In the latest ShatnerVision Bill plays nice, but makes it clear he is not in the new movie.
UPDATED: But he still seems to be critical of the decision (see below)
Extra TV cought up with Shatner at a book signing last night, and he again repeated that he thinks it is a bad move to not put him in the movie.
How could you not put one of the founding figures into a movie that was being resurrected? That doesn’t make good business sense to me!
…
I’ve become even more popular than I was playing Captain Kirk. I’m good box office and I get publicity….But, they are going in a different direction and it’ll be a wonderful film.
Check out Extra Wednesday night for more.
Shatner The Shaman?
One last bit of Shat news for the day. In his latest gig as a pitchman, Shatner is now hawking World of Warcraft. Click the image below for the Shat-tastic commercial
Maybe he’s finally accepted older Kirk’s fate… maybe.
Oh no- not another Bill thread! And I love him!
Right at the end of the interview.. he looked annoyed. lol
Too bad about the strike – now there’s no hope.
I wonder if that was JJ’s plan all along? It’s not like they did’t know it was coming, and Shatner did make a lot of fuss just before the strike.
damn he looks good though! I hope I look that good when I’m his age!
He looks damn good here. As good as XI MIGHT be … if he isn’t in it, I’ll always think of the movie that could have been. Not taking advantage of perhaps their last chance to use him is a COLOSSAL wasted opportunity!
In related news, Shatner is selling World of Warcraft now, along with Mr. T.
Now, I’m serious.
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/downloads/movies.html
Bill looks terrific.
He’ll be in it. Think people, you have someone like William Shatner saying he’ll be in it. Not only is the nostalgia great but it can add to a great story. It will be one of those little surprises that will come up later………………………………………………………………………….I hope.
It’s a conspiracy… He’s going to be in it. They’ve been planning it ever since the beginning, but they want us to be surprised so all this banter about him not being in it is just to keep us off the scent.
Anyway Shatner isn’t Star Trek, Kirk (and others…) is Star Trek. Let’s not confuse the role with the actor.
Of course Shatner looks good. Look at all the money he’s raking in doing endorsements and commercials. He can afford to “slap on a new coat of paint” as it were.
When I think World of Warcraft, I automatically think of Mr, T, William Shatner, and Verne Troyer.
Okay, so he’s not in the movie.
He does comport himself with more grace in this video than in the recent past. Good for him. :)
(A) I wouldn’t be surprised if he really is in it.
(B) I wouldn’t be surprised if he really isn’t in it.
(C) At this point, I still wouldn’t be surprised if the movie turns out in such a way that he’d regret being in it (though naturally I hope otherwise).
(D) I think he’s secretly playing the monster in Cloverfield, and has been too busy with that for Trek right now.
(E) Either way, he rocks always and forever.
He still looked hack off as he turned away from the camera after he said, “I certainly will still go see the movie”
its a shame he isnt going to be in this, but like he said I’ll still go see the movie.
He still looked hacked off as he turned away from the camera after he said, “I certainly will still go see the movie”
its a shame he isnt going to be in this, but like he said I’ll still go see the movie.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE EXTREME SIDES OF BOTH CAMPS.
So far, this thread has been civil, but you know it’s only a matter of time before it degenerates into the “Shatner Haters: He Sucks” vs. “Shatner Lovers: Boycott TREK XI” camps.
I don’t agree with or understand the two extremes. Most fans love Captain Kirk, but you’d think the Haters thought that William Shatner came over to their house and kicked their dog. He would LIKE to be in TREK XI, and his comments haven’t been THAT unreasonable, but somehow he’s suddenly transformed into the Single Biggest Jerk on the Planet.
The Lovers who would boycott and badmouth STAR TREK XI just because Shatner won’t be in it are just as sad. Nimoy is arguably the most recognizable FACE of STAR TREK XI, even if Shatner is the biggest NAME. But because the writers have decided NOT to pander to them and simply shoe-horn in Kirk/Shatner, they’ve been branded liars and lowlifes.
Hopefully both camps will meet in a parking lot somewhere and cancel each other out, like so much Matter and Anti-matter. If Shatner is in TREK XI, then fine, great. It’ll be good to see him one last time as Kirk. If he’s not, guess what: The Earth will keep spinning, Shatner will still make a gazillion bucks doing something else, and you’ll still have to eat, sleep and poop just like everyone else on the planet. Life will go on… but only if you let it.
I will keep hoping for a huge, monumental, historic surprise appearance, no matter how unlikely it looks now.
#17:”I will keep hoping for a huge, monumental, historic surprise appearance, no matter how unlikely it looks now.”
No, Jack Nicholson will not be doing a cameo.
He’ll be in it, of course. If the whole plot is about changing a timeline without Kirk, they want you to be unaware og his part in it, to keep the conclusion an open question.
Anybody remember how they kept Nimoy off the cast list on ST3, just to cast some doubt as to whether he comes back at the end? I do.
Generalismo Fransisco Franco is still dead.
#19
BANG (Sound of hammer hitting nail on the head)
I remember ST III very well.
In 1984, by the time the film opened, everybody who was paying attention knew that Nimoy was in the film playing Spock.
Shatner is not currently part of this movie. Who knows, that might change…but continuing to believe that this is all a publicity stunt has long since come to look, paradoxically, more naive than taking everyone involved at their words.
I still don’t understand why Shatner (or anyone else) is upset that he won’t be in the new film. Unless I’m mistaken, Kirk is dead. It doesn’t seem that the movie (the Nimoy part) is set prior to “Generations” so how could the older Kirk be in it? I agree with whoever posted above that Shatner isn’t Star Trek. I’ll go see it because of my love of the characters/world not because of the actors.
#22
Mr. Bailey, you may be right. We’ll know in December 2008. About being naive, I concede that I do still believe in Santa Claus. Why? Because it’s a nicer world with him in it than without. Maybe that’s why people hope against hope Shatner will be in the movie. But even if he’s not, I’m sure it will be a good movie.
In another thread awhile back, dalek speculated that perhaps even Shatner hadn’t been told yet of secret plans to include him. To which Roberto Orci cryptically replied, “Hmmm”. Many of us picked up on that.
It’s a long way from now until March. There are always possibilities.
Article updated with new interview quotes
They don’t want to PAY HIM ENOUGH!
That’s why.
The expresion on his face when he turns from the camera at the fade is pure gold. He is none too pleased, that much is obvious, unless he’s –dare I say it?– ACTING.
That would be a first.
All kidding aside, it would have been nice if they could’ve found a way to undo ‘Generations’, but he signed the contract, played the part & died with a little smile on his face. It was handled poorly, but he was part of the handling. His ego pays the price in 2007.
Has Bill lost weight?
Dont know if anyone has said this before and im not gonna read this whole thread. But as far as Shatner’s “bad business” point, I agree. BUT! It seems that its become great business cause he’s talking about the movie all the time, all the major media has reported at least once on this. Talk about building buzz for a movie over year before its released!
I really want ST XI to be good. If Shatner is in fine. If not, fine. My new problem is that I saw Transformers last weekend. I know you cannot compare the efforts of one writing team take on a movie with another, but I got to say, that was a craptastic movie.
Everyone keeps saying these guys have written a great ST XI script and I hope that is true, but after watching Transformers I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.
I know, I know, these guys were writing a teen-driven monster robot action flick and I guess they did a good job, but I hope the script lives up to the hype.
Well, if the rumored plot is true (about an alternate timeline) then perhaps there is a way to incorporate a septuagenarian Kirk into the story (where the events of Generations never took place). But again, it should be plausible, not gimmicky. I think this alternate timeline of Trek is straining the boundaries as is. While I don’t think Shatner is going to be in this movie, I wouldn’t be surprised if J.J. sneaked him into a final scene.
#23 HLC
You stated:
“I still don’t understand why Shatner (or anyone else) is upset that he won’t be in the new film.”
There are a number of various good reasons why Shatner might be disappointed about being left out of this movie…
1) First, he met with JJ Abrams and was left with the impression that he might somehow be involved in the film. That alone should be enough to explain his disappointment. If you were led to believe that you might be involved in a really cool project, and then the project went underway without you, wouldn’t you be disappointed?
If that wasn’t enough of a reason (and it is), there are some other reasons:
2) From all accounts, the movie seems to be one involving time travel. It also appears that Spock will be going back in time to save the young Kirk. So, it seems silly to me that Spock would travel back in time to save Kirk and not warn him about the events in Generations. But regardless, the time travel aspect should allow Shatner to be included.
3&4)
As long as the Kirk character dies by falling on some rocks and getting squished by a bridge, it sort of spoils the end of the story of Kirk’s life. In other words, the character played by Chris Pine will always be destined to die a very unintelligent death on Veridian III. And to me, that sours things a bit. I want to watch Pine’s Kirk without knowing that he dies a ridiculous death. (By the way, the stupidest thing about Kirk’s death is that Picard didn’t lead him out of the Nexus earlier, before Soran had everything ready.) This is actually two separate reasons. Reason #3 is that the end of Kirk’s life is already known to us, and so Chris Pine’s Kirk will always have that absurd destiny. Reason #4 is that Kirk’s death was so stupid that it ought to be undone merely because the Kirk character deserves better.
I’m sure there are other great reasons, but the first one should be more than sufficient.
Maybe this is the whole reason why the story is happening. A slight reset, a slight alteration the the time line, and Kirk is NOT killed by the 2 tonnes of falling rocks and bridge.
Or, maybe this is to guarantee that he does…. bwah-ha-ha!
Still Luvin The Shat!
I wonder if this whole thing is a conspiracy. Oh, I’m not saying that it is, but I can think of one good reason why it might be…
They have been talking about recasting Kirk and Spock since Harve Bennett wanted to make the Academy movie. But back then, and ever since, some people have claimed that these roles are so iconic that no one else could ever fill them.
Maybe JJ was concerned that people might not be crazy about Quinto or Pine or anyone else he picked. And maybe when the Shatner controversy erupted, he decided to sit back and let it brew, the whole time being thankful that people are fussing about Shatner, and not complaining about the casting choices.
I’m not saying that this is the case, but I can at least imagine it as the reasonable explanation to this whole thing.
#23 ” still don’t understand why Shatner (or anyone else) is upset that he won’t be in the new film. Unless I’m mistaken, Kirk is dead.”
No you’re not mistaken, his character died on whatever Staradate that travesty Generations occured.
What you and many others don’t seem to get, is that this is a science fiction film. It’s also a film about time travel. Now add to that, a story involving a NEW alternate timeline. Those are the conditions that make it VERY feasable for Shatner to pop up, as Jim Kirk. It’s not anywhere near the stretch so many are making it out to be.
Kiroc, # 33 – Hear, hear!
After Nick Meyer’s brilliant and moving death and funeral scene for Spock, Rick Berman et al. gave us “cover Kirk up with rocks” and Uncle Fester “shoot him in the back”, which was re-filmed.
The tragedy, to me, is that Shatner and Nimoy are both now, pardon the expression, Senior citizens. How much earthly time do they have before they do “shuffle off this mortal coil”?
What a wasted opportunity, if only to have Spock face to face with elderly Kirk whom he rescued from Picard’s idiocy (or Berman, Braga, and what’s his name, Gatlactica Ron Moore) mediocre writing.
Then again, maybe they will spring this on us, but I fear not.
Hey, let’s get the Shat on Star Trek: New Voyages. I’d bet he’d do it if he’s really not in this film!
Calling Captain Cawley (if I spelled his name correctly) :)
Why don’t the people who are behind this film simply state that he is not in the film?
#13 Amen to that.
I love bill, and want him to be in it, but i’ll go watch the movie if he’s not in it. Now, what is our new younger Kirk these days? Any news anthony?
#39 sorry meant to say where, not what! :P
I gotta say Bill looks better in the above clip than in this one done a few years ago (one of my favorite Shatner moments).
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ve5zhBmQVXk
Its a ploy!!!
Its a ruse!!!
I think that the big payoff at the end is Shatner’s uncredited appearance !!!
Lets say the themes of the film are “Why is he my friend in the future?” and “I don’t like to lose.”
so young Kirk overhears a conversation between old and young spock about kirks death and he thinks to himself: right I’m gonna set things straight, do what Doc Brown did and come back to life…
i bet you this is not too far off!
Hey, may all the Shatnahaters and Shatnaholics and everyone in-between have a lovely Thanksgiving. :)
Perhaps Mr. Shatner is realizing he’s actually finally absolutley unequivocally undeniably obviously definetly unmistakably categorically
NOT IN THE FILM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dtST 400
Shatner not being in the movie has become big enough news that Perez Hilton is reporting on it! How surreal is that?
http://perezhilton.com/?p=9230
#28
– All kidding aside, it would have been nice if they could’ve found a way to
undo ‘Generations’, but he signed the contract, played the part & died with a little smile on his face. It was handled poorly, but he was part of the handling. His ego pays the price in 2007. –
Your Honour, it’s been 13 years – he should be released on parole.
To his credit, his ego’s bigger than his crime. And although his victim was but a fictional character, my client has offered full redress. He deserves the chance to do so. I assure you, his former victim will benefit from it, as well.
whoever said put The Shat in New Voyages, i agree! If it is truly Star Trek and not money and publicity that The Stat cares about, do New Voyages. Yes they have had to do a couple of aging/time travel stories to get other old stars in, but i am fine with that. if every episode of New Voyages is a time travel one and we get a different original cast member every time, so be it.
Lets see Pine in uniform!!
#33 You could have NOT have stated it any better! Just for sheer fact that if Nimoy is in this movie (especially a project of this magnitude). Shatner MUST be in it. As I have stated before the future of the Star Trek franchise is riding high on this movie (while I believe that it will be an overall good movie) — it would not be the same without Shatner playing “older Kirk”. How weird was it to see Nimoy not at Shatner’s side in Generations. Better yet — what if this new movie has Shatner/Pine, playing old/young Kirk and ONLY Quinto playing young Spock?. I can almost guarantee you that the reaction would have been virtually, if not the same!!! Forget Shatner’s ego, etc. etc. etc. etc. SHATNER IS KIRK!!!!! SHATNER MUST PLAY KIRK!!!!!!
BTW, just got Remastered TOS, this morning — TOTALLY WORTH THE AMOUNT OF DEAD PRESIDENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shatner would never do a NV episode, nor would I want to see him in one. He expects to be well paid and I don’t blame him, after the zillions of dollars Paramount has made off his image.
#45
Shatner would make the new Star Trek film an event. He is the face of Star Trek to the general public. Getting a mention on a site like Perez Hilton would indicate that Star Trek with Shatner has cross over appeal.
I simply can’t understand why he is not wanted.