–nothing too big needed just likable actors and a one eyed dog and there you go. Or how about a new V? N’ahhhhhhhh. They’ll probably mess it up.
I’m gonna now continue on ranting again because I am at the computer and no one is gonna listen to me anyways. (I confess, knowing that there is a very tiny, small, bantam chance that someone “big” may read this–especially in the “LEAVE Britney alone” days–is kind of dorkily cool. And yes, you have my permission to use the word “dorkily.”
Kirk….where is he? Who will play him? Where’s Bones? Who will play him? A Classic Star Trek without a Kirk and Bones is like a Star Wars prequel without a Wookie.
GEEK NOTE: It took Lucas till the third movie to realize that the wookie must be there…and I disagree with those who say that Chewbacca being there made no sense. He’s over two hundred years old by the time of the original three and when we see Ben talk to him in Episode 4–while we don’t hear what they are saying, they seem to be familiar with each other.
But I digress. Shooting starts on Novemeber 5th if I recall correctly and still no signs of Bones and Captain Kirk. They (the movie folks) just have to let it out by now. I’m not asking for major plot spoilers. I’m not asking on what the look will be. I just want to know who is the new Kirk and who is the new McCoy. Because, odds are I’ll need a few months to digest the idea.
I have a small feeling that they may already know who will play the roles and aren’t saying anything right now because they want to get some teasers out first. If you see something cool you may accept who they have chosen. They may be a little nervous of their choice.
If you read all of this I thank you for allowing me to eat up some of your time. And if you disagree with me….that’s fine. Apathy is what I try to avoid.
I’m proud of Takei. He’s really stepped up in the last few years and become a true goodwill ambassador for Gene Roddenberry’s original vision of Star Trek. And next to the Shat, he’s enjoying the highest profile of the living TOS actors. From cartoons to top-rated shows like Stern and Heroes, George is everywhere these days. He made a great Starship Captain too. It’s so good to have both he & Shatner in entertaining new series, 4 decades after the 5 year mission!
Speaking of which, George was just terrific in last night’s Heroes premiere! I loved the part where he was prepping for a fight and asked Ando to find him a sword. :) And Shatner really shined in Boston Legal tonight. The tender scene between him and Candace Bergen, where they were mourning their lost youth, actually made me tear up.
To be honest, I had hoped for a captain sulu series but after I watched the Voyager episode “Flashback” I was glad they didnt. After takei came out, the idea of captain sulu having a romantic fling churns my stomach either way. The first openly gay captain on star trek? maybe it would fly, but maybe again it wouldnt. Don’t get me wrong. I think the world of takei and I dont mind what he does in his personal life.
Hey, stop dissing George in New Voyages. In fact, stop dissing “W.E.A.T.” period. He was great and that episode was outstanding. Hell, it deserved to be canon!
My only criticism was that you should have used the Sulu dance music over the end credits. ;-)
Do you think its possible for other Trek actors besides Nimoy to appear – but NOT as their character? say a cameo as another character?
I cant see it…having Nimoy as Spock negates that….They could maybe get away with Shatner as JTKs dad but thats it
So Nimoy could play Spock, but Shatner would play JTK’s dad. THAT makes sense. Shatner is completely capable of playing an older James Kirk. Unfortunately, Abrams isn’t capable of being smart enough to cast him.
There is no overwhelming demand for Takei like there is Shatner. But that doesn’t mean Takei shouldn’t have a role in this movie. He did a great job in WEAT. He really showed he can still handle the role of Sulu quite well. I’d love to see it.
Takei was never one of my favourites and his inclusion would only create the smallest ripple of interest.
Still, in his own mind he’s a big star- so thats nice for him.
I wonder if he’d be surprised if he WASN’T in it.
I’m STILL catching up with Season 1 Heroes, and I thought George looked absolutely fab as Mr. Nakamura. I wonder how much weight he dropped in between the Shatner roast and Heroes. It appears to be quite a substantial weight loss.
And speaking of weight loss, on BL last night, Shat looked like he had dropped a couple of pounds over the hiatus. Hmmm…could he be in training for something? A Trek movie, say??
Peace. Live long and Prosper.
the Vulcanista }:-|
You thought Shatner looked like he had lost weight on BL?? Jeez, I thought the opposite! He looked like a blowfish!!!
#39
Sorry dude. You shouldn’t get away with that comment. That’s just wrong. I personally don’t care what your prejudices are but you can keep them in your pocket and not air them out here. That statement you made flies in the face of what Trek stood for, namely acceptance of which we are not familiar or perhaps comfortable with.
#47 THX
Ah, the voice of reason, as always…………..way to go!!
#47 If he’s uncomfortable with it so what?It’s natural to be uncomfortable with it.Keep YOUR prejudices in YOUR pocket and respect HIS opinon.He doesn’t have to capitulate to YOUR world view.
^ You got Sulu in leather in WEAN. What more do you want??
#49
Umm what exactly is your problem with me? Are you offended that I didn’t particularly like someone commenting on this site that he finds homosexuality distasteful? And if he has the right to come on here and make those comments, don’t I have the right to come on here and say I don’t like them? Just exactly what part of this argument are you getting behind? Are we not equal here? You say it’s natural to be uncomfortable with it. Something you’re not telling us? I didn’t ask him to “capitulate to my world view”. I asked him to keep his cakehole shut when it came to intollerant comments on this site.
I just wish they would make a casting announcement for Kirk and McCoy.
Any redneck who says they’re uncomfortable with the way God made other people in this world should always remember, “God doesn’t make mistakes”.
42. StillKirok – September 26, 2007
“Shatner is completely capable of playing an older James Kirk. Unfortunately, Abrams isn’t capable of being smart enough to cast him. ”
Oh come on…. JJ not smart enough? We know nothing of who’s being cast in the Kirk role(s) yet or how any negotiations may have gone.
It is a bit of a moot point since the fact Sulu has a daughter strongly suggests that while Takei is gay, Sulu is not.
But I agree it is offensive to suggest that homosexual characters have no place in Trek (as they damn well do and there should have been an openly gay character by now).
Equally it’s rather insulting to imply a gay actor can’t portray a heterosexual role. Its *acting* for heaven’s sake, they’re paid to pretend to be someone else.
is takei the only homosexual from the trek crews?
Surely there must have been some others? What about Brent Spiner? or john DeLancie ?
^ Yes, and Patrick Stewart has a VERY close relationship with Ian McKellan. So what? I personally enjoy movies best when sexuality is stopped short of explicit. (The chicks seem to prefer that, too.) But, as far as what these actors do or who these actors do off-screen is not really my concern, is it? As for homosexuality on screen, I prefer it to be ‘tasteful.’ There was that great DS9 ep. I’m a little concerned that the New Voyages ep with gay Peter Kirk looks less well handled. I’ll reserve judgement. YES, many of us were raised with the values we have. IDIC, says there’s a place for everyone. Reality says if we are indeed uncomfortable, we’ll be onto the next electronic distraction with nary a backward glance.
Austin Powers: Yeah, and I can’t believe Liberace was gay. I mean, women loved him! I didn’t see that one coming.
As Homer Simpson once opined, ” They turned the Navy into a floating joke. They ruined all our best names like Bruce and Lance and Julian. Those were the toughest names we had!”
D’oh!!
Nothing #39 said was out of line. That’s an honest expression, and #47 perhaps those of us who don’t live the trek thing but like it, don’t feel we have to march in lockstep to the “philosophy” of trek or some politically correct approach to life.
Thanks #60, I had said at the end of my comment that I didnt mind what takei does in his private life. IT IS WRITTEN IN PLAIN ENGLISH:)
#53 except rednecks? Does God make rednecks ,Harry? Clearly God doesn’t make mistakes .People do.And people need to have the opportunity to be healed,which God makes the opportunity for.I know many people who have come out of homosexuality and described in short(because the issue can become quite complex) as uprooting stored emotions which propelled an addictive false identity.
Takei really deserves a couple of TV movies. Make them Direct to DVD as that seems to be the new trend like B5.
After reading these comments I think it’s important that I separate my enjoyment of Star Trek TOS, the television series, from Gene Roddenberry’s so called utopian vision of the future. Just because I’m a long time fan Star Trek TOS, doesn’t mean I agree or buy into his views or “vision” for our future. In fact his “vision” has very little to do with why I enjoy the series in the first place.
I like Trek as entertaiment, plain and simple. But honestly, I’ve always personally felt that Trek was always a bit anti-religious, albeit in very sublte ways. Trek’s future seems to forsee a time when faith, religion and belief in God is something humanity grew out of, and was no longer needed. (As a person living in the 21st century, I find that view of our future a bit offensive and quite in line with the thoughs of many of today’s outspoken agnostics and atheists.)
In fact Roddenberry’s Star Trek “vision” could be construed as being quite naive and maybe even arrogant. In his vision, future man have evolved, thru the mastery of science and logic, to fix all of humanity’s evils and problems. Sorry, but I just don’t see that happening, especially since human nature really hasn’t changed much since the dawn of time.
I do believe man’s mastery of science and technology will continue to grow by leaps and bounds, but it seems with each new leap forward in technology and progress, we create new and different problems for all of humanity.
That’s my two cents!
Mike :o
#62
Let me put it in such a way that even YOU can understand……
People are BORN homosexual, they don’t pick it as a lifestyle choice! God doesn’t make a redneck….that person becomes a narrow-minded bigot because of upbringing and conditioning. Remember, you have to be taught to hate! If you hate the world because of your own self-loathing, please don’t take it out on the rest of us!!
ok enough with the homophobia and religious talk people…this is just a star trek website and not the place
next remark that does not conform to ‘IDIC’ will be permabanned…no debate
comments to
http://trekmovie.com/about/feedback
Sorry Anthony…I’ll behave!
would this site be intersted in having a new section for people to let off steam? Even I get distracted by it. That way the main articles get general feedback while the editorial section can let people vent:)
I don’t have a problem of George being in the new Trek movie. Excelsior could be the conduit to help Spock do his time travel thing. Or an old Admiral Sulu, roughly younger than McCoy was on the first episode of TNG, would be around to help Ambassador Spock get a ship for time traveling. Maybe Sulu’s great-granddaughter or grandson helps Spock. That is just adding too many variables onto a storyline. Keep It Simple
The movie’s been written so they’re not going to shoe horn in the Excelsiore and Sulu. But I agree – a TV movie with Cap’n Sulu could be pretty cool. Too bad paramount sold off all the movie era props costumes and models last year….