JJ Abrams Talks Deleted Scenes – Find Out What Didn’t Make Final Cut of ‘Star Trek’

Like with most films, the new Star Trek has scenes that didn’t make the final cut for the film (which runs just over 2 hours with credits). These will end up on the DVD and Blu-ray, but it also turns out that we have already seen elements of them. In the last week JJ Abrams has actually commented about them as well. So now we break down some of what didn’t make it into Star Trek. [SPOILERS]

 

The deleted scenes we know of so far are in two main areas of the film.

Some of the Kirk and Spock back-story
The new Star Trek is an ‘origin story’ with the primary focus on Kirk and Spock. Both have scenes from their childhoods which ended up in the final film, but some still ended up cut. However, even though they aren’t in the film, some of this footage has been used in trailers and TV commercials, notably a scene at Spock’s birth.



DELETED: Scene with Amanda (Winona Ryder) and Sarek (Been Cross) holding baby Spock

Also gone is a scene with Kirk’s Uncle. If you remember back to last year, it was reported that Brad Henke had been cast as ‘alcoholic abusive Uncle,’ however Henke is nowhere to be seen in the final film. And although Jimmy Bennett still appears as a young James T. Kirk (the kid who steals the Corvette seen in the first trailer), Spencer Daniels (who plays George Kirk Jr.) didn’t make the final cut either [correction] who was originally reported to playing George Kirk, Jr still appears in the film, however he is credited as "Johnny" and has no lines. 

Nero on Rura Penthe
Probably the biggest section of the film that has been cut is a whole sub-plot involving Nero on the Klingon prison planet Rura Penthe. Even though it isn’t in the film, clips from this section of the film have worked there way into various trailers, including Nero’s line "the wait is over."


DELETED: Nero fights off Klingons escaping from Rura Penthe


DELETED: Nero is going to have to wait for the DVDs to see this scene play out

This section of the film is actually not entirely gone. There is a reference in the film to a battle ‘at a Klingon prison planet’ and there is also a brief glimpse of Nero’s past during a flashback sequence (which has also been seen in one of the TV commercials). However, neither of these things makes it clear that Nero was actually a prisoner on Rura Penthe.


NOT DELETED: Nero backstory glimpse

JJ Abrams talks deleted scenes
Last November Star Trek director JJ Abrams actually talked to Empire about cutting the Klingon subplot (which we know to be Nero’s time on Rura Penthe):

There was a big Klingon subplot in this, and we actually ended up having to pull it out because it confused the story in a way that I thought was very cool but unnecessary. So we have these beautiful designs that we’re going to have to wait and do elsewhere I guess.

And in the last couple of weeks Abrams has discussed deleted scenes in more detail. Here he is from the Paris news conference, where he talks about the baby Spock scene and discuesses Nero mangled an the prison escape:

And yesterday Abrams talked to Collider at the US Press Day about deleted scenes, including revealing how long the Klingon section of the film was:

For Star Trek fans, deleted scenes are often things we would love to see in the final movies. Of course even with the deleted scenes, the new Star Trek still ended up being the second longest film in the franchise. But we can look forward to seeing them on the DVD and Blu-ray, and maybe someone can talk JJ and Paramount into doing an extended cut of the movie with everything back in! 

Final note on trailers
After seeing the film a couple of times, it is clear that Paramount has been very clever with the trailers and commercials. Things you think you are seeing (or hearing) in the trailers, aren’t always what they are. Also, sometimes it appears that some bits seen in the trailer are alternative takes from what appears in the final film. So don’t assume they have given it all away in the trailers.

 

 

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Slovakia wait for star trek :-)

Star trek is the best :-)

it’s always interesting to see what gets cut and what makes it. the dvd should provide some neat stuff with deleted scenes, though i was looking ofrward to the rura penthe scene

I hope they were smart about which scenes to keep and delete. I’ve seen editing make or break a movie before, I really don’t want to see confused faces and head scratching at the end of the movie at the theatres.

Huh… so the wait is, in fact, not over for that scene.

So in reality, unless you’ve purposely gone and looked at the scenes that Paramount has released, we still know virtually nothing about what is going to happen. Good! I cannot wait to see this in theaters in just under 2 weeks!

extended cut of the movie with everything back in !!!!! . please please do this , it would be great , i think its pointless having the delete scenes as just extras on a dvd or blue-ray , there should always be an opition to play the movie with the clips in.

I noticed too, Anthony, that in the trailers, several parts of the dialogue were cut short or rearranged and that several scenes were either cut from the movie or were earlier takes that were re-filmed. Very clever indeed.

:-/

Someone Bite or Cut off parts of Neros Ears ?

So the delted scenes will be part of the special featuresof the DVD and not an extended cut?

It will be interesting to watch these scenes in the Blu-Ray/DVD formats when released to see if these scenes detract from the story as JJ seems to believe.

Sad about not seeing Kirk’s abusive uncle in the movie. “C’mon out here and get me my Saurian brandy, boy.”

Oh well, I was starting to think that Nero would be captured at the end of the film, and the irony would be that Nero, who was a miner in his previous life, would be sentenced to Rura Penthe. Kirk could’ve said something like, “You wanted your old life back. I think we can arrange that”, then flash to scene that says DILITHIUM MINING PENAL COLONY: RURA PENTHE or somesuch where we see Nero being escorted by our ridge-headed friends..

And I am saddened that Rura Penthe was not used in the movie. The designs looked cool and it would have been nice to have seen the Klingons in the movie. A good reference back to TUC. I think, also, it would be necessary in order to find out why Nero’s ear was screwed with, No?

I vote for extended cut of the movie!

No, I shall make it law.

The Governator has now made another proclamation.

I warn you Paramount, violators shall be prosecuted.

:-/

I’m shocked, no Sam either.

I’m not worried all deleted sences will be out on Blu- Ray.

I would love for them to throw these in with the DVD release version and not just deleted scene extras. This will be the movie that makes me jump to Blu-ray!

I guess I will have to pick up the novelization to get the full story.

This adds a lot of replay value for the DvD sales. Seeing this with added scenes will sell many blue ray discs. You know every fan will crave those little tidbits.

I guess I don’t really need to know why Neros ear is all of a sudden peeled off, but seeing it explained in the extended release would be cool.

Put me down for 2 please….

That stuff sounds good. I hope they do an extended cut on DVD.

In the age of double dips, an alternate cut of the film is pretty much inevitable!

Let’s hope the DVD and Blu-ray release do indeed have all the cut material then. I do worry with Paramount’s love of double, and triple dipping Trekkers that it won’t be included in the inital release :-/

I wouldn’t get worked up over an “extended cut”. Based on the deleted scenes I’ve seen on DVDs for various movies, the director usually made the right decision to cut the scene. Even if the scene was very good, the pacing often works better without it. Better to just have them as bonus features. Or even advertise the Nero thing as a short film: Nero starring in “Escape from Rura Penthe!” (Hey, it’s be just as long as most of Pixar’s shorts.)

That said, I’d kill for a much extended cut of Nemesis. Why’d they cut all the good stuff?

I just started drawing an Alternate Universe Star Trek comic- Star Trek: Endeavour.
It’s set around the HMS Endeavour in the year 2503 in which the ship gets flung to the future and they need to get back. By the way, I’ve literally JUST started so I’ve only currently finished the cover page and first page so don’t expect a lot! Link: http://joshington-comics.blogspot.com/

Also, I must point out, that out of all the amazing reviews that I’ve come across, many point out that although Nero is a very compelling and scary villain, he doesn’t get enough screen time. So, technically, the Rura Penthe scene would help solve this problem, No?

“…but it also turns out that we have already scene elements of them.”

Shouldn’t that be “seen,” not “scene?”

Maybe we’ll see some of the Klingons in the next one!
woot!

”…but it also turns out that we have already scene elements of them.”

”Scene?” How about ”seen?” How hard is it to read over your work? It is so disheartening to see such sloppiness in writing.

It ain’t (yes, I meant to say ”ain’t”) so hard–really. I wasn’t this sloppy in 9th grade. Heck, I haven’t seen it this bad in the Star Trek forums!

Come on Tony!

Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_11/

If only the “Real” Journalist had scooped the story before The Purist, or any of the rest of us who noticed but didn’t bother to put our phasers on “Douche”.

Anthony’s a busy guy. Give ’em a break.

Knowing Paramount, we’ll probably get a bare-bones dvd release first, followed by a Special Edition a bit later, with the super-special-extended edition being released just in time for Star Trek 12. Coz they know that us fans will double-dip many times over.

Keep in mind when trailers are made it’s based on the “raw” cut of the movie before the editors/directors etc make the final cut of it.

Happens quite often, stuff seen in trailers sometimes don’t end up in the final film.

-cs™

I’m glad these terrible ‘Klingon’ trenchcoat uniforms didn’t make it into the movie. I think some Klingon fans would have taken exception to them.

Did anyone else notice that the Klingons had crests on there forhead. I wouldn’t have a problem with it if they hadn’t already explained why they don’t have crests in the original series in continuity. Or I’m I the only one that sees that as a problem lol. I’m still way excited for this movie though :D

I wonder — things being the way they are in business — if today’s movies aren’t shot specifically with additional scenes intended for the dvd. It makes sense, since everyone loves the extras.

I’m still pissed that Shatner never got a chance to do anything with the STV Director’s Cut.

I wonder how nero ends up in rura penthe…and when during countdown, or after…?

Did anybody else think the klingons looked wierd? or was that some kind of armour?

Concerning the DVDs I’ll wager it will be a simultaneous release of 2 versions.

One disc basic w/commentaries and a 2 discer including all the bts deleted scenes etc.

-cs™

This is nothing new. There was lots of stuff in the Star Trek II preview that wasn’t in the final film– and stuff we’ve never gotten on DVD.

I’m trying to figure out where the Rura Penthe stuff would fit into the story to BEGIN with. The Countdown comic established that his new ship was pretty damn invincible to 24th century tech; I can’t imagine how some Klingons from the 23rd century would have ever managed to capture him.

I haven’t seen the movie of course, but just from the outside it really DOES seem like it was an unnecessary storyline.

#37 – DVDs? What are those?

There will be one Blu-ray! =]

This certainly explains how the villain has been criticized as “one-dimensional” – his backstory got cut!

And quite irritating that they used these scenes and lines so prominently in the trailers. If they feel they convey the essence of the movie, how could they end up cutting them?!

I guess the Klingons put Nero in a cell with Mike Tyson.

extended cut, extended cut, extended cut. I love extended cuts of movies. Especially since it’s like a whole new viewing experiance. Anybody love the Lord Of The Rings extended cuts like I did. It was almost like watching an entirely diffrent movie.

I can feel a LARGE DIRECTOR’s CUT COMING…man I can’t wait to see that. Do you need more proof that JJ and crew are geniuses?

WOW!

If anyone from Paramount or JJ’s team reads this thread, I’m also voting for an extended cut of the film and not just deleted scenes in the extras.

deleted scenes sometimes can be the downfall for a movie, as happened to “star trek – nemesis”. shame on the director stuart baird who ruined star trek´s 10th movie.

no fear, fans, this doesn´t apply with the new “STAR TREK”!!!! be ready for a great movie. but i hope jj decides to put out a longer director´s cut!!!

I thought by showing us the abusive alcoholic uncle, it was going to explain why this young Kirk is such a brash angry guy….why cut it?

I like this prison planet… It’s exciting!

POSSIBLE SPOILERS
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FROM DAY ONE I suspected that Uhura taking her top off was a ‘sexy ruse.’ That she was really just undressing after her shift. The scene where Kirk is under a bed clinched it.

Remember that part where Uhura and Kirk are running through the ship? It’s played off as a hustle during a red alert, but really what I thought was happening was that Kirkwas cavorting with the Orion, Uhura walked in, he hid under her bed, she got undressed– and because of their history in the bar– she thinks he’s a peeping tom, and chases him out. The only question I had was why did he choose her quarters as a make-out spot?

Then I read that the Orion was Uhura’s roommate.

So while hardcore fans have been bemoaning an Uhura/Kirk sex scene ever since the first trailer, I’ve been chuckling.

Realize that they’re marketing the film differently based on the different audiences. They’re manipulating scenes to look one way to the mass audience, with enough faith that they’ll enjoy it once they’re tricked into seeing it.

#33–apparently u didnt look closely enough..the ridges the klingons had WERE MASKS…presumbly the non-ridged Klingons were dishonored, used as slave labor much like the Remans were by the Romulans, and were forced to wear the masks as a label of their dishonor