Smith, Grunberg and Wright Talk About Star Trek October 20, 2008
by TrekMovie.com Staff , Filed under: Star Trek (2009 film) , trackback
The world has to wait until next May to see the new Star Trek movie, but it it appears that if you are a friend of JJ Abrams you may have already seen it. In the last week a number of people in the ‘circle of trust’ have been talking about the new Star Trek movie, including Kevin Smith, Greg Grunberg, and Edgar Wright. See below for what they have to say.
Smith: Star Trek has gusto
Although he started being evasive, Kevin Smith has become a bit of an unofficial spokesperson for Star Trek. His latest ‘review’ comes from an interview with Collider. Here are some excerpts [language warning]:
Q: Why does Star Trek work?
KS: Star Trek works in a way where you’re sitting there going, I can’t believe this works. I remember when they announced it, I felt like look, it’s one thing to introduce a whole new cast of characters. It’s another thing if you’re going to take the original characters, have other people play them, and do a Muppet Babies version of Star Trek. But it fucking works like gangbusters. The credit goes to JJ and his writers, but definitely to the cast. They pull it off. Chris Pine, who plays Captain Kirk in the movie, does not do a William Shatner impression, but, at the same time, he’s unmistakably Captain Kirk. He just brings all the brio, the gusto, everything about Kirk except Shatner’s deliver to bear on the character. It doesn’t disavow anything that’s gone before. It lives side by side with everything that’s gone before in Star Trek lore, in the movies, and the TV show. He did a great, great job. It’s totally a fun movie.Q: How was Simon Pegg as Scotty?
KS: Simon Pegg was good. I don’t want to spoil too much because they made me sign an NDA as well. But he’s not right front and center right away. He comes into the movie later. I’m not going to compare it to Blues Brothers, but it’s definitely a bringing the band back together even though they’ve never been together movie. So the characters come in slowly. Slowly they bring in character by character. And Scotty’s the last one they bring in. But he’s pitch perfect.
Is Grunberg in?
Greg Grunberg is JJ Abrams best friend and has popped up in some kind of role in almost every JJ Abrams production. So is he in the new Star Trek? IESB posed the question to him and Grunberg acted very coy, and kept mugging and saying "he can’t talk about it." Watch the video to judge for yourself [another language warning].
TrekMovie.com has confirmed that Grunberg did not shoot a scene during principal photography. Apparently there was a part for him but his schedule did not allow. However, sources will not confirm or deny that Grunberg worked his way into the movie during post-production.
Wright is lucky too
If you missed the mention in our Sci-Fi roundup, Simon Pegg’s buddy and collaborator Edgar Wright also seems to have seen the movie. Here is what he wrote on his myspace blog
I am a lucky bastard…
Yesterday I saw a film that does not get released until next summer.
I can’t say much more than that, except that it delivers all the goods sorely lacking from a certain trio of prequels.Exciting stuff.
That is all.
Abrams talking about Smith and Pegg
Speaking about Pegg, if you didn’t catch this last week, MTV has a bonus video of JJ Abrams being asked about why Kevin Smith saw the movie and he also talks about how he showed Simon Pegg part of the film and it made him weep.
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Comments»
I’m seriously wishing JJ was my best friend right about now.
Such language!
That’s it, I really am beginning to think Nimoy’s Spock does a (another?) swansong, dying as a result of preserving the past… All the talk about the emotional story, EW’s claim that fans will cry heresy etc. I dunno but, I am getting majorly amped for this! Bring on Nov. 14 then May 2k9!
When I saw the pictures of the bridge of the ship, I wasn’t too sure that this movie will work. But after reading this, I feel a bit better. This is a big risk for Paramount to make.
“I can’t say much more than that, except that it delivers all the goods sorely lacking from a certain trio of prequels.”
Lucas got pwned! Let the flame wars begin…
how do i become jj’s bff?
Oh no – pleaso No – not again.
:(
“It’s totally a fun movie.”
YES, YES, YES. Thank you!! Trek will be fun again.
jesus, who HASN’T seen this movie???
probably for free, too…
They didnt do stuff like this with the first 10 movies. I think this is all very lame, because I’ve seen nothing. I mean if there’s anyone who deserves to see it now, its me. This really upsets me. These guys aren’t worthy. What are you doing to my Star Trek, Sir JJ™??
THE WOMEN!!
=h=
“FORM OF A BIRD”
“SHAPE OF JJ ABRAMS BLACKBERRY!!!”
When Edgar Wright actually makes a real film and stops pretending to be a filmmaker, he’ll probably be less ready to criticise George Lucas in EVERY SINGLE INTERVIEW OR PUBLIC APPEARANCE. It really is tiresome. Know what George was making when he was 33 – Star Wars. When he was 29 – American Graffiti. And what have you been doing at that age – PASTICHE after PASTICHE after PASTICHE. Filled with references to OTHER PEOPLE’S FILMS. The reason why – because George actually has studied other things, he’s studied world mythology and made that the basis for an extraordinary set of films. What about you Edgar? The most wondrous moment in your life was when you saw A New Hope. The biggest crisis was when you saw The Phantom Menace. That’s why you can’t make a real film. When you do, maybe I’ll listen when you continually attack one of the most important figures in the history of cinema.
As far as Star Trek goes, this all sounds pretty good.
If it weren’t for Star Trek, there’d have been no Star Wars. If not for Star Wars, there’d be no movie Star Trek. Paramount Studios would have folded, as would have 20th Century Fox without these films. It’s the most incestuous time-looping co-dependent pair of franchises in the universe.
to paraphrase Lucas and Shatner: It’s only a movie. Get over it. Andget out of my way when I’m going to buy my tickets!
Now I can go back to my drooling anticipation of seeing The Trailer before Quantum of Solace next month…
The Star Wars prequels weren’t THAT bad IMHO… Vader putting on the suit in III was killer.
#6
You have to MacGuyver him.
You need a black 1ft x1ft box with a big “?” mark painted on it. Place in the box one unused stick of chewing gum, a handful of skittles, a used Obama ‘08 campaign button, a half-eaten Macintosh apple, white smoke from a burnt coconut, 1 cup of sand.
Mail it to him and tell him he can never open it, but if he can correctly guess it’s contents you will grace him with your presense at a Star Trek prescreening. Then utterly lie to him and tell him he got it exactly right the first time he guesses even though you know he’s completely wrong when he guesses M&M’s instead of Skittles.
There you go! You’re his BFF and you get to see the movie anytime you want.
People that havent seen the new Star Trek,,,,
top of the list..
ME !!
Sweet!!! Though the film is just gearing up for its promotional phase, you know they wouldn’t ask Smith about it if he didn’t like the movie.
When he doesn’t like something, he fires on all thrusters!
Like that he mentions the crew assembly format, like TMP.
Grunberg is most likely being added as a picture on a viewscreen.
So the crew are introduced gradually, and not in one scene.
It seems as though the events of the film gradually builds the crew we know and love.
A gradual transition between Pike’s crew and Kirk’s crew, I suspect.
I really hope it is as much fun as Kevin Smith claims.
I am going to see this movie no matter what!
Out of all the interviews we’ve seen from people attached to the film attempting to describe it without giving anything away, this quote from Kevin Smith is by far the best and funniest I have seen:
“It’s another thing if you’re going to take the original characters, have other people play them, and do a Muppet Babies version of Star Trek”
He also seems to imply, that no matter how difficult it may seem to us for this type of re-invention to stay true to canon, it somehow, unbelievably does…
12. Major coolness. Seems as though Abrams, despite NOT being a Trekker, has made a movie that the complete nutcases among us (self included) might actually like. Surely it’s good news that a fanboy like Kevin Smith had such a great reaction.
Though I confess I’m wracking my brain over what that “heresy” might be. Must be something in the Enterprise backstory. Pike??
Let’s bring the band back together… may 2009
;))
why isnt it 2009 yet!!!????!??!?!
gad damn it jim!
Has Shatner seen it yet? I heard he was good friends with JJ.
;-)
LOVE the fact that Pegg is such a geek that he cried when seeing the trailer. I know I will…
What it all comes down to is story and characterization. I think we all from time to time scrutinize Trek too much: what came before, how this looks, how it was done then etc. But if we’d all emulate the best of our favorite crew(s) we would go in embracing the changes as well as what is familiar! ‘Heresy’ be darned, Trek Lives!!
yay its super special awsome!
seriously though I’m happy so far.. just don’t screw up the look of the enterprise and we should be good.. canon be damned!!
whoa.. talk about timing…
The Star Wars prequels were OK… the problem with them wasn’t really *them*, it was the success and originality of the original trilogy.
When the original trilogy came out, they were revolutionary – no one had seen special effects like that before, and the storyline was something that nobody had even imagined before (well, not strictly true – a lot of it is based on Japanese mythology, but ‘cos its set in a sci-fi context, nobody noticed).
When the new trilogy came out, everyone expected them to be just as original and revolutionary. And Lucas tried to deliver in the same way as last time – by pushing the boat out on the special effects. Unfortunately, he ended up with three films that looked more like computer games than films. They have none of the grittiness or reality of the original three.
But yes – the Vader mask scene in Episode III made it all worthwhile! Let’s just hope that the same mistakes aren’t made again with Trek, but by the sound of things, everything’s going to be wicked cool!
I first suspected this movie would be good when I saw the teaser at the cinema and my cousin (avid non-Trekkie – thinks its geeky) turned to me and said ‘that looks really good! What do you know about it?’ When I told her that it had Eric Bana, Karl Urban and Chris Pine in it, she was very pleased.
That’s the thing with this film! It’s not really hit mainstream media yet – although its starting to filter through – but non-Trekkies are starting to get really interested in it!
It’s interesting to note that he definitely did bring a trailer of some sort to Comic-Con this summer.
AD:
Lucas peaked with Empire, which he didn’t direct.
He is important in the annals of cinema as a driver of studio profitability and a perspicacious view of the value of merchandizing rights. He created Star Wars.
His apparent knowledge of classical epic storytelling didn’t rescue the crap prequel trilogy, nor did it seem to affect the brainless wonder of Crystal Skull, which he is known to have dumbed down for general consumption. Now, Star Wars is a cartoon on cable. Good riddance.
While I haven’t made any films, I
Re: 29, Agreed… My greatest hope is that this flick brings Trek more level in the entertainment playing field, as well as phasering the socks off us! I know I will love it! (Props to Yoda kicking butt in the prequels too!)
the star was prequels couldve been much better if:
less CG….more physical FX and sets
no Jar Jar
Anakin had been in his 20s in Ep 1 and Christan Bale had been cast instead of ‘Mannequin’ Skywalker Hayden Christian (hey they got the wrong Christian LOL)…Audiences wouldve been more emotionally involved had Anakin been played by the same actor in the 3 films…plus by a better actor…..whenever i watch the Bale/Neeson mentoring scenes in Batman Begins (particulaly the sword fight on the ice) i cant help but think how great stuff like that wouldve been in the Star Wars prequels…:(
also maybe had Attack of the Clones as Ep I – with Phantom just flashback and references – and Ep II had been all out Clone Wars (although not that essiential…Phantom wouldve prob worked fine up Anakin had been older and no Jar Jar)
they bring in character by character.
VERY GOOD NEWS.
These new comments are making me feel a ton better. When I saw that pic of the bridge I was a bit dubious, but i couldn’t pass a hard comment like that.
Maybe Mr Grunberg is playing Admiral Parkman and trying to read the minds of the crew
9
Agree — people who have been lucky enough to see movie should keep their traps shut.
Notice that although all of them are gushing about the film in vague terms, such as “it works,” they never really say HOW it works. And they certainly never touch on how much the film fits in with the rest of established Star Trek.
Me want to see movie.
As long as it’s fun as Revenge of the Sith.
36: If for no other reason that the rest of us want to poke them with pitchforks until they give DETAILS….
I think Edgar Wright is talking about Wolverine.
The one thing I hope want to know from someone who has seen the film is how well does the chemestry between Kirk, Spock and Bones work. Is the bond really there, or is it the forced “oh we’re supposed to have this emotional bond” between a certain young Jedi and his closest associates in the aformentioned prequels.
TNG and the later shows were ensemble pieces. Everyone, even Harry Kim, got their own episode. TOS was about the guy in the center seat and his two buddies in blue.
Does that translate into the new movie? Tell me that, and then don’t spoil TOO much over the next 6 months or so.
I’m betting that the “heresy” is that Captain Christopher Pike will DIE!!!! I don’t know why, I just get that feeling due to this time travel thing, and that will explain a few things (including the redesigned look of the big E herself). Perhaps “Old Spock” knows that Pike is better off sacrificing himself in a heroic way that changes history, including his very own fate. Maybe Pike dies as an even bigger hero and it sets a whole new set of events into place. Ya never know!!!!
#36
Mr. Orci,
You haven’t even seen your own movie yet? That’s too bad.
Wasn’t this movie supposed to be like Star Wars? Don’t slame SW in the same breath when you admit you’re trying to copy it.
#36-Am I even remotely in the right ballpark, or is it a hockey rink, instead? LOL
Just a couple of notes:
1) I get the idea that the ‘heresy’ is in the beginning, where it has been said that something happens against ‘canon’, probably as a result of Nero’s interference.
2) I’m still getting the ‘Friends in Space’ feeling from this, where everyone knows everyone else from the beginning (I LIKE Capt. Terrell’s comment in WoK: “I’ve never even MET Adm. Kirk.”). It appears that McCoy is part of the crew from the begining and there is neither Bryce or Gary Mitchell at all. It even may be that Kirk and McCoy are cadets together and there goes the age difference. (Idea I JUST had- maybe THIS is the ‘Heresy’?? And perhaps the uniforms we see in the one shot are this movie’s versions of the old Pike-era ones.)
3) Maybe Grunberg’s cameo is a voice-over? BTW, is there any word on Majel doing the computer voices again?
Another guess I make is that the scene where Chekov is found to be subspace googling Orion women in Tribble bikinis was cut… J/k, heh.
Some people likes Spiderman II or superman returns too….
Sorry I will have to see it to believe it, and have in mind i will be extremely strict and will not do any favors when grading this.
They have a legendary movie on their hands, legendary characters, and a sci fi background were you could do anything.
I am expecting near perfection… if its anything else.. I will yawn.
I want to be amazed. I have gone to too many blockbuster movies, thinking GESH I could write a better story than THAT! Ok Im a genius, but these guys are being payed millions to think of something good!
PS. there is nothing like a die hard TOS fan. I also think all other star trek series or movies without the original cast were stupid and degraded the spirit and zest of the TOS series. Especially DS9 boldly staying put in one location in Space… what a disgrace!
#49 Spocks Brain
“I also think all other star trek series or movies without the original cast were stupid and degraded the spirit and zest of the TOS series. Especially DS9 boldly staying put in one location in Space… what a disgrace!”
And yet DS9 was the most innovative and intriguing of the Trek shows and definitely a great show. Funny how that works. :) (That said, TNG is still my favorite.)
@36 Mr Orci – right on!
I feel a big clamp down coming.
….and the adventure continues….
DS9 was terrible. All the CGI battles couldn’t save the hammy acting from the villains. It’s a sad day when Kai Winn gets more lines than Sisko.
By the way, I have seen the movie, and Smith and Wright are right — it is phenomenal! The way they tied it in with not only the Star Trek movies but the Star Wars movies, as well, was awesome, and the effects were very nifty! Tom Cruise is outstanding as a balding, overweight, foul-mouthed Klingon and Gerald McRaney’s cameo as McCoy’s father is just superb. The rest of the cast was okay. I thought William Shatner’s surprise appearance seemed a bit forced and unnecessary , though.
I don’t know how, but J.J. makes this movie work! Go see it!
:-D
Oh, and kudos to Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman, of course! What an outstanding script they wrote! Having the tribble turn out to be older Kirk in disguise? Whoa… never saw that coming.
:-D
44
Of course I’ve seen it.
All this makes me feel like I don’t like JJ. He’s seems too cool for school. Why show this movie to all his cool friends? To make sure he didn’t do anything wrong? I really am getting a bad feeling about this. Somebody isn’t going to like this movie, and most likely will be the general public. We will like it, but I don’t think that anybody else will and then Paramount will stop making Trek movie all together. Why didn’t P try this hard for the last TNG movie? Sorry but I don’t like JJ showing this movie to people that don’t or didn’t have anything to do with it. Who is cooler than us that they get to see the movie? A secret? Somebody will spill the beans on the main plot and we are going to be the ones to suffer for it.
#42 “The one thing I hope want to know from someone who has seen the film is how well does the chemestry between Kirk, Spock and Bones work. Is the bond really there, or is it the forced “oh we’re supposed to have this emotional bond” between a certain young Jedi and his closest associates in the aformentioned prequels.”
I have the same concerns, since, for me, that is what Trek is all about. These three guys and how they face the dangerous unknowns of space and how it affects them. The good news is that I read that Pine was brought in to do a screen test with Quinto. So they truly are looking for that Kirk/Spock connection and the fact that it took so long to cast Pine tells me they looked long and hard until they found that right personality that complimented Quinto. (and hopefully Urban as well)
Shatner, Nimoy and Kelly were able to connect and make the first episode filmed (Corbomite Maneuver) feel like theyd been acting together for 20 years. It’s a rare thing and all we can do is hope for the best, but at least we know JJ looked for that connection in his auditions and screen tests.
#55
I know. Just playing along :)
#55
yes but have you seen it twice? :P
52:
DS9 had probably some of the most complex villains in Star Trek’s history. You can’t rehash the same old ‘we’re on a ship flying around the galaxy’ every series, look at what happened to Voyager. At least DS9 tried something different and I for one give it credit for having balls to shake things up a bit.
And hammy acting? Have you seen DS9? I thought it was TOS that had hammy acting! ;)
#56 “Sorry but I don’t like JJ showing this movie to people that don’t or didn’t have anything to do with it. ”
You’re kidding , right?
53: You are a bad, bad boy.
Man, we’re gonna know the entire plot of the movie before it comes out next year.
DS9 was ok. It wasn’t great Star Trek but it was a decent, if not sometimes soapy, sci-fi drama about people living on a space station. The best of the spin-offs, no doubt.
#53:
Yeah, but the cameo by Jar Jar Binks was just a tad much, don’t you think?
And that shuttle-pod race was a blatant rip-off…
:-P
#61 No I’m not kidding. Aside from top brass and actors and producers and all those people, what the people who have seen have done is all ready said too much, it’s worse than a spoiler. Of course they are going to say how well it works, what are they gonna say? “Sorry, but that part doesn’t work….” No, because if K Smith says he doesn’t like something about it he won’t get to be in the next one or see it next time. It’s infuriating, Worse than spoilers is some “cool guys” empty opinion.
Hmm. The heresy?
Thing is, on one hand we’ve heard that the film opens in the TNG era and on the other, we’ve heard that the film opens with the USS Kelvin being attacked. Could it be that the Kelvin goes wanders through an open time warp into the TNG era and gets attacked there?
That could mean we’re potentially dealing with Leonard Nimoy playing an alternate future Spock from the outset. It would also have allowed for Shatner to potentially cameo as an alternate Kirk who didn’t die in the previous version of events.
#67 Good theory. That would be a cool way to handle it. And heresy shmeresy. I like the originality of going into an alternate timeline where they DON’T have to adhere to schmanon.
Smith says they bring Scotty in last, that’s why JJ should not have let him see it. That’s the kind of thing I don’t want to know.
” Oh! No JJ, but I’m not getting it, does little boy Kirk wreck the car going to fast down that country lane, or was driving at all?”
I have *not* seen the movie.
I agree that those who have should close their traps. Perhaps they should call a plumber to seal their traps. However, I also am *not* Joe the Plumber. I also am not Joe Biden. Nor Ensign Joe. Nor Joe Straczynski. Nor Joe Namath. Nor Joe Mahmah.
I think boborci ’saw’ the movie “first” since he and AK wrote it. ;)
Heresy = Kirk in a car racing through a corn field.
DS9 and ENTERPRISE are the only trek series I have not watched in their entirety…
They bored me to death…
I prefer to play self induced re-runs of TOS that watching that crap.
#69 Well, of course Scotty comes in last… when he’s called in to replace Welshy! ;)
[67] The Kelvin Attack is before Jims birth, Dom… of course the ship can slip into the future, the romulans hijack it and steer it through the already closing interdimensional rift back to the past and start their evil deeds…
What I want to know is why so many “Star Trek Fans” crap on anything that’s not TOS or TNG. If that is some kind of mentality than “they” really will not like the new movie. #72 You will hate the new movie.
Voyager already had a shuttle pod race.
#72 You really have no idea about star trek at all do? you simply don’t understand it, what its about , what it means, about IDIC or anything, you’re very bigoted individual.
I feel sorry for you and your closed mind.
please change your screen name because its an isult to that character and all he stands for.
#77 Thank you. Tell us more. Some need to hear it.
The more people talking about the new film the better, in my opinion. It’s creating awareness that Star Trek is coming back. So what if he’s showing it to his friends. If you were making films that were as big as this I’m sure you’d want to show it to your friends, no? JJ has shown it to the select few – so that they can go forth and generate the buzz.
75: I wonder the same thing. And when people trash TOS they get the strops…
77
Why don’t you explain it for us?
Lol. every one of these threads always devolves into fighting.
hmm… think Grunberg might be the computer voice?
#81 I’ll say something nice if somebody else will.
83: I love you guys.
Nice enough?
#81
LOL – well, I’m finished lurking. I’m off to have sex with my beautiful wife. You boys keep arguing canon and ST heresy. ;-)
# 80 I’ll explain it. I am a Star Trek Fan. I love it. Every single bit of it, all of it. I like ST 5. I like Nemesis, I even like ST 9. I love Porthos and Spot. I like Harry Kim being sad because he can’t get a girlfriend, I like Janeways voice, and Troys mother and Picards bald head and the shape of photon torpedo tubes and I like Kirks death scene and I like Odos bad breath and Siscos big butt, and Major Kiras funky nose and I like ……. I like TrekMovie.com and you and The Experience, and B-4 and Schinzon and Romulan ale. What color is Romulan ale Star Trek Fan? And do you love it being that color?
So, that’s it!!! SHATNER was not in principal photography… but MAY APPEAR in post-produciton work!
I don’t hate TNG and its successors, but I’ve never seen them as proper Star Trek, because so many of their fundamental philosophies clash with what I consider to be the core message of Star Trek.
In TNG, the Prime Directive has been reinterpreted into something cruel enough that in Homeward they are willing to countenance the deaths of an entire race to avoid socio-economic problems.
In our ‘unevolved’ era, if we found out a race of primitive people were about to be blown up on a volcanic island, you can bet the media would run endless stories and some humanitarian organisation would try so save them.
Also, the Federation seems more like a ‘benign tyranny’ than a loose UN-style grouping of various worlds. I’m uncomfortable with the ‘evolved’ humans of TNG and its ilk: if that’s how humans have to be, maybe it’s better that we all curl up and die now! And, for me, the portrayal of Vulcans really misses the mark!
I had fun with some 80s-2000s Treks, but they will never seem as ‘real’ to me as the new film will. They’re still good shows, at times great. But I can never see them as proper Star Trek!
Sorry.
As I say before
JJ Abrams better not screw up Star Trek.
By the way TNG was a great Sci Fi show and still continues to be great, TNG is up there with TOS.
Just don’t forget the spin offs. Just because JJ is involved doesn’t gurantee a hit. I seriously believe that this one guy is overrated.
WHY, exactly, is it worth arguing over this stuff? Some of us prefer some versions of “Star Trek” to others. Big whoop. Let’s resolve to be “big tent” Trek fans, eh?
I for one, I’m hoping the picture we saw of the crew on the bridge isn’t actually the big E but some sort of academy simulator or a different ship. The Apple store feel to it just doesn’t seem right, and I don’t think it ever will. Perhaps they can do a “re-fit” after all the characters come together. JJ must realize that the big E is just as much an important character in Star Trek as the big 3 ( Kirk, Spock & Bones ) so treat it as such.
Would you consider the destruction of the planet Vulcan heresy?
37. The TOS Purist aka The Purolator – October 20, 2008
“Notice that although all of them are gushing about the film in vague terms, such as “it works,” they never really say HOW it works. And they certainly never touch on how much the film fits in with the rest of established Star Trek.”
Look up the term… “non-disclosure agreement.”
More blather and shilling.
Like Xai often says, we will just have to wait and see.
Nothing any of these people close to the production have to say means anything to me other than they are trying to promote the movie. Tthese out-of-context photos really don’t do much either.
I still have serious doubts about this thing, but none of this stuff has changed my view for better or worse.
” I’m not going to compare it to Blues Brothers…”
…He just gave away what really happened in the Kobiyashi Maru scenario!
[Scene: Klingon Border. Kirk orders his crew to ram the three advancing Klingon vessels. At the last second, the ship spins up and moves perpendicular to the three ships. This is when the 40+ ships following Kirk's ship at high speed come out of cloak and ram into the front three ships. In less than two minutes of screentime, the area is littered with Klingon ships, all piled into one another in the greatest starship pileup in the history of motion pictures.. After a few beats to let the audience sink in to what's just happened, a Klingon officer pops an airlock, jumps out on the hull of his ship, and screams 'Tera'ngan ghuy'cha!" and starts firing his disruptor at Kirk's ship. Suddenly several dozen Klingon warriors all jump out of their ships and start doing the same.]
…Or, better still:
Spock: It’s 106 light-yearsto Vulcan, we got a full tank of dilithium, half a bottle of saurian brandy, it’s dark, and you’re still wearing a black shirt.
Kirk: Engage!
Shatner should be the computer voice.
what the heck? Abrams completely avoided most of those questions. that was pointless and stupid.
You guys are hilarious…having the writer come out to say he’s seen his own movie.
Bob: I hope you liked it!
I think This will be a prequel that actually Rocks!! unlike Those Horrible Star Wars Prequels…..Come on Those Weren’t the REAL Star Wars Prequel Movies Were they??? Just Demo Reels right? At least ILM will Finally Be involved with a Good Prequel Film This Time around. I can’t Get over the Ugly Bridge though.
Blah, blah, blah, talk, talk, talk.
How us some freaking images from the movie already!!!
Oh…wait…:p :) Nevermind.
If they can’t get the simple stuff right, why the hell should I trust them with the big stuff?
With all due respect to Kevin, not believin’ it. Sorry, dude.
#102 – Who are “they” and by whose standards is it not “right?” Are Roberto and Alex now also in charge of the set designs that I’m not aware of?
I think its hilarious how some fans react to the comments of those who do nothing but praise the film. Whether you have any faith in their opinions or not, it certainly shouldn’t make you uneasy. That makes no sense.
I love the pictures, I enjoy the past work of the creative team, and I think a return to the wonderful characters of TOS is long overdue.
I have seen or heard nothing that dissuades me from the feeling that this will be the best thing we’ve seen out of Star Trek since 1982. I fully embraced the changes then, and I am prepared to embrace them now.
Great stuff over the past few days…And I can’t wait for the trailer.
90. captain_neill – October 20, 2008
As I say before
“JJ Abrams better not screw up Star Trek….”
_That a threat?
“By the way TNG was a great Sci Fi show and still continues to be great, TNG is up there with TOS.”
-I agree. I revere TOS as the original, but TNG was the next step and because it didn’t exactly echo TOS doesn’t make it lesser Trek.
“Just don’t forget the spin offs. Just because JJ is involved doesn’t gurantee a hit.”
-I agree, but the possibility is there.
“I seriously believe that this one guy is overrated.”
-Sorry, I don’t agree with that. Are you always this positive?
#55 – By the way Bob Orci, if I happen to refer to you in a post, and since it is fair game since you are a frequenter here, do you prefer Bob or Roberto or anything in particular?
102. Captain Robert April – October 20, 2008
“If they can’t get the simple stuff right, why the hell should I trust them with the big stuff?
With all due respect to Kevin, not believin’ it. Sorry, dude.”
You saw the movie too?
Wow.
Oh, Nowwwwww I get it. Prejudice again.
Captain, with respect, I suggest you stay home. You either can’t or won’t handle any changes. You’ve already made up your mind. Right?
It’s amazing how people seem to praise the Gods awful books, but at the same time slam the movie which hasn’t even been out yet.
#106 Maybe he likes “Robo-bob”. Probably not. I think “Bertie” is right out too. And don’t even start with the “Doritoboy” business again!
I’m just glad he’s here. I’m looking forward to May 2009 when he can answer so many questions…. unless of course, he’s going to say he has to wait until Star Trek XII is released. And then XIII, and then XIV, etc. ;)
#95 Stanky,
What would it take to change your mind about the movie for the worse? That all the actors and other film staff eat small children and kill puppies?
JJ,
Want to be friends? I’ll buy you lunch….Up to a $20 budget…and it’s on me. It’s on me.
Has Grunberg been in Fringe yet? I’ve only seen the Pilot (Forgive me Mr Orci, I’m gonna catch up)?
I won’t be an apologist for Bob and Alex. If the film stinks, they already know it.
What I’d like to think, as a fan who has adored Star Trek since it was in syndication in the early 1970s, is that these guys get it, and they love it.
I get the impression from Mr. Orci’s brief messages that he wishes he could spill the beans to us, and drink 20 beers and wax nostalgic about the thing. He seems to lurk and post a few quips, but says less than nothing ’cause he can’t.
I actually cannot wait to get him fully available.
If we have to asK “What the hell were you thinking?” He’ll answer If it’s a super success, he’ll answer, too.
Lucky b@st@rds.
Y’know, it’s got me thinking….
With the great photos that have been released, who’s missing?
Scotty.
Yeah, he’s in the cast shot, but way in the background. There are a couple of pics of Cho solo as Sulu. Where’s a good shot of Pegg?
Oh, and Greenwood as Pike.
And no, I still DON’T WANT to see the Enterprise yet.
At least, not until I can be like Kevin Smith and Greg Gunberg and Edgar Wright and SEE THE DANG MOVIE!!!!!!
I’m done now.
In JJ’s world Grunberg is tv ugly.
Not real people ugly but TV Ugly!
In a world of pretty perfect looking Hollywood types,
ya need a lovable fat guy to bring everyone down to earth!
God knows that shit worked for him on all that ABC Crap!
Is it me, or is Heroes just really hard to watch?
#92 and to everyone else who still thinks it’s a training room/Kobiyashi Maru
I assume that you guys do have basic reading skills, right?
If you click on the MTV link(or the picture) and actually read the article it clearly states:
***
- The set you see in the photo is the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and not a training room.
- When asked why Kirk was wearing black instead of the standard yellow captain’s shirt, Lindelof said that the black uniform is “significant” to the story surrounding this scene.
- Abrams was insistent that every piece of equipment on the bridge serve a legitimate purpose — that they all have “functionality.” According to Lindelof, the maps we see in the background near the top of the communications desk were based on the generally accepted layout of the Star Trek universe.
***
This has been up for days.
The fact that some people STILL don’t know about this is amazing.
#117
Good points
#116
Since I just enjoyed the latest episode, as far as I know it’s you.
116:
Enterprise, I gave it a real try in season one, but Heroes just bored me to tears. Saving the cheerleader, etc? Yawn.
I think current ratings issues will most likely get Heroes canceled. I’m happy that Zachary Quinto came from it, at any rate.
I applaud Kevin Smith’s quality use of ‘adjectives’ to describe this movie…there can’t be much doubt about what his opinion is, lol!
I have to feel for JJ, Orci, Kurtzman and co. in a way. I’ve put together amateur little video productions on my Mac for friends for birthdays, weddings, etc…I’ve always looked forward to seeing their reactions. I can only imagine how the ST producers, writers, actors and crew must feel, having to wait another half a year for a whole world that is eagerly anticipating their work. Especially when it is described as “f**king awesome”, haha! Bring on May 2009, it should be a good time.
121:
Chingatchkook:
I spelled it out, BTW.
I hope, so much, that Trek XI will be a good time. As fans, we realize that, if Trek XI sucks, the franchise dies.
I thought the Enterprise series was decent, except for a few characters.
#122
Hi AJ,
Ya, I know…force of habit on my part when I write out e-mails. I always get a laugh out of well placed ‘euphemisms’ :-)
@ 117 Regula One:
Kai Kassai! (How many of you know THAT phrase?)
You’ve made this rogue Vulcan crack a smile. Score one for logic and reading skills.
idk…maybe the film WILL be another Wrath of Khan or First Contact and not bomb like The Final Frontier or Nemesis but I always thought a better team to make the new Trek film would’ve been the team that made Farscape :) anyone agree?
“Star Trek 90210″ will be cool, even if the bridge was obviously designed by Apple. Its the iBridge. The Big E will be augmented with new curvey-things, spinney lights, a retro radar dish, and Movie-era lettering. Big deal. Bandai will sell more $100 snap-together models than they will be able to make.
JJ, just let the IDEA of Trek sell itself … let the command crew just be some dudes discovering a dream that even they didn’t expect to find. Let them arise from a cynical Earth that is TIRED; tired of decades of (Romulan) war, tired of politics, tired of corruption … let them THINK that they are just going on a “mission” on an over-priced showboat for the benefit of politicians. UNTIL even they become inspired by how the “new approach” brings out the best in human nature. Let most characters find their back to their better selves … and let them inspire us in the process.
Yeah, let Trek be a little Gospel story.
‘Cause if it is just another time-travelly-kitsch bullshit costume reunion we will all hate it, hate you, and kinda hate ourselves for falling in love with it like a hot girl before finding out she is a heartless bitch.
and I still despise Bruce Greenwood as Pike…my choice for Pike would’ve been either Ben Browder or Michael Shanks…but either of them would’ve stolen the film from Chris Pine LOL…
They’ve managed to keep all details of The Enterprise quiet. How do they pull this off?
I’m very excited to see it.
105 Xai
Perhaps I was a tad harsh when I call the guy overrated. Just everyone praises this guy as a genius where as what I get from his stuff is mediocre annd whipped from elelments of other TV shows
I just find writers such a Ron Moore, Chris Carter and David E Kelly much better than this guy everyone reveres.
What I see from JJ is a writer whose work makes me go meh and a guy who is changing everyone about my favourite show.
I hope I am wrong about JJ but just the vibe I get.
- …except Shatner’s deliver to bear on the character. -
Ah yes, I remember – that’s what made Kirk so special…
Most of the team from Farscape made Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith – the makeup team of Farscape did all the creatures for ROTS, so once again Lucas bashers are wrong.
These writers are all pals of course they will say it works
Everyone is sucking JJ ’s ass these days. I want manny Coto in charge of Star Trek
There she is!!!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31621699@N03/?saved=1
the Enterprise as landed
134- is this real?
I hate those nacelles too comic like.
What has JJ done?
It seems Abrams is going to do to me what Berman did to a lot of you
If this is real, I believe its been sneaked out of the trailer showing.
or given the information we have been getting a very good fake picture.
either way I still think the klingon ships shouldn’t dwarf the Enterprise.
The engines in that picture are consistent with the single enigine of the Kelvin. But I think it’s a (good) fake. By the way, that Enterprise would be fine.
Fatman Bruno is out there. he can’t be bargained with. he can’t be reasoned with, and he absolutely will not stop, ever, until he has a real picture of the Enterprise!!!
Smell like a FAAAAAAAAAAAAAKEEEEEEEEEEEE! to me
Holy Cow! Is that pic real???
Its probs a good fake, but i’d be happy if that was the big E!
GIVE US CLARIFICATION DAMN IT!!
#121. Just curious. . . There’s a Y summer camp that goes by your name. Coincidence, or intentional?
FAKE!!
Look at those stupid lens flares!
And the lighting! FAKE!!!
Forgive me TrekMovie Staff
I asked boborci a shatner question in this thread and got my comment whacked. I thought it would be interesting to hear his thoughts. i will reserve it for a more appropriate thread
@ 134
====================
IMPORTANT!! PLEASE READ!!
====================
That pic is UNQUESTIONABLY FAKE!!
Look here:
http://startrek.bethsoft.com/art/legacy_xboxscreens.html
About 3/4 of the way down the page, you can see a pic with that EXACT Klingon ship in it. It’s from a game called Star Trek Legacy. The Enterprise has been superimposed over that game’s pic of a Klingon ship. So, yes, it is DEFINITELY fake.
Well, I’d like that Romulan senator to take a look at that picture first.
I trust him.
Thanks Vorus,
No need to wake that Romulan; this is obviously a FAAAAKE!
136. captain_neill – October 21, 2008
“It seems Abrams is going to do to me what Berman did to a lot of you”
Ok, I saw you responded, but Captain, I don’t understand the piss and vinegar of your posts..or posts of those who have already made a judgement on this movie.
An example.
We’ve seen what… 20 pictures pre and post production? A lot of interviews with (very) little content? Some things have changed, but it sounds like you’ve already decided this movie is junk based on very little evidence.
May I encourage you to make a judgement on the film itself and not JJ’s popularity or a few pics?
Guys:
I think the Enterprise “reveal” will be better than that crappy thumbnail.
148 – Xai
Despite my negative remarks towards JJ Abrams I am stil going to go and see the movie. I will be seeing the film and I seriously hope that my concerns will evaporate.
The actors will never take the place of the originals. I am sure JJ Abrams will do a great job.
I like the new uniforms and they are faithful but I wish the bridgedid not so sterile and Galaxy Quest like. It is a cool looking bridge but i can’t fit it into canon as it looks so different.
I hope the retconning of the timeline so TOS never happened the way we knew it for years doesn’t happen as that will feel a real cop out of canon probs and insult the fans.
The happy medium would be a direct reboot that does not need to be part of canon. Sure I hate the term reboot but it would make the changes more acceptable.
I love Star Trek and always will. I wil going to see this and hoping to god that JJ Abrams has got it right.
I am looking forward to the film but a little more concerned about the set design now.
A bit of a side-issue, but what *is* it with this “Star Trek 90210″ monicker that’s floating around? The actors range from 19 to 38 years old. It’s not like they cast a bunch of teenage models.
I am looking forward to the film but dont trust him.
Fringe was nothing to write home about
153
And, again, I prefer “Melrose Space”
The fact that these people have been alowed to see this movie is, I think, the best marketing promotion strategy out there. What do I mean. Now JJ can have these people rave about his movie. think about it are you a fan of Clerks, or Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, or any other Kevin Smith movie, but maybe not star trek…. now you just might be. You got the Kevin Smith fan base looking long and hard at spending the nine dollers to see this movie. Is that not a brilliant ploy or what.
What I’m worried about is those pictures I saw yesterday. will I be able to look at chris pine and say “yah, that’s captain Kirk, younger sure, but it’s kirk alright.” I hope so…. because regardless what I may or may not like in all the photos coming out, I’m going to see the movie. No doubt about it.
what’s interesting is that many of these E renderings assume that the nacelles are the only element to change because that’s all we’ve seen. I understand the temptation, because the rectangular TMP nacelles are the only weak point of an otherwise flawless design.
I suspect they added bulk to the Secondary Hull, to make it bigger and tougher, with a bigger shuttle bay.
#132—-Why do you label those of us who didn’t like the SW prequels as “Lucas bashers”? It is necessary to like everything the man has done to honor his place in history?
I loved ‘Star Wars’, ‘Empire Strikes Back’, ‘Jedi’ is okay, and I love ‘Raiders Of The Lost Ark’. ‘Temple Of Doom’ was…eh. ‘The Last Crusade’ is– again, eh.
I was sorely disappointed in the prequel trilogy, and Indy IV was about what I expected. I paid to see it, so he got me there. I won’t be adding it to my dvd collection.
Not everything the man does is as great as what he did from 1977-81. I feel like he peaked in 1980-81 with ‘Empire’ (which he didn’t actually direct) and ‘Raiders’, and it isn’t “sacriledge” to say so. It’s a valid opinion.
I don’t care for Berman Trek either (aside from a belated appreciation for some of ENT, once Manny Coto’s influence got a bit heavier).
Just as that doesn’t make me less of a Star Trek fan, being a bit more discretionary with some of Lucas’ work doesn’t make me a “Lucas basher”…nor does that accurately describe anyone else who shares a similar opinion.
Mr Orci – I see your still in here – just a quick Q before this thread goes dead regarding Capt Pike/Bruce Greenwood as we havent heard much in the way of pike yet…
Did BGs terrific performance as JFK in 13 Days inspire his casting as Pike?…The way that this trek has been talked of as happening in reality (how we get from here to star trek) and the teaser trailer with JFKs speech…that early 60s Kennedy space race inspiring the original Trek…the new frontier Kennedy optimistic approach etc…having ‘JFK’ as the original Pike is truly inspired…I just wondered if Greenwood was the only choice ?
sorry i meant ‘having ‘JFK’ as the original enterprise captain’
157
Exactly.
BOB!!! I seem to have got myself into a pickle with Anthony by posting that Fake picture of the Enterprise, to be fair I found it on Trekweb and thought I would see if anyone here could deny or confirm it’s validity.
however if you could save my bacon by posting a real picture of the new look Enterprise I would be eternally grateful… even a snippet of the hull or engine nacelle.
Help me boborci…. your my only hope!!!
mr orci – i thought so – a lot of people were expecting a big star like Cruise to be Pike or Ray Liotta as he slightly resembles Hunter but when ‘JFK’ Greenwood was announced I did one of those hands on head slaps and went ‘of course!’…it makes perfect sense and his performance as pike is one I’m looking forward to the most.
He was even good in The Core and that’s sayin something
#68 – “And heresy shmeresy. I like the originality of going into an alternate timeline where they DON’T have to adhere to schmanon.”
That’s not originality. That’s the cowardice of a knife between the shoulder blades.
#108 – “It’s amazing how people seem to praise the Gods awful books, but at the same time slam the movie which hasn’t even been out yet.”
I don’t praise godsawful books. But Star Trek has had very, very few that deserve that adjective. Most are excellent these days, and far superior to what we’ve seen on film.
#150 – Nope, not me. I’d much rather have the same universe with “updated” production design then a whole new faux-Trek that’s totally disconnected from all the rest. See my response to #68.
#157, 159 – I am really looking forward to seeing Greenwood as Pike. That was a bit of casting that really excited me. I’m assuming we’re seeing Pike a number of years after the time of “The Cage”. Can that be confirmed without betraying the secrecy, Bob?
162-
I would hate either option, was only way I could accept the new set design. I would be ok for updating the bridge as well but keeping it similar to TOS bridge Ie colour schemes et all.
I am dreading the retcon to timeline story idea as it is a chet to the fans and an insult to Roddenberry.
When I met Quinto in vegas I felt more at ease about this film but now after seeing the bridge in these pics I am seeing changes I never thought I would see.
Will this film fit into the Star Trek we all love?
#163 – “I would be ok for updating the bridge as well but keeping it similar to TOS bridge Ie colour schemes et all.”
That was my preference, too, but as it is, having it simply be a more substantial production design change is still infinitely more acceptable than alternate timeline crap.
“Will this film fit into the Star Trek we all love?”
Obviously, that’s the question. I have to admit, there hasn’t been a single major reboot (defined in this case as something not beholden to the fictional world of the original property) to a non-comic book property that I haven’t considered a complete betrayal of that material. Comic book reboots have been a little better, but none of them inspire any loyalty in me, because I know that in a few years, they’re just going to throw out whatever world they’ve created and do it again, so what’s the point? For Star Trek to just become more of that would be a horrible, horrible thing, especially after 4 decades and a dozen different series all set in the same universe.
The reboot or ret con of time line would be an an insult to us who have been fans of the show our whole lives.
I want to love this new film but I will not be happy if one of the two things Mentioned were to occur.
#165—-I have been a fan of Star Trek since the first time I saw it in 1970’s synidcation. Orci and Kurtzman’s decision to write a Star Trek story involving an alternate timeline doesn’t insult me at all.
In fact, it allows for stories to be told that put the characters I love in the jeopardy required to make them dramatic, IMO.
#166 – I’m not insulted; I’m repulsed.
But, for me, Star Trek’s world as a whole is every bit as integral to my enjoyment of it as any specific set of characters, and the preservation of that world is thus every bit as important, if not more so.
Now if the movie explores alternate continua, but ends in the Trekverse of the last few decades, that’s fine. But if it doesn’t, if everything that we’ve had for all this time is to be treated, for the purposes of all future Trek, as irrelevant, then I couldn’t in any way support such a decision. (See previous comment regarding the knife between the shoulder blades.)
162. Alex Rosenzweig – October 21, 2008
“That’s not originality…”
B: Without confirming or denying anything, I have to admit that I find it amusing and unprecedented to accuse writers of lacking originality for MAKING EVERYTHING UP!
#168 – Hi, Bob! All these months, and that’s the comment of mine you react to. ;) I have to admit, that’s sort of ironic.
But in the context of my reaction to star trackie, I still stand by my statement, because it really *isn’t* “making everything up”.
Now, creating a whole new situation and new characters and new dynamics, that’s making everything up, and is most assuredly originality. :) But taking an existing world, and an existing set of characters, and being unable or unwilling to take the simple step of being consistent with that world and those characters, that’s just a lack of discipline or, in my view, caring. I’m an editor by trade, and a writer for fun, and in neither case do I think I have the remotest right to take an existing structure and change it all around, and get away with it by claiming myself to be original. If I choose to play in an existing world, I am bound by what has been established in that world. If I want to go do my own thing, and I don’t want to be constrained by the parameters of that world, then I have to create a new one.
Now, mind you, Bob, I’m not accusing you of actually doing that (at least not yet ;) ). I don’t have enough information to make that accusation, and as I’ve said before, I’m trusting for the moment in what you, Alex, and many others connected to the film have said, to wit, that you’re *not* doing that. If it helps, take it as a measure of my passion for the Trek Universe (and, to be fair, any fictional world in which I become invested, whether it’s Trek, BSG, Dragonriders of Pern, whatever…) that I am that protective of, not just 7 or 8 characters, but a whole world.
Fair ’nuff? :)
Fair ’nuff!
#170 – Thanks. Glad you can understand. :)
170-
As a fellow Trek fan I will be supporting the film, I am a huge Trek fan and that is why I am so protective.
If you make a great film I will be happy.
Thanks for keeping Trek alive
165. captain_neill – October 22, 2008
“The reboot or ret con of time line would be an an insult to us who have been fans of the show our whole lives.
I want to love this new film but I will not be happy if one of the two things Mentioned were to occur.”
Sorry Captain, You DON”T speak for anyone other than yourself. Let’s actually view the movie Bob, Alex, JJ and hundreds of other people worked hard on before we insult THEM further.
#169 Alex
Wow! Very well put and it sums up exactly how i feel about the whole thing.
Oh and Mr. Orci if you’re still around I have to say, your willingness to hang out with, and comment to the fans is one reason i will be willing to give this ‘little’ lol movie of yours a go. Thanks for the time you spend here,
#174 A..S.F.
Agreed.
Bob Orci, thank you.
Alex, that’s a well presented argument, and I certainly respect where you’re coming from.
But there’s this nagging question…
If I get a friend to sit for me, and pull out brushes and paints and canvas, and work for hours shaping my impressions of who she is, and choosing colors, and curving lines… and sparkle of eyes…
And you stand behind me, and say, “Wow, that really looks like her!”
Is my painting an original?
:)
(Alex, with all due respect, I’m behind Bob on his initial point)
– DaveO
#176 – “Alex, that’s a well presented argument, and I certainly respect where you’re coming from.”
Thanks! :)
“But there’s this nagging question…
If I get a friend to sit for me, and pull out brushes and paints and canvas, and work for hours shaping my impressions of who she is, and choosing colors, and curving lines… and sparkle of eyes…
And you stand behind me, and say, “Wow, that really looks like her!”
Is my painting an original?
:) ”
Answer: It’s an original painting, but the character in that painting is not an original creation of the artist. :)
“(Alex, with all due respect, I’m behind Bob on his initial point)”
Oh, I totally understand where he was coming from, really. I happen to agree that it’s entirely possible to use established characters and situations, and create an original story out of them. Every person who ever writes a new story set in a world the writer did not create demonstrates that. As I said to Bob, my original response was one in a particular context. I don’t think that one gets a free pass for suborning, distorting, and otherwise trying to pretend an established universe doesn’t matter simply by claiming originality.
In all fairness, if I were to be precise about it, what I should have said was that “originality” is not a valid justification for creating an alternate version of an already-established fictional world, simply because one doesn’t wish to adhere to what’s already been created for that world.
OTOH, what I said, while a good deal less precise, admittedly, was also a lot stronger, rhetorically, and got some better reactions than doing it the other way might have. I can live with that, especially if it leads to an interesting discussion. :)
177 -
Alex, if “originality” is used to displace respect to the subject matter, well, that’s wrong.
But the impression I get from Bob, and Alex and JJ and everyone who has spoken on behalf of this film, is that they really respect it.
And what I fully expect to see, come May, is an interpretation of Star Trek *as they see it* seen through the lens of the filmmaker’s art.
For provoking discussion of the idea of originality and pre-existing work, I thank you.
Great discussion.
:)
DaveO
178 – “Alex, if “originality” is used to displace respect to the subject matter, well, that’s wrong.
But the impression I get from Bob, and Alex and JJ and everyone who has spoken on behalf of this film, is that they really respect it.”
I agree with that, really. Perhaps it’s all the “reboot” yammering that’s made me more nervous about this than I need to be. I freely admit, I despise reboots, and the very thought that something might be done to Star Trek that would say, in response to the huge, rich universe that it has, “Well, y’know, never mind all that, we’re just gonna do our own thing…” just makes my skin crawl.
Now, to be fair, JJ, Bob, and Alex have all pretty much said that they feel the film should be considered part of the Trekverse, though I think when they also said that some folks would disagree with them, they may have meant the ones who, for example, insist that the look must be identical (visual vs. storytelling canon, as they say) to TOS in every detail. But I also have to admit that comments like Lindelof’s in EW still make me worry a bit. Perhaps all the reboot babble is making me less trusting than I ought to be, and if I am being unfair to Bob and Alex and JJ and the others, I apologize. I so want to be unhesitatingly excited about this film, but I have to admit, it’d be a whole lot easier if they’d drop the verbal tap-dancing and say, explicitly, “Yes, this is a story that, when all is said and done, is a part of the same Star Trek Universe as all the rest, period.” I don’t need to know the secrets of the plot. I just need to know they’re not playing “backdoor reboot” games, and once I do, I can embrace what I’m seeing without any hesitation.
“And what I fully expect to see, come May, is an interpretation of Star Trek *as they see it* seen through the lens of the filmmaker’s art.”
And I think that’s fair. Every different filmmaker will bring his or her own twist to it. For example, Nick Meyer brought his own sensibilities to Trek, some quite starkly different than many other producers and directors, but TWOK and TUC are still obviously part of the rest of Trek. If JJ Abrams and the others have done the same thing, and done it well, they will have my praise, and my apologies for ever doubting them. I think I can offer that without uncertainty. :)
“For provoking discussion of the idea of originality and pre-existing work, I thank you.
Great discussion.
:) ”
And thank you, too, for joining in! :)
I will than likely end up loving this film when it comes out.
I have to remember that change is good not sacriledge
As long as they respect Star Trek I will be happy
I just dont want people to forget the original Star Trek and the other shows because of this movie
To me TNG was a great show in its own right and always will be. I love all the shows. Granted it needs a new fresh perspective and hopefully JJ will give that.
I want the new fans to see the Star Treks we grew up with and I would love TOS Shatner and Nimoy to still be the faces on TOS novels. I will embrace the new actors but dont want the public to forget the originals.
I want to love this film and I hope that I do
Alex Rosenzweig- Some good points, and I don’t blame you for being nervous about where this Movie fits into the previous ‘timeline’ (and there fore ‘established’ looks and events) of all the previous Star Trek as we know it.
However, I’ve resigned myself to just thinking it’s a win, win scenario whatever the outcome –
If it IS written to have an ‘anything goes potential future’ conclusion, but the Movie is *terrific* and a smash hit….then it should be embraced warmly by many, regardless. Who knows, the ‘timeline’ could be written to be interfered with AGAIN in any future sequels, to resemble previously accepted ‘canon’ again…. ;)
If it ends like that, BUT the Movie is *lousy* and a misfire at the box-office….then it can be just dismissed as some totally ‘alternative’ / ‘mirror image’ TOS Trek drivel that DOESN’T negate the ‘established’ Trek Universe….although this would be a sad outcome to what was a great chance to relaunch Trek in general.
Typing too quickly! That last line was really meant to read –
….then it can be just dismissed as some totally ‘alternative’ ‘mirror image’ Trek-alike drivel that DOESN’T negate the ‘established’ TOS Trek Universe….
#182 – “Alex Rosenzweig- Some good points, and I don’t blame you for being nervous about where this Movie fits into the previous ‘timeline’ (and there fore ‘established’ looks and events) of all the previous Star Trek as we know it.”
Thanks, on both counts.
“However, I’ve resigned myself to just thinking it’s a win, win scenario whatever the outcome -
If it IS written to have an ‘anything goes potential future’ conclusion, but the Movie is *terrific* and a smash hit….then it should be embraced warmly by many, regardless. Who knows, the ‘timeline’ could be written to be interfered with AGAIN in any future sequels, to resemble previously accepted ‘canon’ again…. ;)
If it ends like that, BUT the Movie is *lousy* and a misfire at the box-office….then it can be just dismissed as some totally ‘alternative’ / ‘mirror image’ TOS Trek drivel that DOESN’T negate the ‘established’ Trek Universe….although this would be a sad outcome to what was a great chance to relaunch Trek in general.”
My only problem with that is that I don’t assess whether something is part of the established Trekverse on the basis of whether I–or anybody else, really–like it or don’t like it. ;) I add any established datapoints into the overall dataset without regard to whether I personally liked or disliked the project in question.
More importantly, though, what would be the likelihood of Paramount/CBS supporting the previously established Trekverse if the movie creates an alternate continuity and does even moderately well? I could easily see them making a huge push toward bringing licensing, other tie-ins, etc. into line with an Abramsverse, leaving previous Trek high and dry. (Actually, it might not impact the other Classic Trek features or the other series so much, though it’s hard to say. But TOS could be hugely impacted.)
Speaking solely for myself, I’d still have to think of any outcome in which the new film consciously breaks away from the established Trekverse as a loser scenario. If it’s successful, it fractures the general continuity we’ve enjoyed for over 40 years. If it’s hugely not successful, how likely is it that the studio would even try again with the Trek property?
Of course, if it falls somewhere in between those extremes, it might be that the studio will try a different approach, possibly with other production teams not feeling beholden to an Abramsverse, but even that’s an uncertain possibility, too, especially if they’re hungry to recoup whatever investment they can out of it.
And, all that said, I should be fair and reiterate that we really don’t know that they’re going to do that sort of continuity-fracture at all. As I said to Bob, pending anything that really suggests that they’re doing that, I’ll be willing to trust him, Alex K., JJ Abrams, et al. in what they’ve told us to date that they have no such plan to break continuity to that degree. :)
#184 Alex Rosenzweig
My only problem with that is that I don’t assess whether something is part of the established Trekverse on the basis of whether I-or anybody else, really-like it or don’t like it. ;) I add any established datapoints into the overall dataset without regard to whether I personally liked or disliked the project in question.
And that is indeed a reasonable outlook.
As someone who cared a lot about the Movie reflecting a reasonable (though vastly bigger-budgeted) TOS design ethic, to be somewhat CLOSE to the original series aesthetic where the Enterprise, it’s Bridge, it’s handphasers and it’s main crew uniforms look, and is not too impressed so far….I guess that I just trying to find a way….I guess I am just trying to make a couple of ‘get-out’ clauses for myself, whichever way this Movie turns out for me….
Of course, a lot of Trek fans in general won’t worry as much as myself about certain details, and ‘newbies’ to the whole Star Trek Universe at large will especially not be thinking about ANY of this, and can just enjoy the Movie regardless. Guess I just didn’t like this whole ‘alternative timeline’ thing in the first place, which gives J.J. et al the freedom to change a lot of stuff I previously loved the look of. I still wish it the best even though.
#185 – I’m not a big fan of the time travel plot to begin with. I think time travel is so overdone in Trek, and if this is an excuse to create a whole spinoff continuity, well… I’;ve already said what I think of that, and trust me, I am really soft-pedaling myself for the purposes of public posts. ;)
“As someone who cared a lot about the Movie reflecting a reasonable (though vastly bigger-budgeted) TOS design ethic, to be somewhat CLOSE to the original series aesthetic where the Enterprise, it’s Bridge, it’s handphasers and it’s main crew uniforms look, and is not too impressed so far…”
I really like the uniforms, and haven’t seen any images of the props yet. I’m sort of on the fence about the bridge. I can see the TOS lines in parts of it, but I want to see more before I judge it. But unless the film crashes and burns so badly that Paramount just plain disavows the whole thing, I’m still more okay with accepting it as a different portrayal of an existing world, rather than a whole alternate universe.
But that’s just MHO.