The official online release of the Star Trek trailer yesterday was huge news here and amongst the geekosphere, but did you know that the norms are talking about it too? Perhaps the months of secrecy thing worked because newspapers big and small, and even the Drudge Report, can’t get enough Trek.
The norms take notice
Of course sites like TrekMovie, io9, AintItCool and the rest of the genre press are talking about the Trek Trailer. We are geeks and it is Star Trek. The trailer is also big news in the general Entertainment press, like at EW, MTV and E! which asks the question "Is Star Trek out of this world?"
But it appears that this new movie is now starting to build that all important mainstream media buzz (beyond the supposed ‘Shatner Abrams’ feud). Here are just a few examples of the coverage.
In their report on the NY Abrams event and the Trek trailer, the New York Times, noted the challenge ahead:
[on Abrams ‘not a fan’ comments] The unspoken but understood message: if Mr. Abrams’s “Star Trek” is going to justify its estimated $150 million budget, it had better reach beyond the die-hard fans of Vulcans, Tribbles and dilithium crystals.
….
Will the new “Star Trek” erase our bitter memories of the last five sequels? (Not including “First Contact,” which I now concede was a pretty good entry in the series.–D.I.) With a crowded summer 2009 season approaching, and movie studios nervously watching their wallets, you can expect many more updates between now and May 8.
The trailer (or at least part of it) got the notice of the Metro.co.uk, noting:
The fast-moving trailer is packed with action and racy sex scenes with Kirk and Spock fighting and Uhura stripping off to show her bra.
The Times (UK) notes:
There’s certainly enough action and excitement in the new trailer to tempt those who enjoyed Abrams’s TV spy saga Alias and his cinematic take on another venerable 1960s TV series Mission Impossible. Whether he has remained faithful enough to the Roddenberry blueprint to please the countless fans of the original franchise will only be known in May next year.
Canada’s National Post has ‘Five Things We learned from the Star Trek Trailer’, including:
Captain James T. Kirk is badass because he grew up in Mad Max land, fighting for gas and outrunning the leather-clad arm of the law. Later on, he grows up to wear black and knit his brows a lot (seriously, since when was Kirk a brooding beatnik type?).
And even small town papers take notice, with the StJoNews (of St. Joseph, MO) pointing readers to the trailer saying:
NERD ALERT! NERD ALERT! NERD ALERT!
They’ve released a new trailer for the new Star Trek movie that is coming out next year.
Enjoy it in all its beauty
And it looks like there are Trekkies to be found everywhere. The reporter for the Indianapolis Star noted:
One very geeky positive is the background of the shot where Amanda (Winona Ryder) is holding baby Spock while stroking the face of her Vulcan husband Sarek. Freeze-frame it and tell me those rock formations in the background aren’t the same ones Williams Shatner fought the Gorn in in the original series’ “Arena.”
Star Trek’s ‘sexy makeover’ gets Drudged
But the report that seems to be getting a lot of notice comes from the UK’s Daily Mail, which has an article titled ‘Star Trek gets a sexy makeover in new film with love scenes, motorbikes and hunky stars‘ The article has a few inaccuracies, but the sexy scenes and the young cast is getting their attention. So much so that the story was featured today on the very popular (and very sensationalistic) Drudge Report.
Young Spock goes Wild?
And so it begins
TrekMovie has noted before that there is much work to be done for the new Star Trek film to break into the mainstream media and get taken seriously, especially in key global markets. Although we have all been talking about this film for two years, for many it is just now coming onto their radar. It appears that the in the last week, Paramount have taken a big step forward in building that buzz for this movie, which will be key to compete in a Summer Full of big movies in 2009.
More trailer coverage coming
TrekMovie is not done yet. We have a ‘secrets of the Trek trailer’ article coming up soon that you will not want to miss, and more to come after that! Stay tuned.
Did anyone notice the new movie trailer played during Terminator last night?
Not that it’s news to anyone here, but we’ve GOT to get the “norms” enthused. Even hardcore fans can’t go to see the movie enough times to make it a success without them!
I have no doubt that the mainstream campaign is well thought-out.
I hope it is as well received.
Yep it was on Sarah, and looked very good on my hdtv too!!!
KOOL THIS MOVIE IS GONNA BE GREAT !
pleasantly suprised
I think we should also just send cash to JJ and gang just to make sure they are happy in life, I mean, ya know, let’s do what we can to make this movie a success before we even know if we like it.
DaiMonRon, I think that was the one-minute “TV version” of the trailer that leaves out several sequences only seen in the full trailer (including the entire young Kirk in Corvette sequence, McCoy archly commenting about how “space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence”… a lamentable edit, IMNSHO).
And Spockanella speaks truth. If there is going to be a Star Trek XII, then Start Trek XI had better pull in the “norms” as well as the geeks like us.
Is it normal for movies to advertise on television this early on? I’m certain its not normal here in the UK?
The trailer looks amazing. I’m glad it is reaching out to fans and non-fans alike.
UHURA IS HOT, HUMMINA, HUMMINA, HUMMINA.
This is a BIG deal. There wasn’t anywhere near this amount of mainstream buzz for any of the TNG films. Things are looking good so far.
The story in the UK Daily Mail (the article linked off of Drudge Report) has errors in the photo captions, btw.
For example, it says that Winona Rider is with the “elder Spock,” when she’s actually with English actor Ben Cross as Sarek.
It also says that Uhura is in bed with Kirk in one photo, and that doesn’t appear to be the case.
I MISS RICK BERMAN. NOT !!!!!!!
drudge and mainstream hardly belong in same sentence
I think the TV ads tell us that the rumors that paramont thinks this will be a hit are valid. The farther out from opening weekend that you put on TV the better the odds for a blockbuster.
The movie falls on my birthday so I’ve told everyone I know that’s what what I want to do. So far all of my non-star trek friends have agreed that they would at least give it a shot and watch.
I’m excited. But I agree with #2, ST fans have to get their mainstream friends off their rears and into the movie theater’s on May 8th.
I’ve been encouraging my non-Trekkie friends to give this film an open mind, and for the most part they seem eager to see what this will bring. Which is what Paramount wanted in the first place.
On second thought maybe it doesn’t have to happen exactly on the 8th. That’s just what I’m doing since I have an excuse to get people to go. But, you get my drift.
I’d love to have seen the original Uhura doing that, she was much hotter.
Leave it to the Drudge report to get it wrong…lol…well I guess some press is better than no press but the comments I saw based on the Drudge report were very negative about us Yanks and our obsession with sex.
@ 1:
I was pleasantly surprised to see the “TV Spot” during Terminator last night. Couldn’t believe how early of a start they’re getting with the promotion.
#18: I’ve been encouraging my non-Trekkie friends to give this film an open mind, and for the most part they seem eager to see what this will bring. Which is what Paramount wanted in the first place.
Cool, you’ve got non-Trekkie friends :)) I haven’t got any…about what should I even talk to them? LOL
Can we assume that Matt Drudge is a Trekkie?
Typical of the Daily Mail…they can never quite get their facts right!
I’ve got one question.
Has ever happened this before?
I’m not that old to remember what it was like for the past movies, besides TNG movies and down here we hadn’t had much info about those.
How was it before? Did they get this much publicity or am I spending too much time here at TrekMovie and think that the whole world revolves around JJ’s movie?
26: You mean the whole world DOESN’T revolve around JJ’s movie? :)
I just got the HD 1080p version downloaded and what a peace of art it is. Just viewed it at full res. on my 4 meter Cinema screen … normal speed, Slow -mo and Frame-by-Frame of course!
The scene of the Enterprise being built with Kirk looking on sends a tingle up my spine. We’re actually watching CASINO ROYALE on Blu-Ray tonight prior to QUANTUM OF SOLACE tomorrow. I intend to show the trailer before the movie. I can’t wait to see my non-Star Trek friends reaction.
I gotta say I feel like a big kid again I’m so excited about this new movie!
I wouldn’t call the Drudge Report “mainstream”.
We’re just lucky Drudge’s headline didn’t read “Jim the Captain endorses John McCain for President”.
here it is! In italian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5tPQ7oMGBw
Wow, Drudge is even talking about it? Cool, the more exposure Trek gets, the better!
I just hope that any lines like “Shields are down to twenty percent” are cut, or I swear I’ll blow my brains out.
Maybe I’m part Canadian because I like what their paper had to say about it.
I’d still like to know what dent in the Bond boxoffice Trek fans helped make.
#29
I would call it mainstream. MILLIONS use it everyday regardless of political leanings to get their current events fix. Drudge has created a “gateway” site that links to relevant articles from the mainstream media mostly about politics, religion, etc., and yes, even the arts. Drudge just did Star Trek a “favor”. A lot more people know about it now just from that one link. For me, it’s a one stop shop, and sure as heck makes my news searches a lot easier.
Star Trek is for all who enjoy it’s creators’ vision of the future and it’s characters. Not just for people that may feel the same way politically as you do.
#32 tk421
But that’s canon! Would it kill you to hear it once? :)
#32
Why would you want to go and do a thing like that?
What? There’s a new movie? Who are all these new actors? Why does everything look different? Are they changing things?!
I would like to see both Kirks (Shatner’s and Pine’s) featured on the cover of Time magazine at some point, just as Kirk and Picard were during the 1980’s. Now THAT would be mainstream.
#26 – a few of the TOS movies got a lot of attention in the mainstream media. Entertaimnent tonight, Good Morning America have both done complete shows about Trek over the years. This will be a nice return to those times, Star Trek IV marked the height of this mainstream acceptance.
Yes I saw the the new trailer during The Sarah Connor Chronicles last night. Primetime!
If Drudge is in….I’m out
Same here
It does worry me a bit to be hyping (sp?) this thing so far out. But, I guess they know what they are doing (based in the history of their marketing pushes).
Here I always thought Uhura was on the ship because Kirk respected her talent and abilities.
Now I find out she was the Captains bootycall, Scotty didn’t actually design much of the enterprise (which no longer needs cargo bays for some reason), and that Spock is a violent lunatic… mind you who wouldn’t be with that homicidal white bridge and non-distinct corridors.
JJ Abrams has released a mass market ‘2008’ style film that will endure for months after the movie is released.
Too bad he did so at the expense of 40 years of fans.
the british comments called it “tired american rubbish”. and hey, they say that same exact thing about old h69!
it’s going to be a smash hit!
THE WOMEN!!
=h=
Anyone got any more screeshots from the trailer? I’d love one of the shot of Kirk in his gold uniform. I know it’s only shown for a fraction of a second, but it’d be great to have a shot of it!
Anyone who can do this, it’d be greatly appreciated!!!!!
Drudge didn’t get it wrong. They merely provided the link to the Daily Mail story–THEY got it wrong.
HA HAAAA!
Can’t go more mainstream than that.
I am at once thrilled by the thought of a new Trek movie and pensive at the idea that the old cast, with the exception of Nimoy, might, at some point, be forgotten. They shouldn’t be, and I want to tip my hat to William Shatner at this junction, since without his portrayal of Kirk — love it or hate it — Trek wouldn’t be what it was.
His idea of Kirk was one of a man of action that was at once decisive and sensitive. His Kirk was not a perfect man, but a seeker of what was right. His Kirk knew just what to do, but never stopped valuing his friends for their counsel and loyalty. And he was loyal to his friends in return.
Shatner portrayed Kirk exactly right from the first episode through six movies. His look of thoughtful determination in TMP during his first scene in the movie was perhaps a classic expression of the hero he portrayed.
For all this talk of Shatner’s disappointment with Abrams, it should be remembered that Abrams himself probably recognizes Shatner’s central role in lighting the flame that became Trek. Now is as good a time as any, as we look forward to the new version of Kirk, to remember what came before.
Huzzah, huzzah!!