There are a few new Star Trek movie rumors floating around the interweb this week. The first one is in regards to William Shatner. In the talkback section for their article on Chris Pine as Kirk, AICN editor ‘Hercules’ made the comment “All publicity about Shatner not playing Old Kirk in the movie is lie.” Some have taken this to be confirmation that Shatner will indeed be in the film, however I am sure AICN would agree that if they were reporting that they would have made a special article about it. According to TrekMovie.com sources there is no final decision on Shatner either way. So Hercules is correct that it is a ‘lie’ to say Shatner definitely will not be in the film, but it would also be a lie to say that he definitely will be in the film.
UPDATE: Shatner says he is not in the movie
The USS Enterprise different?
Another rumor going around comes from an IESB report last week citing sources saying the USS Enterprise “has been redesigned” and that the ship will be “different.” Some are taking that to mean that the ship wont look anything like the Original Series ship. According to multiple TrekMovie.com sources, the Enterprise has been redesigned but it still recognizable as the USS Enterprise…complete with saucer, hull and two nacelles. This was hinted at in the July article where TrekMovie.com first broke the news the Enterprise would be in the film. From that article:
The current ‘Star Trek Remastered’ project approaches creating a digital version of the Enterprise with the brief to make it match as closely as possible to the original. However, that project is literally replacing shots from within the original show whereas the film is a stand-alone piece. Therefore, Trekkies should probably expect some level of changes with regards to the new Enterprise.
In our recent interview with Bob Orci, the co-writer/executive producer said that the Enterprise was “awesome” and designs in the film in general were “much more faithful than you might imagine.” Of course notions like ‘different,’ ‘recognizable,’ ‘faithful’ and ‘redesigned’ are very subjective, so each Trekkie will have to make up their own mind when they see it. It is worth noting that in our last poll on this subject, only 19% stated they wanted to see the Enterprise with ‘no changes,’ so it seems Trekkies are ready for some mods to the old girl.
The design team
One last bit of news on the Enterprise. According to sources the concept design work for the Star Trek (2008) Enteprise was primarily done by illustrator Ryan Church. Church has done concept designs for the recent Star Wars prequels, the Transformers movie, War of the Worlds and is also working on James Cameron’s upcoming sci-fi megamovie Avatar. Click here for more on Ryan. Like most of the art department this is Church’s first time working on Trek. However, there is at least one familiar Trek face on team. TrekMovie.com has learned veteran Trek illustrator John Eaves is working on the new Star Trek. Eaves was a production illustrator on DS9, Enterprise and all the TNG films. More on John at Memory Alpha.
OK, so Shatner is going to be in the film, after all.
First! :-)
third?
The Enterprise should be close to what is was in the series. Some more detail in close-up, but otherwise the same…
Kirk will be in it because he doesn’t die as he did in the “current” timeline.
Thanks Anthony, excellent round-up!
If Shatner is in, keep it a surprise.
As to the Enterprise I’ll repeat my preferences; minor tweaks to the exterior, interior sets can be modernized but keep the same general layout particularly the bridge and engineering.
Eaves apparently designed the Enterprise E?. Oh lord, now I am worried.
Thanks for the update Anthony!
Maybe I’m just old school, but I want the round Nacells not the rectangular.
As for Kirk, The one rumour I really liked was that when the Old/young Spocks fix the timeline, at the end of the movie, there were a couple of slight changes, the inportant one being that Kirk didn’t die in Generations after all. After all, If Kirk can help Spock come back from the dead, should Spock do the same for Kirk, and make everybody happy at the same time?
Now THAT would be a real nice Xmas present!!
Until Next Time,
FM!!
Can you imagine the reaction if Batman Begins used the same Batmobile as the old TV show? The Enterprise must be modernized if this this movie is anything other than a joke. I favor a “familar but different” philosophy…
Thank you for the clearing things up.
I Think Urban would have made a better Chistopher Pike than Bones though, but what the F-Do I know.
I concur with 6 re: the Enterprise.
Why does anyone put weight in what AICN says, anyway? I can’t think of the last time they reported something that was mostly accurate. The site should be called AICTBINT (ain’t it cool, too bad it’s not true).
As for the Enterprise, as long as they don’t decide that the nacelles should flap like bird’s wings whenever the ship takes off (think of that image for a second) I’m willing to let them play with the design a bit.
If the “Romulan changing timeline” rumour is true, then all that’s needed for Shatner to appear (at least in a cameo) would be for Spock to warn young Kirk that when he fights Soran on Nimbus III, that he avoids the wobbly bridge lol. Okay, you may say “why doesn’t Spock just say to Kirk avoid the Enterprise-B launch”, well the way I previously described would enable Kirk to live through the Soran encounter, then suprisingly appear at the end of the film, alive and well in the current 24th century, and he and Spock dissapear off into the sunset. It would be the PERFECT ending, and also hark back to ST2/3, where Kirk resurrected Spock. If the story plot rumour is true, it would be madness not to do this in some capacity.
I am familiar with Ryan Church’s work. I’ve studied his illustration tutorials.
I am worried that 19% were for no change to the Enterprise because my understanding was that a large majority wanted to see the ship stay the same in form and proportion, but were open to minor tweaks to the detailing. May that not be lost on the producers.
I hope Church was faithfull to Jeffries iconic design. He’s a good illustrator and designer. But we’ve never heard of his familiarity with the Trek world.
Eaves is a good designer too, but I agree that his Enterprise E went out there quite a bit. But that was okay, it’s 5 times removed from the original design.
Once again, People, the LAST thing Paramount is going to do is refilm sizable potions of a previous film to ‘re-do’ something. Remember- to change Generations, they need to have AT LEAST Stewart and McDowell, neither of which probably would want to rehash something that they did 16 years ago.
All ideas for Shatner’s return boil down to these generalities:
A) Changing the timeline to allow JTK to survive Generations. This accounts for Shatner’s aging.
B) Using JTK previous to Generations. This would NOT account for WS’s aging.
C) Shatner playing some other character, probably a relative. Most likely would be JT’s father. What do we know about Kirk Sr.? The Making of Star Trek quotes from the Writer’s Guide that he’s dead by the time of Kirk taking command of Enterprise.
D) WS doing something like a voiceover. I’ve said before that the easiest way to bring Shatner in is for Spock read Kirk’s memoirs, and have an introductory narration. The main problem here is that Nimoy basically doesn’t do ANYTHING except read/listen…
Any other possibilties that I’m missing?
Not Nimbus III…. VERIDIAN III :P Sorry!
Yeeeaahhhh,, a ray of hope that Mr Shatner will return as Kirk,, as Ive said in other posts,,
it will be the biggest event in sci fi history since Star Wars in 1977
Come on Mr Shatner,,,, say your in !!!!!
I do NOT want to see an old, fat, Kirk in this movie. He is dead. Let him RIP.
Hmmmm.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I am growing more than a bit nervous after hearing all of these “same but different” explanations about issues such as canon, “look and feel”, storyline and characters. For example, I WOULD be surprised to see a different Batmobile if said film’s makers were asserting they were continuing the same zeitgeist embodied in the original TV show but not if the report was that the film was a complete re-imagining of the title character and his millieu.
To borrow someone else’s phrase, I’m NOT interested in seeing “Star Trek : 90210”. I AM VERY INTERESTED in seeing the adventures of the characters I grew to regard with great affection and admiration more years ago than I care to remember TO CONTINUE in a manner that retains the same animating spirit and in an environment that bears some logical visible semblance to their original surroundings.
Im the probably d only one but…
I can defiantly see a resemblance between Karl and McCoy.
their eyes and face shape are quite similar to each other.
Uggh, another thread full of bad ideas on how to change Kirk’s death in Generations.
Count me out.
#7 The Enterprise-E isn’t half bad. In fact I’d say it’s the only one of the later ship that really captures some of the grace of the original. The lines of the ship are sleek and elegant like the original. It’s not perfect no, but it’s miles better than the D.
Hey don’t worry folks.. Kirk will be back, Spock saves the day and the Enterprise will be flying high.. I’m expecting no less. Darn there I go expecting things again..
Looks like the Shat might make it after all!
#20,
You’re not the only one. I think he’ll be great.
Re: #21… All ideas to change the Generations outcome are bad… except the one they use.
11
For the record this article is not critiquing AICN or IESB or other sites. It is just adding as much context as I can to reports out on the web that I have been asked about. It is not Herc at AICN’s fault that some took his comment about Shatner not not being in the movie as a confirmation that shatner will definitely be in the movie. As I said…I am sure they would run a special article if they could confirm it
# 20 – agreed. McCoy as played by Kelley always seemed to have a wounded, somewhat darker side that surfaced in his most “curmudgeonly” moments. It seemed to me to lived just below the surface and somehow served to motivate his most passionately humanistic traits, almost a response to a dark side he saw within himself.
Quote: In our recent interview with Bob Orci, the co-writer/executive producer said that the Enterprise was “awesome” and designs in the film in general were “much more faithful than you might imagine.”
I’d not be too thrilled if my wife were “much more faithful than I might imagine.” I’d prefer she be “completely faithful.”
I agree with #6 CanuckLou — keep a Shatner appearance a surprise. Why not? It would help give the movie “legs” as word got around that Shatner was in it. How they fit him in is up to them. Of course this means Pine will have to wear contacts. :-)
I also agree with Lou and with #13 Nelson about the Enterprise. I’ve lovingly learned every detail of the original Enterprise’s exterior, but I’d be open to minor tweaks to get her ready for the big screen. One thing they could do is to make what appear to be portholes match up to blueprints of the interior space. It really is a classic design, isn’t really broke, and don’t need fixin’. I can’t think of another movie or TV space ship design prior to 1966 that wasn’t either a cylinder or a saucer. The Enterprise took those elements and made a brand new, lovely creature. Respect it, sez this old fan.
As for the Enterprise E…I always thought it was a much more balanced design, sleeker, and looked more like a direct descendant of the original design than the poorly proportioned D or even the cobbled-together B (Excelsior) versions. I guess everyone has their own aesthetic, though.
Scott B. out.
The new cast better watch and study the blood and soul that the original characters poured into those roles. I’ll be awfully miffed if they throw the original personality’s and traits out the space port windows. I believe a lot of people routing for this movie grew up on the original cast. A product of the late seventies, I’m looking forward in the hopes that they treat this movie with the respect it deserves.
Peace and Reese’s,
Cosmo
I agree 19.
14 they do not have to re-do generations they can add in digitally ( DS9 version of Trouble with Tibblesandthe voyager episode where Touvok and Janeway are on Captin Sulu’s Ship)
Alternate time line stories create multiople possiblities, Given that each decision one makes leads to alternate time lines. perhaps this is the time line where are familiar characters don’t join starfleet and Spock goes bck to get them to join, wwho the F-Knows until we see the movie.
Anthony,
Thanks for the round up and perspective on the rumors. Little things like the redesign cause (OK I know it’s silly) stress on those of us who are afraid that this film will fly in the face of what has come before and somehow invalidate it (and by extension, our love for it.) I’m really thinking that this is going to be a great film and everything is pointing to that. EVERYTHING. But it is more than just excitment about a new film, it’s the hope that an obsession that I’ve had since childhood will continue and so will the magic that bridge my 13 year-old self with my 33 year-old self together. I’ve changed a lot but one thing that has always been there and inspired daydreams of starships, vulcans and other worlds has been Star Trek. Star Trek is very personal in that way to me and many others and that is why we go ape shit when the possibility of something changing it or somehow erasing the “legit-ness” of the years, films and series that we have such a silly emotional investment it. This is why continuity is important. The tone of you or update takes this admittedly dorky concern and treats it with respect (I suspect because you, like me, have this attachment)
Thanks for being the emisary of all that is new with Trek. Walk with the prophets, your pagh is strong.
PS I hope if ther are sequels we see a young Matt Decker and some Orion Slave Girls.
11-
Because it’s AICN.
As for your second statement, I’m certain the folksinvolved are relieved they have your approval.
If you look at the Enterprise (Defiant) in the mirror episode from ENT, and also the remastered version, then i find that she could look modern.
The 1701 Refit was a logical step from TOS to TMP, but since ST XI is going to be a TOS-Movie, the Enterprise should keep its old design, but modernized in small details, like the hull plate, better details (like the Ent-D) and so on.
But a totally modernized design like the 1701 Refit would make no sense.
Then ST XI would simply be a remake of TMP (like Superman returns) and not a real TOS-movie.
I think it’s possible to modernize but keep the same old design at the same time.
Beside the characters, the look of the Enterprise will play a big role.
Hey, I just spotted a recurring theme! In ST:IV we saw Spock and crew go back in time to save the whales! In ST:XI we could see Spock go back in time to save…..er……um……well, the Shat HAS put on a lot of weight, you know…..
Hey, a big, fat mammal is a big, fat mammal!
While I want to see the interiors updated while still retaining the basic designs, (e.g, real displays rather than marbles for buttons and photos for screen displays) I think the exterior is fine the way it is, and would be beautiful on the big screen, filmed the way the ST:TMP ship was shown, in closeup glory.
#38 – One of my favorite scenes and one of my favorite Treks.
” Church has done concept designs for the recent Star Wars prequels, the Transformers movie, War of the Worlds and is also working on James Cameron’s upcoming sci-fi megamovie Avatar. Click here for more on Ryan. Like most of the art department this is Church’s first time working on Trek. However, there is at least one familiar Trek face on team. TrekMovie.com has learned veteran Trek illustrator John Eaves is working on the new Star Trek. Eaves was a production illustrator on DS9, Enterprise and all the TNG films.”
This concerns me. These new illustrators are fantastic and very talented but their work is also very derivitave. You start to look across the board at different movies and it all starts to look the same. Can or DID Mr. Church stay true to the foundations of the unique CLEAN style that gave TOS it’s signature look??
DID Mr. Eaves leave his 24th sensibilities BEHIND and work this as the 23rd century. I mean, this movie does just happen to have Leonard Nimoy..who IS playing THE Spock from 1966, and this is HIS past…which we all have seen. Or are the new guys going with the “I want more..we have the money!” attitude and creating a competant, yet totally pedestrian look that we have already seen..in Transformers…Star Wars..TNG..BSG etc etc.
While those designs, as common as they have become, are cool…that isn’t the 23rd century universe. The 23rd century universe should NOT be interchangeble with every other sci-fi movie that comes down the pike. Lose that style and you’re losing the signature look of TOS and it becomes like everything else.
I damn sure don’t want that. Keep the lines clean, update the construction materials…tweak the familiar here and there….but if you’re going to make it look like everything else, why even bother?
JUST GIVE THE ENTERPRISE SOME RESPECT!
THAT’S ALL
Personally, I think Eaves is fantastic. Infact, I remember reading somewhere that he had originally only watched TOS and so, when asked to design comm badges for Generations promptly returned a TNG-era flip-top communicator. He was then laughed at and told to “watch some TNG” by Berman, if memory serves. It’s obvious then that it’s TOS that he has the most affection for and I think he’ll do good on this one. And, as for the other guy, you can’t deny that the new Transformers did look REALLY cool for the 21st century. Also remember, it wasn’t like the final Enterprise-E design was entirely up to Eaves, was it…!
Sit back and relax guys. I think this is gonna be awesome…
I support Pine and I support Urban!*
There. I’ve shown my community spirit. Now Orci & JJ, please, for the love of Vaal, LET THERE BE SHAT. You have my permission to Shat on all of us.
(P.S. Anthony, please resist the urge to ban Kirok once he beams in. This topic is sorta right up his Jeffries tube.)
(p.p.s. New Scotty still deserves little more than a cameo as young Boothby beginning his career as janitor at Starfleet Academy, though.)
31
Well with Nimoy in the movie, they’ll pretty much HAVE to be consistent with the original portrayals.
Although personally, I’d rather they just start fresh with these guys and let them reinterpret the characters any way they saw fit. With the exception of Kirk and Spock, most of them were pretty vaguely defined in the original series anyway. There is PLENTY of room for new layers to be added to these characters.
Kirk will be in the film – as a headstone
The movie era Enterprise’s are good. I wonder if they could do a cross between the A and E?
SHATNER TO BE IN THE MOVIE?!
OH yeah …YEAHS!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHATNER!
SHATATY SHAT SHAT SH-SHAT!!
I KNEW YOU WOULDNT LET US DOWN JJ AND ROBERTO etc I KNEW IT!
This calls for a celebration people!!!:
http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=ZZF4ItOZ fb0
“I’M BIG I’M DANGEROUS!”
There’s no reason to think Shatner is in the movie at this time. A guy making a comment on a message board, even Herc, is simply not enough to counter the comments by William Shatner himself.
I’m fully expecting another “I’m not in the movie” video from him soon enough.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZF4ItOZ fb0
Sorry this shud work
I’M NOT TOO BIG AM I? I DONT WANNA SCARE THE HELL OUTTA EVERYBODY!
(I think The Shat will be doing the same prep for his STAR TREK – 2008 appearence)
Huh? Is everybody reading something different from me? It looks like Anthony just got done saying NOTHING is confirmed either way with Shatner, yet there’s a ton of people here acting like it’s now official.
I really gotta wonder about people’s reading skills on this site….