J.J. Abrams has his entire new Star Trek crew, but he still has casting to do on a number of important roles. TrekMovie.com has learned that although casting has progressed on a number of minor roles (such as crew members on other ships), no major roles have been cast since Karl Urban signed on as McCoy. However, a source tells TrekMovie.com they are close to picking their new Captain Christopher Pike. The source confirmed that Josh Lucas was considered, but implied that he wasn’t the leading candidate. Although Pike is said to have a “significant role,” the source also disputed recent rumors that Pike has a larger role than Kirk.
Meet the Parents…Star Trek style
It has already been reported that James T. Kirk’s parents are on the casting list, making Star Trek the first time for them to be seen on screen (although they have appeared in a number of Trek novels). A trusted insider tells TrekMovie.com that Spock’s parents will be in the film as well. Spock’s Vulcan father Sarek was originally played by the late Mark Lenard and his human mother Amanda Grayson was played by the late Jane Wyatt. They were first seen in the The Original Series episode “Journey to Babel.” Wyatt appeared as Amanda in Star Trek IV and Lenard played Sarek in three Trek films (III, IV, & VI) as well as a TAS episode and two TNG episodes. The new Star Trek will actually not be the first time the characters have been recast. Younger actors were used to portray the pair in a flashback scene in Star Trek V.
Jonathan Simpson playing Sarek in ‘Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
1 week to go
Shooting on the new Star Trek film starts next Wednesday (November 7th). This was moved back from the original target of next Monday. However it appears the team are not worried that they don’t have their whole cast together. Apparently the shooting schedule has been front loaded with scenes from the already cast characters. Bear in mind that shooting is slated to run through to March. “There are a number of candidates they can pull the trigger on any time, but they are still looking to make sure they get the best possible actors for the roles” says the insider.
More on the cast page: Make sure to check out the updated Star Trek cast page. Note that TrekMovie.com has confirmed that the unnamed ‘Federation Captain’ role is a new character. Also added two new unamed characters – both ‘henchmen’ to Eric Bana’s villain Nero.
Spock’s parents too, hmm? Cool.
I just rememered that the characters of Spock and Amanda never shared screen time in the movies.
i wonder if for Spock’s parents they could get whoever played them in Trek V. The actor who played Sarek was a dead ringer for Mark Leonard.
Roberto, please tell us that there\’s going to be an extensive behind-the-scenes documentary going on for the special features on the DVD. I want hours of stuff to watch in Spring/Summer \’09.
Why not get the now older Jonathon Simpson to pley older Serek? It would seem like the logical thing to do.
#4 Didn ‘t they in IV?
Uhh Trek IV?
Someone PLEASE blog from the set. Or allow Anthony to visit during production, even if the text is screened/edited.
“…the source also disputed recent rumors that Pike has a larger role than Kirk.”
Get out the metric ruler for this one, guys.
Sounds like this project is moving well. I don’t think actors always get months to prep. Sometimes, the producers may wish to force the actors to stay close to the director’s vision, which means less prep time is better. Just look the part, pretty boy, and try not to bump into the 23rd century furniture.
Trekkie, Trekker
…good idea
Wow! Hard to believe one week to go to shooting.
Please JJ start throwing us some crumbs – set, costumes, props, etc pictures!
If they’re shooting next week, then they have costumes. Which means all of the “60s style” vs “new” stuff is already done. I want to know what they decided!
500 quatloos to the first production crewmember who posts snaps from the set of “Star Trek”!
I knew Sarek and Amand would be in it. They almost had to be. I think depenbding on how much th eOlder spock is in the movie Nimoy could now play Sarek Not sure who could play Amamda though.
Asome have poted having Shat as Pa KLirk makes more sense now,
Shatner playing Kirk’s father would make little sense to me. He’s about 10 years too old to pull it off.
Ray Liotta = Chris Pike
Lets hope
And I don’t care how minor the casting… let’s hear it!
Shatner did say he would not do a cameo. But he could be the Father. I could accept that. Being Kirk is dead (Kirk killed, stupid idea)
@15Naw Viggo Mortensen = Chris Pike!
“Ten years too old” compared to what? An awful lot of older men father children, and there’s no reference in official Trek continuity (“canon”) regarding Kirk’s father’s age.
Having Shatner play Kirk’s father would probably be the *best* way remaining to get him into the film – it’s automatically a significant and memorable part because of what the character represents, and really a place of honor. Think of Glenn Ford and Marlon Brando in “Superman” – both huge stars compared to the other participants (other than Hackman) whose limited screen time in the film is very much remembered.
Wow, the picture of Jonathan Simpson on his IMDB profile is reason enough Abrams should pick up the phone and save himself some time. I never really thought about the role of Sarek in Star Trek: The Final Frontier. Now that I think of it, the young Sarek role worked very well. If the new movie can be just as good I’ll be happy.
When can we see the new bridge set, The props (phasers, communicators, etc.) and the Enterprise? Give us something here, JJ!
HA! Today i wondered if the casting is finished, when the new Pike is found.
Then it came in my mind that Spocks parents should also appear in the movie, especially since the focus in mostly on Spock.
I really hope they cast Shatner as Kirk’s father…if only so that he’ll shut up and stop whining. I’ve really gotten fed up with him…
Uhg. Im getting sick of hearing about BBK!
Shatner agreed to die as Kirk in Generations. He’s Dead. Let him RIP. NO Fat , OLD Kirk! Ever! Would you want to see a geriatric Superman in Depends popping prostate pills? NO!
I expect one of the first things the cast will do once they are all together in costume will be to have group pictures taken to release to the public. So we could be seeing a cast picture before the end of Nov.
21
Simpson has aged to have a very close resemblance to Lenard, but he hasn’t acted much since STV and mainly makes his living as a photographer. This would be a bigger role than the one line he had in STV. If he can do it sure, but finding the right actor for the role is most important.
One hopes that there will be some publicity stills of the characters on set released early in production, but I guess with the desire for secrecy that these folks seem to have that might not happen.
Somewhere in my stacks of old papers I’ve got a newspaper clipping from – I think it’s August 4th, 1978. A photograph of Kirk and Spock and McCoy – (their uniforms aren’t *right*, and Kirk’s hair is all dark and weird, and *what the heck is this from?*) with the caption, “William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley in rehearal for ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture.”
In retrospect, I know that the day I opened the Washington Post and saw that was the day that I lost all hope of having a normal life. :lol:
They are casting the entire planet… this movie is going to be 3 hours long….
#6
Nope. Sarek and Amanda (Lenard & Wyman, that is) appeared in Trek IV together but never appeared in the same scenes. Sarek was on Earth pleading Kirk’s case before the Federation Council, while Amanda was on Vulcan overseeing Spock’s reeducation.
HTH.
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
Definitely get Jonathan Simpson back as Sarek. Not only is he a dead ringer, but at this point, (a little creative delusion replacing any continuity errors) he’s 15 years older, and so his age is accurate for the role, since Spock is “roughly” that much older, give or take 5 years.
Anyway, I think it’d be a nice move.
@19 – Viggo Mortensen = Chris Pike! NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
is there any point in the pike character having a bigger role than kirk when he gets severly injured in a space accident a short time later? its not as though this character will flourish into future films etc. id rather see the emphasis on kirk and spock coming together. dont get me wrong im looking forward to seeing an active pike in the film.
i still want the shat in it too.
greg
united kingdom
Jamie Fracking Bamber – Get it done or I dig up Mugatu’s corpse and drag it behind my car on Halloween!!!
ONE THING THAT IS REALLY STARTING TO WORRY ME…
…is it me, or is there just WAAAAAY TOO MANY “Trek” characters being added to the mix??? Sure, I’d love to see them all, too (especially Sarek and Amanda), but I have this sinking feeling that if Paramount succeeds in attracting most of the non-fan general public, then on opening weekend we’re going to hear A LOT of comments like, “Who’s that?”; “Was she in the TV show?”; “It that guy important?”; “Who played that character on the TV show? Were they in the movies, too?”; “Oooh! I like Eric Bana!”; “Is that guy Spock’s dad or uncle?”; etc., etc., etc.
One of the things that drove me absolutely crazy during GENERATIONS was the inclusion of almost EVERYONE (with some notable exceptions). For pete’s sake, they even included Sulu’s DAUGHTER! And in the end, GENERATIONS became the ridiculously overwrought, undercooked, rush-job mish-mash that we know today. Even though I knew who all the characters were, even I had a hard time keeping track of them all, let alone caring.
I REALLY hope the same fate doesn’t affect STAR TREK XI, so non-fans walk out in a daze saying, “What the hell just happened???”
Amen to #25
Correction to #30…Wyatt, not Wyman…That’s a whole different person.
I’m excited about seeing Sarek and Amanda again. Trying to recapture Mark Lenard would be very hard, although Simpson did a good job, let’s try some fresh blood.
@32 Why not?
Shatner as Kirks father would be swell.
Simpson’s performance in Star Trek 5 was purely visual. Lenard recorded the character’s single line of dialogue.
yep i am also worried same as #35
surley there is enough material in the coming together of the crew members at starfleet academy – their stories/backgrounds and so on without mums/dads aunties and uncles. dont forget among all this we also have to have a villian story line too in it somewhere. does seem like a lot to pack in.
but nimoy recons this script is exciting so ill go along with that. im so looking forward to seeing the first cast picures all in uniform and that bridge set too!
greg
united kingdom
The one thing I’m not understanding is how people are calculating Pike’s accident to happen virtually as he stepped off the Enterprise.
According to Mendez in The Menagerie, it was months before they were diverted to the starbase: “There’s been subspace chatter about it for months…” With Kirk and McCoy not knowing what happened.
To me, Pike won’t be crippled until a ways into Kirk’s first year commanding Enterprise, so Pike can even have a presence in the movie just after Kirk assumes command.
It’ll all be worked out in the sequel: “Star Trek XII: The Whole Enchalada.”
(produced and directed by Ken Burns with a run time of a hair under 33 days)
29 – Dennis:
Do you mean this photo? http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2006/09/08/star-trek-cp-2800005.jpg
How about Shatner as Spock’s GRANDFATHER?
(Just give me screen credit for the idea!)
;)
In his recent interview Orci did say there were a number of known Trek characters in the film, but he also noted that they only put them in when they can do them justice. He also stated that many who didnt make it into the film are ‘on the list’ for the next one. In chatting to him he told me (sorry if this was off record Bob) that some have gone in and out of various drafts, but they only kept them when it was working. They aren’t putting characters in just for fun. These kind of things seem to be like the ‘two ways of watching the movie’ that they have talked about. For the avg film goer it will just be Kirk and Spock’s parents, but for the Trekkies we will see a new layer. You wont have to know anything about Amanda or Sarek to see the movie
As of now there are 4 known non TOS characters in the film: the villain Nero + two ‘henchmen’ and a ‘Federation Captain’…but I imagine there are many more.
I agree today Jonathan Simpson looks even more like Mark Lenard a dead ringer he would be perfect as Sarek.
About Michael T. Weiss as Sarek ?
Or Mandy Patinkin as Sarek ?
Michael T. Weiss could be a Romulan villain henchmen if not Sarek.
#36
Whoops! And I *know* better!
Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2006/09/08/star-trek-cp-2800005.jpg
Ohhhh, I remember when that picture was published in my hometown newspaper almost 30 years ago… good times.
With production being this close, it would be nice to see some bridge pictures and of course the Enterprise. If not, how about Shatners costume for the film? (Still holding out hope!)
Gary Lee, you don’t want a troublemaker like Mandy Patinkin on the set of “Star Trek”. This production is already under enough pressure as it is without having to deal with one of Diva Mandy’s drama queen snits.