Lindelof Defends Star Trek Secrecy January 9, 2008
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Star Trek (2009 film) , trackback
As the show runner for the mysterious show Lost, it should be no surprise that Damon Lindelof is no fan of leaks and spoilers. The producer for the new Star Trek movie tells Wizard magazine that “leaks totally ruin a project.” Defending the ultra secret Trek project, the producer states…
I believe most people want to be surprised. I also believe most people can’t resist the temptation of peeking. The only solution is to give them nothing to peek at….but the Net makes that practically impossible.
Another exceprt from the article talking about leaks and fandom
Oftentimes, the fans feel protective of these franchises and in many cases, they rightfully feel more protective than the filmmakers themselves. If you’re doing a Superman or a Indiana Jones movie, us geeks have so much of our time and childhood emotionally invested in those characters, we actually feel like we’re owed a taste of what’s going on before we put down our 12 bucks.
For the full interview get the latest Wizard Magazine (Excerpts via TrekWeb)
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You know I can’t think of a witty reply. I’ll just remind everybody this is the guy who told us this film wasn’t “your father’s Star Trek” I’m over 40 and a father. I sure hope I can enjoy the film….
From everything I’ve heard so far, it really seems like they are doing this movie right!
Man, as much as i don’t want spoilers, I admit that I’d read them. I hope and hope not that we see and hear some soon!
I agree with him over all. I’ve found it extremely hard to resist reading what few spoilers there has been about this movie, despite the fact that I really love being surprised. I hope when bigger spoilers come out, that I’m able to avoid them, but I think it will be quite the challenge for this Internet and Trek addicted fan. :)
Yes, I agree. I’m over 40 and I’m a father. I just have to say I feel like slapping the guy around. I hope they don’t ruin it with a stupid ADD type sensibility. Or just plain dumbness.
That is, I agree with Cap’n Pike, #1 above.
I love you, Damon Lindelof.
I can easily resist the temptation to read spoilers, but, once they’re out, the ‘net saturates with them. It becomes impossible not to eventually hear them if you’re a wired Trekkie.
I can’t comprehend why #1 and #5 have a problem with this. Mr. Lindelof just described the geek experience wonderfully–proving that he is One Of Us (TM)–and then promised that he was going to keep the movie secret–which is what the vast majority of us want, right?
So, to repeat: I love you, Damon Lindelof.
I am a big fan of mr. Lindelof and he is one of the big Trek geeks on this movie…along with Bob.
Obviously this site has been behind quite a few leaks and spoilers…however in each case we have kept the spoiler out of the headline and summary on the front page and provided spoiler warnings. You can visit this site without ever getting totally spoiled.
But for some, spoilers actually help build excitement for the movie and help make them more of an advocate for the movie. It goes both ways. Anyway if we ever stepped too far over the line on spoilers and leaks I am sure I would hear about it
To true…first?
Do I want to to know too much? No. Do I want this to turn into Cloverfield and we don’t see the Enterprise until the movie opens? Definately not!
All I want are some pictures to see what the film will look like. That will determine whether I even go see it or not. If I’ve got to wait. I’ll wait until after opening weekend when I’ve learned what I need to know and whether it’s worth my money or not.
That’s all I really need. But I of course, they don’t have to give it to me right now.
I understand the desire for secrecy and I certainly appreciate the delight of being surprised, but the notion that leaks can “ruin” a project seems like an overstatement. Or, I _hope_ it’s an overstatement … :)
I know how (frex) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan turns out, and that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it again and again. Because it ROCKS. The first time I saw it it had an extra edge of surprise, sure, but even if someone had handed me a cribsheet a month before seeing it, that would have only dented the awesome (and replaced some of the thrill of surprise with a different thrill of anticipation), not “ruined” it. If a project’s quality is so dependent on gotchas that leaks could actually, genuinely ruin it, that implies a more fragile, disposable work.
… or someone engaging in dramatic overstatement to highlight his feelings. Here’s hoping for the latter in this case, because I’d much rather think that Lindelof is being a tad overdramatic than worry that the new Star Trek film is fire-and-forget candy filmmaking.
Most major movies are pretty weak nowadays so I can understand keeping things under wraps.
No spoilers is one thing, but absolutely no marketing at all is another. I guess this changes next week. Trek XI is not on all the “coolest movies of 2008″ lists, and they need to generate buzz ASAP. Shatner’s bleating these past months has in fact invited no young fans to the series. Spaceships and pics of the Enterprise’s new “Scooby Gang” crew in a high tech or alien setting, just might.
#1-” I’ll just remind everybody this is the guy who told us this film wasn’t “your father’s Star Trek” I’m over 40 and a father. I sure hope I can enjoy the film…. ”
#7- can’t comprehend why #1 and #5 have a problem with this. Mr. Lindelof just described the geek experience wonderfully–proving that he is One Of Us ™–and then promised that he was going to keep the movie secret–which is what the vast majority of us want, right?
Yes, The Geek experience he captured was well, and I understand about the need for secrecy. No problem with that. I just don’t like the condescending tone of “this is not your father’s Star Trek.” New is not always improved. (Old is not necessarily the best either). Good is good, and bad is bad, and new or old is not the point. But that arrogance, that the newest is better because it rejects the original- is stupid and all too common. Your father’s Star Trek had some pretty good qualities. Perhaps they should recognize them and then improve them, rather than dismiss them with “This is not your father’s Star Trek. ” Stupid and condescending, and a recipe for a bad movie.
I do see all the other good signs though, and hope that “father’s Trek thing ” was just a dumb little comment. I hope.
Gary Seven, how’s your cat? And that huge computer doing?
yes.. I wanna know
no…I don’t
yes.. I wanna know
no…I don’t
yes.. I wanna know
no…I don’t
I for one am happy with the “spoiler out of the headline” policy.
Ya know, sometimes I want insider info and at other times I wanna wait for the movie… depends on my mood.
The bad thihng is I may be too tempted if I know it’s there. So keep the set tight, but not too tight.
Remember how they kept “Howard The Duck” under wraps until it came out ?
…and after only one hot weekend the flick had DIED! By Sunday there were no lines! Word got out fast!
Keeping too much under wraps is sometimes a RED FLAG, however we are so early in the process on this film that I’m not worried…
I’d be really surprised at being surprised.
#10
Yeah, i personally don’t want anymore story spoliers than we have already had. we know its about the crew when they were young, thats enough plot for me.
Pictures of sets, make up, uniforms, the enterprise!! these would give almost nothing of the plot away but really make our day.
What I mean to say is hype is all these major tentpole movies have going for them.
Yeah, I don’t trust these guys at all.
“Not your daddy’s trek.”
“Fans should come to the movie prepared for a new look and hopes they will have an open mind.”
This is not a prequel! This sounds like a total reboot. No matter what b.s. comes out of their mouths saying that it’s not a reboot, it sure is sounding like one the more I read about the movie.
They gotta earn trust. And in my humble opinion they’re not doing the best job earning it. My hopes for this movie is dipping lower and lower. I really hope they prove me wrong.
never mind star trek, its a t j hooker film i wanna see and it better be my daddys t j hooker too.
#20 They have told several times that the movie has a new look and design more in match with todays taste, but respecting the history events, characters, etc in the canon of the series.
It is a precuel storywise and a reboot only in the look of the designs.
Todays taste hopefully isn’t Kirk reading a tabloid about Britney Spears IV going into rehab again (unless it’s rehab for liking pretty green women).
#8 Tony: Yeah, Tony, don’t think I’m griping about you. Your job is to provide us with information, and you do a better job than anyone else has while I’ve been alive (which, in fairness, is not all that long a time). TMR does a great job with spoiler labels and so forth. The problem is that not everyone does. I’ve had to avert my eyes from the lower half of the front page of Memory-Alpha all week, because, while I’m not certain, I’m -pretty- sure there’s a minor spoiler regarding Tyler Perry there, and I’m not willing to risk checking it out. And that’s a highly reputable site; the unmarked spoiler content on many forums and comment threads around the net is, to coin a meme, over nine thousand. They’re not instantly moderated, and it only takes a second for someone to jump into a topic and go off-topic, revealing something new about the film. (Good example: #24 in this thread. We can only be thankful it was a trailer spoiler and not a real spoiler.) So, while I hardly begrudge a news source like this one posting any information it is able to get, because there are people who really do like spoilers, I am nonetheless pleased as all get-out that the Abrams Five are making every effort to prevent you from getting it and beginning its ineveitable dissemination throughout the entire Internet.
Hope that made some kind of sense.
#14 Gary: Oh, I see. I misunderstood you to be commenting on the current article.
Yes, I took “not your father’s Star Trek” to be a swipe at the recent series, rather than the more-successful TOS/TNG team (which they would be totally insane to abandon), but you’re right… it is an annoying thing to say. So I agree with you there.
But I still love you, Damon Lindelof!
I find that comment (not your father’s trek) to be ill-sighted at best. Disrespecting something like Star Trek’s utopian vision of the future is not ‘fathers trek’. In that case we might as well disrespect all science fiction that has come before us. Forget Asimov, Bradbury, Verne and those who set the stage for current Science Fiction in all forms.
So it is all past so it should be forgotten or it has little merit of the present, right?
Wrong. If the past works of those who set the stage for Science Fiction are not respected for their own literary merit, then stories will just loop in circles until someone comes along with that respect to push the envelope the way it needs to be pushed.
Trek is not a product of current culture. It had the staying power for at least three generations. It has the potential (as most utopian literature does) to exist for many more to come.
As for Abram’s quest for keeping information secret, Kudos. First Contact suffered from the AOL message boards leaking the Borg Queen concept.
Damm just release the teaser :)
I remember seeing Serenity at a sneak preview two years ago. There were secrets and surprises and twists and turns. We all left the theater and vowed that none of these would be told.
Similarly there was a twist or two in Batman Begins that managed to stay under wraps.
Waaaay back before I knew way too much about this stuff one of the greatest “gotchas” ever was the Kobayashi Maru. I almost can’t imagine ever having a moment like that again.
Keep it under wraps guys. Keep it ALLLL under wraps.
(I did manage to avoid seeing the Enterprise E until I saw it on screen.)
I’m also over 40. I was one of those sending fan letters to Star Trek in gradeschool, and so those like me do own Star Trek. It was our interest and continued interest that brought the fanchise to what it became. Otherwise it would have stayed that 3 year lark it was at that time.
To you young whipper snappers… your welcome. ;)
I used to visit theforce.net all the time before Star Wars Episode II came out, and by the time the movie was released I knew absolutely everything about it. Since the trading cards, action figures, comic books, and even the novel were released before the movie was, it wasn’t hard to visit the forums and pick up on everything. I went to see the movie opening night and I got bored because I knew every scene, what it looked like, who was going to say what, and how it was going to end.
For Episode III, I took a not-quite-spoiler-free approach and appreciated the movie much better. I knew the major set pieces, but that was it.
As for Star Trek, I never really had much temptation for spoilers before this movie. Star Trek movies were just added bonuses to my movie-going year. I don’t want to be Episode II spoiled, just some cast pictures will be fine. But if information IS leaked, I can’t guarantee that I won’t read it. And I know that I’ll end up regretting it.
So, in short: keep it secret, keep it safe.
“before we put down our 12 bucks.”
Who pays 12 bucks to go to a movie?
Imagine if our only hints were coming circa 1980’s style, i.e. Starlog Magazine. Hey, what’s three months between old news stories?!?!!
#27…
But keep in mind that the scene of Spock “dying” at the beginning, the fake-out, was written and inserted late, in response to the leaked info that Spock dies in the movie. It was put in to restore the surprise when he actually does die later… if those that had heard the leak saw the film, they would assume that the first scene was what had been leaked.
So the “gotcha” scene was made because it was hard to keep a secret even back then.
Who made that comment of ‘not your fathers Star Trek’…because my father hated Star Trek. TOS was ‘my’ Trek…even though I’m only 32. JJ Abrams is older than I am, and I’m guessing Roberto is around my own age. So whose father are we talking about? lol
I hate spoilers, and avoid them whenever possible. I don’t mind teasers, trailers, and official photos, but I hate leaked scripts, leaked script reviews, etc.
I appreciate that Anthony puts SPOILER alerts in his headlines. I wish that people who leave comments would do the same, but since that’s usually not the case, I find myself avoiding the comments section more and more as the production goes forward.
TREK O.C.D. CANON-ITE LAMENT #78:
Gene Roddenberry and Gene Coon were the first two, best prodcuers of STAR TREK.
Damon Lindelof is not only missing a “G” from his name, but his last name ends in “F.” As in “Fred Freiberger,” producer of the lousy third season of the original TREK.
Thus, this movie will fail. Boycott this mother. ;)
I’m from the “don’t want to know anything before I see it” group. If someone starts talking about a movie I want to see but haven’t seen yet, I will let them know, in no uncertain terms, that they need to put a sock in it. Don’t care so much about pictures, and such, but I do NOT want to know anything about the story.
Rampant speculation by a rabid fan base, however, can be quite amusing. ;)
Movies have been made for years without total secrecy. Great movies in fact. Going to “digital sets” certainly helps the secrecy quest.
There are just so many Star Trek fans. This is not an ordinary movie. Letting fans see drawings or images of an Enterprise or uniforms isn’t going to ruin for “newbies”.
If it reaches a point when wanting to keep it secret affects the “quality” of the production then it’s wrong.
The only reason to not let the cat out of the bag is because they don’t want to generate a bad reaction across the web. Changes must be on the way.
No Trek fan will stay home if we find out it’s the exact same Enterprise from from TOS—and it won’t stop newbies from watching a movie with a good story. Newbies won’t care what the Enterprise looks like. The only potential negative firestorm is letting an existing fanbase know what you’ve done.
This is not a top-secret product that has copyright issues. FEED US A BONE!
The more secret the best it is.
I don’t want to get spoiled to much… I’ll even try not to watch the trailer. I’ll watch the teaser but not the trailer. I don’t want to see the key phrase of the movie during a trailer…
I regret spoiling bits of First Contact by watching the trailers. How am I going to resist all the trailers for a year?! I NEED Star Trek.
“The only reason to not let the cat out of the bag is because they don’t want to generate a bad reaction across the web.”
That’s my read too. When people see that Nu-Trek bears about as much resemblence to TOS as the Lost in Space movie bore to its predecessor series, or as the 1998 Godzilla bore to the 1956 Godzilla, there will be a reaction, justified or not, that’s going to get picked up in the press and will generate some less-than-flattering stories for a period of time. There’s the “no publicity is bad publicity” mentality, but I assume these people are enjoying all the “one of the most anticipated movies of 2008″ buzz they’ve had for a couple of months, and are trying to ride that wave to opening weekend. You’ll notice that Mr. Orci, who practically set up a tent here and at AICN over the weekend, deflecting reaction to that rumor they posted, is nowhere to be seen in conjunction with yesterday’s story about the set designer. I personally have no problem with a reboot, but I’d prefer they just say its a reboot instead of getting up the hopes of the old school fans who were hoping all the talk about respecting the canon and whatever actually meant they were trying to make the movie fit into the show’s established lore – continuity-wise, story-wise, thematically *and* visually. But they apparently want to have it both ways and plenty of people seem happy to give them a pass on changing the design of the entire TOS-era universe, so good luck there.
The best secret is not to share your secrets with anybody!
I’d rather this movie be a secret reboot. ;)
My enjoyment of the movie is more enhanced when I know relatively nothing about it before going in, so I am in the camp of people who prefer to stay spoiler free.
Having said that, this movie is a big deal, and a VERY exciting event for a star trek fan. So it is sometimes difficult instinctively not to want to get as much info as possible before it comes out, because it is still far away from opening day, and the anticipation is tough to deal with. Sorta like what gifts are for small children during the christmas season.
Right with #1 here. Over 40, a father…and I found “Lost” insulting and pointless after the first disc of the first season DVD set, so I walked away. (”Look! Pretty people bounce from airplane crashes!”)
That all being said, unless I see something definitive to be concerned about, I’ll give these guys the benefit of the doubt. Being over 40, if there’s something I’ve learned it’s that I have been and can be wrong about things.
We’ll just have to see.
I’m glad they’re secretive because I cannot help my curiosity!
#45 Kionel -
You really should try giving “Lost” another shot… you’ll never be able to accurately gauge the series based on the first disc alone. Chances are great you’d have a better appreciation for it if you sat through all the episodes.
Mr. Abrams, Mr. Orci & Mr. Lindelof:
Please reboot the franchise.
Thank you.
32. Diabolik –
“……………in response to the leaked info that Spock dies in the movie……….
So the “gotcha” scene was made because it was hard to keep a secret even back then.”
It was hard to keep a secret back then because some believe it was Gene R. who actually leaked the secret about Spock dying in ST II (and the Enterprise being destroyed in ST III) because he was very protective of the fans and knew they would be upset if Spock died or the Enterprise was destoyed, and he was also very bitter about losing control of his franchise. It was alleged that he leaked the info in a futile attempt to get the filmakers to change the scripts.
I actually have no problem with minor, logical, changes or “tweaks” to uniforms and the Enterprise. As a designer, I believe there is a right way way to do it.
I’m lacking faith that the people with the opportunity to work on projects that attempt to refresh what I grew up with are able to do it right. Lost in Space is a great example of a failure. The story was OK, but why call it “Lost in Space” and get the Robinson’s involved if the entire look changes? They just don’t seem to understand that the sci-fi fanbase is huge. There is no real reason to change things because the general public doesn’t care about the gadgets like we do. It’s simply better to er on the side of what the hardcore fans are expecting. (Unless of course something stands out as an obvious sore. I might add that the Star Trek uniforms would be a place to make the most changes—or lean towards the look of ‘The Cage.’
I appreciate the secrecy, puts the magic back into movies!
Anthony,
Can you ask Damon to explain his “It’s not your Daddy’s Star Trek” comment from, what – a week ago? I think some people are reading way too much into it and are still carrying a grudge about it. I don’t think he meant to insult any Star Trek series or movie from the past – but that’s the way it’s been interpreted by some. IMHO, I think he meant they have more money and technology at their disposal now than in the past. We will probably see some special effects like we have never seen before. But, it was an open ended comment that did leave itself open to many interpretations.
I think Mr. Lindelof was simply paraphrasing an old advertising slogan (can’t remember the product) to get us psyched for something new. Instead, what it’s done is to alienate all us over-40 types (and I have kids, too) who want to make sure something of the original remains. We have heard from Karl Urban that the spirit is still there, so I would think that this is simply a reference to what must be 2008 state-of-the-art effects, superior acting ability, and perhaps updated societal issues.
I would also think that young Kirk may show racist disdain for Spock, especially after being “outed” in the KM scenario. Remember STVI? There is a huge mountain to climb over before the TOS relationship is established. Not our daddy’s Trek by a longshot.
Since being over 40 seems to bear some weight here ;) let me proclaim that I am also over 40 – almost 50 in fact, dammit – and grew up watching Trek in its original network run. So I’m your daddy!
I’m fine with the secrecy but a shot of the new Enterprise and the uniforms does not seem like a big spoiler and would help set a benchmark for expectations.
Keep the movie particulars under wraps for as long as possible. I’m going to do my best to avoid them as much as possible.
Oh and Lost rocks! Bring on Season 4!
A shot of the Enterprise and uniforms, and any other visual look and feel images they can offer, would be great. The story can stay as secret as they desire.
Yeah, show the Enterprise and uniforms… (tricorder, communicator, phaser would be elecome too).
Keep the story as secret as you want…
Anyone that wants to wait and be surprised can choose to not click the “here’s the stuff” link.
Brilliant that he prefaced his remarks with the phrase, “us geeks”…..
By including himself in the observation, it gave him the liberty to say anything he wanted, good or bad, regarding geekdom in general………………….BRAVO! (clap, clap)…… :)
I personally hate spoilers. The best filmgoing experiences I’ve had were films where I haven’t even really seen the trailer for. (Of course for Trek I won’t be able to resist watching every bit and scrap that is officially released by the prods.)
I appreciate the level of secrecy the filmmakers are keeping. That shows that they honor and respect the avid filmgoer. Now, let’s just hope I won’t be surrounded by a bunch of jerks in the theater who will text on their phones, talk during quite scenes, and laugh out loud when it’s a serious/sad scene. (Yes, I’ve seen people laugh during the death plunges in TITANIC).
Man… Can’t believe it’s already 2008… Christmas cannot get here soon enough!
They are in no way being too secretive about the film. So many films have so much information revealed in the age of the internet, finally we have a film that is keeping everything under wraps. These aren’t the type of filmmakers who want to disappoint the fans because they would only be disappointing themselves if the film turned out to be a disaster. Many Trek fans are just on edge with so little information revealed about the film and the franchise being taken in a new direction with new people at the helm. It’s a big leap for us all to take.
Several of the posts have said the lack of information will kill this film, but I don’t think it will. AOL movies named Star Trek the #10 most anticipated film of 2008, and let’s face it, with Nemesis being such a failure, that’s not a bad place to be. We’ll see a teaser next week and we’ll finally have more information, but as far as the lack of information killing this movie….no way. This film has more buzz than the last several Star Trek movies combined and as 2008 progresses, the buzz will build. We have just been anticipating this film since everything was announced nearly TWO years ago. Just a long wait, but we’re almost there. Even if the teaser shows nothing, we have a trailer next week and then let the real anticipation begin!
I just hope one thing…
It has been reported that there is a scene after Kirk beats the Kobayashi Maru test by using a female cadet to reprogram the simulation and causing a protest of Kirk at the Academy. I hope this rumor is FALSE because this portrays Kirk as an aloof, playboy which is against what has established in the TOS epsidoes “Where No Man Has Gone Before” and “Shore Leave”. If this movie is to honor canon then may I respectfully remind the producers:
ST:TOS “Where No Man Has Gone Before” – Lt Cmd Gary Mitchell described Kirk at the academy as a “stack of books with legs” and that in Lt. Kirk’s class “you either think or sink”.
ST:TOS “Shore Leave” – Kirk is talking to McCoy about his days at the academy and is explaining why Finnegan tormented him so much in school that he felt “persecuted”. McCoy asked if he deserved it and Kirk said yes because “he(Kirk) was positively grim”, while attending the academy.
So it looks like it has been established that Kirk was a serious, committed student while at the academy and was no dummy. I hope the “new” movie doesn’t change the character to one of an aloof playboy.
#41
Why would Bob Orci – a WRITER – have any need to comment on set design? All we got from that article yesterday is that one particular set could have been – in her OPINION – a spectacular physical set, but the filmakers chose to go digital. What that set was, or what led to that decision is anyone’s guess. Why would we look to Orci about it? These guys aren’t going to blow the whole movie to answer every little nitpick.
“Why would Bob Orci – a WRITER – have any need to comment on set design?”
Cause there are certain cues established in the text of the script, since yes as the WRITER they kinda had to picture this in their heads along the way well writing it. Its not exactly odd for a writer to comment on set and or F/X these days.
I think that Mr. Lindelof is so totally right in this article’s first quote. (Did I just say “totally”?)
It is this site’s job to keep us in hope that we’ll learn something about the film. And it’s Lindelof’s job to make sure we don’t :-) I think we’re all very torn on those objectives. Like others, I just hope we get a few “controlled” morsels of goodies along the way… and I hope this site gets them first!
The actual secret is that this is simply a huge cover for a new movie version of Project Tic-Toc … silver greasepainted aliens, and all..
…
“Why would Bob Orci – a WRITER – have any need to comment on set design?”
As Mr. Orci has reminded us on these very boards, he’s also an EXECUTIVE PRODUCER on the film as well as a WRITER.
Shatner is so in the movie.
*ducks* *runs*
I think they’re doing a good job of keeping stuff secret, but I still want to see the cast in uniform and what the Enterprise looks like.
I hear the movie has a really hilarious scene where the Guardian of Forever tries to hide in Kirk’s backyard.
Ladies and gentelmen…CHILL!!! What he is referring to in his statement about “not your fathers Star Trek” is he is making reference to the SCALE and EPIC nature that almost every person here has stated “must” be a part of the film.
Do you realy think the producer would come HERE and disrespect everyone?
Think about it.
And please…the less spoilers the better!!
They can only keep it totally secret for so long. September and October will roll around and there will be trailers, production images, professional reviews, interviews, plot synopses, you name it. So if they want to keep it a total secret until then, it’s fine with me. We’ll know before too long anyway.
For those of you who are bitching about “this isn’t your father’s Star Trek”:
First of all, you’re all too old to be considered for this films major audience. Sure older and younger people will see the movie, but because of whose been tapped to work on this movie, it’s safe to say that it’s aimed at the 18-25 demographic. Speaking as a member of mainstream socioty who happens to have nerdish tendancies, I can tell you right now, I’m glad that this isn’t my father’s Trek. Sweaty fat guys in lizard costumes? No thank you. Stories that try to force some blowhard’s person views down the viewers throats (can we say Edith Keeler, being the example here that comes right to mind, since you’re great bird forced those words out of her mouth, the original writer had completly different diolouge for her)? Seriously, keep the preachy to yourselfs. Bring on a new design! Bring on new actors! CHANGE SHIT! Let’s get something that we haven’t been watching for forty years! LETS MOVE FORWARD!!!
Do you 40+ people (including yours’ trully — BABY BOOMERS ROCK!!!!!!
#73- Let’s seen now, Edith Keeler — was the most important character in what not only was by far the best ST episode EVER, but perhaps one of the greatest single pieces of SCI FI ever!!!
#73 – You are the perfect example as to why the “younger” generation has no cred. Also, check your facts. This movie is being marketed to the largest audience possible, which includes more people over the age of 30 than there are under the age of 25.
#73:
40 is too old?
Keep watching the calendar, kid; it catches up with you faster than you’d think.
:)
#73
Anyone is free to do anything for the 18-25 demographic. You can have new actors, new designs and change lots of stuff—but then don’t call it Star Trek.
Old designs are part of what makes Star Trek, Star Trek.
#63, #66
What exactly do you expect him to say? He should comment on a comment? Should he come here and explain what the set was and why they went digital? That’s absurd.
I stick by my original assertion, which is that these guys aren’t going to blow secrets from the film so they can address every little nitpick. Maybe the set will end up blowing us all away regardless, and half of us probably won’t realize it’s digital. Stop obsessing over every minute detail.
#76 — You got that right! I remember when I was a snot-nosed 20-something…seems like yesterday.
Enjoy it whilst ye can, young peeps.
As a member of the 18-25 year-old demographic, I would like to immediately disavow everything #73 said.
You didn’t like “The City on the Edge of Forever”? For serious? With all due respect, are you insane?
I think the vast majority of us here would agree that, while costume and even actor changes are fine and good and even necessary (debatably), the *spirit* of STAR TREK is inviolable. Old and young, let’s agree that we couldn’t be happier to see a story of the caliber of “City on the Edge” on the big screen this Christmas–and that, in fact, it’s the most important thing.
Whether or not that is what Mr. Lindelof meant by “your father’s STAR TREK” is up for discussion, but questioning the awesomeness that was TOS… not so much.
#73 — This is one person outside your demographic who has been a Trek fan since the premiere episode of TOS, and I welcome any updating that brings modern production values while keeping the spirit of the original series. I’m anxious to see what Pine, Quintos, Urban, et. al. bring to their roles, and am curious to see how JJ reivents the sets, props, story telling style, etc.
Also… while I am a big fan of Harlan Ellison and had the priviledge of working with him on a project, I still think that City on the Edge of Forever, in its final form, was one of the best things to ever air on telelvsion. (By the way, it was Gene Coon who did the rewrite to Ellison’s script — not the “Great Bird”, Gene Roddenberry).
OK, so I made a comment here that didn’t seem to post. Basically I said that for folks who don’t like spoilers, they shouldn’t look at them. I have been addicted to spoilers since the first time I saw a blurb in Starlog about a new film coming out that had space battles, robots, and things called “lightsabers”. I told all my friends that we should go to this movie on opening day and from that point on I was known as the kid who knew about cool movies in advance.
I love spoilers. I always will.
It’s good to remember this simple fact: for 99% of mundane humanity, the very idea of a new Star Trek movie is essentially still a secret. Indeed, the vast majority of Earth’s population still has not been exposed to Star Trek in any form.
It’s like those new versions of Battlestar Galactica or Dr. Who, which I didn’t even know about until well into their production run. After the new Star Trek movie has been in theaters a month (as #1, hopefully), then and only then will most people start to notice it.
PS At 35 call me old skool, but I like my James Bonds as womanizing cheesey trinket chauvinists, my Dukes of Hazzard stupid red necks, my Transformers cartoony, my GI Joes “Government Issue”, My heros AMERICAN- and kicking Arab and terrorist ASS, My Miami Vices GQed pretty boys, and my Santa Clauses old white dudes (and Im Hispanic). Things are successful for a reason- so will all the hot young whipper snappers just stop going after my icons- go make your own; Ice-T, Pimp Diddy or whatever, Amy Whinehouse, the OC, and whatever that trainwreck of “I love NY” is on MTV.
However which way this film looks, it will be nice to have a different look design wise over the Herman Zimmerman or Richard James aesthetic we’ve been inundated with for 20 years.
#82 Awesome point about Starlog
Look at Superherohype.com and you’ll see all kinds of Iron Man “spoilers.” The movie does come out 4 months, but Iron Man images have been out a while. The images actually make me WANT to see the movie.
What’s the difference between a “spoiler” image and a promotional image?
#69. That was a good one!
#73 –
Why the anger? Star Trek has always “preached,” if you want to describe it as such. In every iteration, it has championed some rather strong messages without any pretense or guise. If it didn’t have something to say, wouldn’t it lose a great deal of its power?
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#75 -
To be fair, every generation’s credibility has suffered on the internet; I’ve seen people of every age post online in like fashion — and worse.
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As for Lindelof, I’m glad he’s keen on secrecy. The thrill of a movie, for me, is in the experience. The longer I have to dwell on a scene I’ve read about, the greater the chance that the it falls short of what I imagine in my head. Also, there’s a fun sense of old school movie-going fun in not knowing. I look forward to that come December!
#86: And there is an awesome trailer that shows “old” Iron Man and new are faithful to the comic, and that Black Sabbath still matters. No-brainer and high-fives all around for that one. Iron Man fans are on the edges of seats for this one.
For some reason, Trek fans are not worthy enough to be exposed to such preliminary coolness. Yet.
#73 Writes:
“Speaking as a member of mainstream socioty who happens to have nerdish tendancies”
and:
” Seriously, keep the preachy to yourselfs.”
“Socioty?” “tendancies?” “yourselfs?”
New can mean improved, but not necessarily, as per my post in #14. Sometimes new can mean a lack of concern with what is thoughtful and tested by time. The above is a case in point.
#73
Maybe you should become less mini and more Kirk before speaking again.
Ahhh. My peoples. We reach.
Only one more week until the teaser trailer.
Can you dig it?
Haven’t read through all the posts. And I seem to remember someone else said something like this in another article.
OK: so yes, I think they’re being a little over-the-top on the secrecy. What would I know. They should still be able to find a reasonable balance.
I mean, come on:
- If Star Wars could do it, why can’t Star Trek?
- Have the suits behind Trek not been influenced by Star Wars in the past?
- Is it really Abram’s direction to be so secret or is it Paramount?
Anyone know how George Lucas (who essentially controls the entire Star Wars franchise) allowed fans access to different levels of movie / production information based on the type of membership (free vs. premium) on the Star Wars web site?
Oh that’s right: Paramount doesn’t have a Star Trek web site. (am I correct?)
I can’t be the only one who thinks there is a financial opportunity here for Paramount..
*sigh* OK, my rant is over.. :-)
I equate the spoilers almost the same as having read the book before seeing the movie. Chances are usually the movie is not as good as the book, and you walk away from the movie being hugely disappointed that it didn’t live up to the expectations that your imagination had already conceived.
I’d like to throw in that the “not your father’s trek” is a loose quote of the 80’s tv commercials featuring none other than Shatner and Nimoy along with their real-life kids, saying this is “not your father’s Oldsmobile”. The sad part was, they were right. In the 80s, Olds sucked! Is that what we can expect from “not your father’s Star Trek”?
I cannot agree with Mr. Lindelof.
A bit official informations didn’t ruin Star Wars Episode 1 or the other 2, nor ruined it the LOTR movies, nor ruined it King Kong, nor will it ruin Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull. We knew many things of that movies before they were released (except vor Indy). Seeing the design of the Naboo fighter or the ringwraiths or Hobbiton, or the V-Rex before the films show up in cinema, made myself more exiting about them and I was not disappointed (with the exception of Episode 1).
I understand why many don’t want to know anything before the releasdate, but on the other hand, the disappointment afterwards might be bigger than ever (what ever your Star Trek taste prefers).
And I can’t see how uniform designs or set design should ruin a movie, when it’s done with passion and intelligence (well, the Big E exterior might be something different in that case).
BTW:
“Not your daddy’s Star Trek” (Lindelof)
What mean’s that?
1.) It’s completly different, it’s only called Star Trek.
2.) It’s bigger, it’s louder, it’s faster, it’s full with SFX and VFX. But it’s still Star Trek.
If it means that, I prefer the second one.
*sigh* ;)
*opening mouth, inserting foot*
So, now I feel sheepish about what I said back in #93. Forgot about the news posted January 9th about Paramount’s plans to launch a site dedicated to the movie. Still, here’s hoping for some juicy tidbits on that site, other than the trailer, about what we’ll seen December!