Star Trek has finished its first week by going over the $100M mark in the US. We have all the latest box office numbers below, plus a new shot of Ayel and a new Easter Egg contest for the movie. Also George Lucas and director McG give their reviews, Chris Pine strikes a pose in GQ and Gizmodo think they figured out just how big the new E is. All that and more in the final Tidbits of the week.
Box Office Watch: Trek’s First week = $154 Million
With $5.6M in domestic sales on Thursday Star Trek cross over the $100M mark for its first week with a total of $104.6M. For some comparison Wolverine grossed $3.5M on its first Thursday, bringing its one week total up to $102.6M. Combined with the reported international sales, Star Trek heads into its second weekend with $153.9M under its belt.
New pic of Ayel
In the flurry of publicity materials there was one actor that never had a picture, until now. Paramount, in a little ‘better late than never’ has put out a publicity still of Clifton Collins, Jr. as Ayel.
Click to enlarge
Paramount Easter Egg Sweepstakes – Find R2D2
Today a new contest was announced on Paramount’s Star Trek Facebook page. The question to enter the contest is:
What scene in the new film STAR TREK features the robot "R2-D2" from Star Wars?
If you know the answer, email it to facebook@paramount.com with "STAR TREK Easter Egg Sweepstakes" in the subject line for a chance to win an official prop from the film STAR TREK.
Have you spotted R2?
Lucas (and McG) like Star Trek
Speaking of a Galaxy far far away, yesterday we reported on some of the latest Star Wars/Star Trek chatter drawing comparisons, and there is even more. The New York Observer drawing comparisons and asking ‘is George Lucas going to sue‘?. But the man himself doesn’t see it that way. Lucas tells New York magazine he liked the film:
"I liked Star Trek growing up and I’ve seen the new one," Lucas told us, shortly before taking off at warp speed in the opposite direction. "It’s good. I liked it." But, we wondered, was there anything he’d have changed about the movie? "No, because I would never do a Star Trek."
And Lucas isn’t the only director giving praise. Terminator Salvation helmer McG is also impressed, as noted in this quick clip from Hollywood.tv, where when asked if his May movie is better he said "nothing is better than Star Trek."
Star Trek in American Cinematographer – Abrams talks lens flares
The cover story for the June issue of American Cinematographer features a cover story on the new Star Trek movie. They extensive article goes into the detail on tools of the trade used to make the film and includes quotes from cinematographer Dan Mindel, gaffer Chris Prampin, production designer Scott Chambliss, visual-effects supervisor Roger Guyett and director J.J. Abrams. TrekMovie has been given an advance look at the cover an story, and of course the subject of the film’s multitude of lens flares is covered and . Abrams tells the mag:
The flares often weren’t made by a light source in the frame, and to me, that implies there’s something extraordinary happening just off camera. It makes me feel like I’m not watching the average moment. And I love the idea of a motif that is so inherently analog and imperfect in its unpredictability; it serves as counterpoint to the sterile, controlled look that so many visual-effects films seem to have.
Dan Mindel and his gaffer, Chris Prampin detail how they achieved the effect by building lights into the set and aiming handheld flashlights down the barrel of the lens. Mindel also notes, "We’ll either get slaughtered by our peers or be really admired for it!"
The June issue of American Cinematographer should appear on newsstands during the last week of May. Additionally, the Star Trek cover story will be posted online at www.theasc.com around the middle of June. Here is a first look at the cover.
Cover (click to enlarge)
New Enterprise – 725.35 meters long?
One question that keeps coming up is, ‘just how big is the new Enterprise? Well Gizmodo says that they have got it confirmed that it is a whopping 725.35 meters long, or over twice as long as the original. Here is an info graphic they crated to help compare it to real and other imagined space vehicles.
Click to bigify at Gizmodo
Wassup Kirk?
The new GQ magazine contains a brief interview with Chris Pine talking about life as the new Kirk, here is an excerpt.
You play Captain James T. Kirk. Any razzing from old friends of late?
It’s pretty f—king inescapable. I play basketball with a bunch of guys at 9:30 a.m. and it’s like, “Yo, wussup, Captain Kirk!” I don’t have a smart comeback yet.
There is also a photo gallery of Chris showing off some summer duds, click image below to check it out.
It’s good to be the Captain
Finally: Sim Trek
In June Electronic Arts releases Sims 3, and to help promote the new game, they have jumped on the Trek buzz bandwagon and created this Star Trek trailer parody
Bits
even more Star Trek stuff
- Film & Video have a detailed article on the effects for Star Trek
- UK promotion: CinemasOnline have a trivia givaway contest for mouse and mousemat
- The Creative Screenwriting Podcast with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (from event we reported on yesterday) is now available at iTunes.
- Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joe Nelson uses a changeup grip that he is calling ‘The Vulcan’.
Pitch long and prosper Joe
Thanks to Greg, Larry and Raphael
I’m gonna look for R2D2 as soon as I see it again. The next time will be my eighth!
135th?
Dang, not 135th.
have no idea where R2 is…maybe in the rubble and debris when entering Vulcan space?
R2D2? Ok, no idea… I remember looking for the Falcon in FC as it was said to have been in the distance of the fleet battle. Never found it for certain though.
Anyone see him, haven’t heard of anyone noticing it?
No, all Lucas does anymore is sh*ty CGI cartoons and two of the worst sci-fi flicks ever to see the screen, (Phantom Menace and Clone Wars). Very sad considering he created 3 of the greatest sci-fi flicks ever, (i’ll let you guess which i’m referring to).
Almost first!!!
Trek Lives STRONG!!!
Ok, I haven’t posted here before but I have to say that the size for the Enterprise just can’t be that big. I mean, c’mon guys you can look at it in some of the shots and see that there’s no way that can be.
I’m tempted to fake a pic of R2D2…at least his dome as the nacelle caps (sorry bussard collectors ;).
I think I just might see the movie one more time to spot R2. Does anyone have any hints?
#8. I agree based of the windows on the rim and the bridge screen/window it looks to be about the same as the original/refit. I also for comparison put the new ent up beside my Asylum 1701 and refit and they seem pretty similarly scaled.
Daaannnnnnngggg look at that Joe Nelson salute. That looks painful!
His nacelles…uhh fingers look too far apart…
OUCH!!!
I have already confirmed that the model won in the ARG game is 1/350 scale. This puts the new Enterprise at the same size as the refit Enterprise.
No no no! Stupid stupid stupid! Enough Star Wars in Star Trek! Star Wars has no business in Trek.
It’s bad enough the Star Wars allusions Abrams put into ST09.
Found him! R2 was there ;)
http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/2848/entr2.jpg
I always assumed that the new E is about the same size as the original. And based on the size of the windows compared to the ship as a whole, I think that’s about right.
If it was so huge, like around the size of the D, wouldn’t the windows/portholes appear very tiny? Like, well, on the D.
hate to alarm anyone but the galactica (wee the old one) is 1265 meters long (the new one is 1445 meters) , not 625.
I think the ship was created @ roughly TMP size, and then after someone noticed those huge breweries JJ was shooting in wouldn’t fit inside a 300m Enterprise, they just scaled up the ship to make the interiors fit.
There is NO WAY the new Enterprise is over 700 meters long.
Some of those windows would have to be 10 meters wide, if that were the case.
This isn’t the first time Star Trek and Star Wars have crossed over…
http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/c/c9/Akira_and_Millennium_Falcon.jpg
If you compare the shuttlebays on the two Enterprises, the larger scaling makes sense – they’re about the same size, except that the new one is a little larger because it has those extra “shelves” for the shuttles. I can buy the new size as being accurate, even if it’s ridiculous and pretty lame.
Lens flares defended and explained! … And still. Worst. idea. ever.
Joe Nelson’s ta’al is gimped.
Anthony:
Whatever “Gizmodo” is, it sites no sources, and just tosses the pic up with Probert’s refit as tiny and the new E as big. And some ships from other shows. I still think the ship maxes out at 300m. I even chanced upon a Trek ship designer with Pocket (covers and calendars) on the new “CHAT” who says no way is it over 300m in the new flick.
All one has to do is look at the shot of JTK on his motorbike. And it doesn’t double in size from TOS. And my Playmates ’09’ E is the same size as both TOS models and the TMP model.
Since it is an issue, maybe you could shoot a mail to Ryan Church and ask.
I think the big controversy regarding the size is based on the shuttle bay. The Church Enterprise’s shuttle bay, when the Church E is next to the TMP E looks far smaller than the TMP E’s shuttle bay. Yet, it is plainly a larger bay in the film- rows of shuttles, and shuttles much larger than the old Galileo. Further, due to the window on the bridge, you can see exactly where the bridge sits in the dome- roughly the same level as on the original. Yet, not only is the bridge itself larger than the TMP Enterprise, the doors to the new bridge do not open to just turbolifts, but rather to a series of hallways. That alone should make the dome proportionally larger than the TMP E.
However, the windows on the neck and saucer edge do reflect the original. The CGI model is rendered inconsistently. We will have to wait for an official determination to resolve the problem and hope the issue is fixed in the next film.
Who’d-a thunk it? The R2D2 contest is only open to US citizens. Lovely. Moving on…
#24, did you read the article? It cites “David B. from Bad Robot Productions”. It’s 725.35 meters.
Weerd1:
Once, the E had 203 on board. Then, after “Cage,” without too many changes, it went to 430.
I always defer to my Franz Joseph blueprints from 1975 for complement and size.
Of course, JJ Abrams gave us the Kelvin with over 800 on board, and a super-wide primary hull. E is much smaller in terms of crew complement.
Another indicator might be the pod kirk was ejected in…. when we see it landed its not very big and based on that and the port it was ejected from?
I have my own fanon theory regarding the Kelvin- I think it was a scout preparing for extended exploration at the edge of Federation space. So, it was carrying a colony which it would establish on a planet closer to their mission. That way, when it was time for shore leave, resupply, etc, they could just come back to the supporting colony and not have to come all the way back toward Earth. Naturally, some of the crewmembers would have family on board so they could live in the colony. Hence all the shuttlecraft as well- in case of emergency they would have to evac civilians. (Yeah, I know O and K said Winona was in Starfleet, so where was Sam?) Which colony? Well, Tarsus IV of course…
Love Franz Joseph’s work- I hope something similar comes out for the new universe!
12. Mee
I noticed the same thing. His two middle fingers are splayed almost as wide as his palm. He must have been doing this for a long time to be able to do something like that.
I am going to see the movie tomorrow for a 3rd time and want to see r2d2, i don’t care about the contest if someone knows where he is please comment b4 tomorrow after noon thanks.
Once again, this is the way I looked at the dreaded lens flares.
There’s an old Twilight Zone episode where a scientist (Russell Johnson-the professor from Gilligan’s Island) builds a time machine and inadvertently brings back a cowboy who was about to be hanged. When the bad ass cowboy inevitably kills the scientist, he runs outside and is completely blind sided by all the flashing lights, cars and sounds of 1960’s New York (remember this guy is from the 1800’s where things are dark and quiet) Now imagine one of “us” going over two HUNDRED years into the future. It would be overwhelming! Even now when I look at video games with 20 different things running on the screen at once, 50 years ago that would have been WAY too much to handle. Our frame of reference is in constant flux. Therefore for me, the lens flares artistically represent a visual reminder of how we would ACTUALLY feel in the future…overstimulated by all the flashing lights, sounds, and gadgets.
: )Paul
HA TOLD YA SO! I knew this sucker was huge!!! Could eat a Galaxy class for brunch and chomp on a Nebula for seconds!! where’s JT?? Hat Rick boys??
I guessed 600 meters or so based on my brilliant observations regarding the exposed interior space/ height of the outer saucer rim in the original teaser pics, the various shots of the interior of the new Galactica sized hanger bay, and enourmous engineering, water reclamation, Uhura listening station sets, ect.
Eat crow doubters!!
Bring on the Star Destroyers time to kick some Imperial ass!!!!
Regarding Size
There is no way in hell that the “New” Enterprise is that big. First of all, when Krik ride up to the shipyard it is not that big. When you look out the view screen/window, you can see the saucer section and it’s not very far from the end of it to the bridge. This ship is supposed to be a combination of 1701 Prime and 1701-A. This means that it’s size is somewhere in between. Sure the ship looks big, but it’s not. Also stop comparing your 1701-E models to your 1701 and 1701-A. THEY ARE NO WHERE NEAR EACH OTHER IN SIZE!
1701-E 685 Meters (Memory Alpha)
1701-A 304 Meters (Official 1701 TMP cross-section)
As far as the Kelvin goes, Pike could have been exaggerating in order to encourage Kirk to join Starfleet. Abrams is new at this so he’ll probably re-size the ship once he hears all the feedback from fans
In regards to Lucas
Yeah Lucas would never do Trek because he knows Paramount would say no after all the crap he’s put out. Also the film would suck. Lucas also would never sue because guess who got to do the special effects? ILM a Lucas ltd. company
And the ginormous new bridge cap that is two decks high with enough interior volume for spacious hallways on each side flanking the bridge as well as apparently a large officers lounge as well.
I am right !!!!!!!!!!!! And damn it feels good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are also forgetting in this new Universe they build Starships like they build navel vessels. You can cram 5,000 men on the Carrier CVN-65 and it has less volume than the Refit 1701.
Taking this into account the Kelvin can easily fit 800 men. If the interior of the Refit TMP Enterprise was built according to present day navel specs you could also fit 3 to 4,000 men inside.
The amount of crew has more to do with how the interior is arranged rather than the exterior size.
I get more and more outraged, about the movie and I actualy like it. Do not worry further JJ, you will be slaughtered. I hate the lens flares.
J.J., straighten this mess the hell out and be damn quick about it. How big is it? I’m sick of all these different answers.
31. The article says he has been throwing that pitch for 12 years now, and had to stretch his fingers in the beginning to make it work.
I call shenanigans on the lens flares. And the new 1701 being hat big? No way. Flat out, no way. It’s just ridiculous to even consider they would build it that big. What would be the point?
i’m totally fine with the size increase… bigger is better.
totally awesome!
oh, and i love lens flares… they put you in the action.
http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/schematics/3-enterprises.jpg
http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/schematics/stxi_ships.htm
I don’t see it as being twice the size of the original or sovereign that its being said to be… The bridge seems to sit lower where it would have more room like the BC deck would be on the other ships rather than the smaller dome on top. The window size and placement, docking ports seems to fit with the refit size. I just assume being bulit later it icorporates tech and design that would be used in the next class ships like the later refit from the original timeline.
LOL. That size comparison chart is hilarious.
#43 –
honestly, u’re not helping by giving JJ Abrams mixed signals.
The new Enterprise being that big would make the windows on it 2 storeys high, which is kindof ridiculous. It would also make the new enterprise bigger than Galaxy class starship and D’Deridex class Romulan Warbird. Which would make the Narada puny. These guys don’t know their Trek. And I’m getting this bad feeling that they don’t even care as long as they have their blockbuster “movie”.
ABRAAAAMMMMSSS!
It just irks me so much that we even have to have these conversations. Why would they make such a ridiculously– hahaha, sorry, got to stem my laughter for a second– ahem. Why would they make such a ridiculously sized Enterprise?? #45, yes!! And it just leads to more inconsistency and incoherence in their movie: #29 that’s right about the escape pod’s size! and #47 yes, two story high windows? I bet that’ll be cinematic, watching a little ant scurrying around inside… but no, then they’ll just change it again! Holy. And why– why! would anybody slop up his prized movie with camera flares and glare? This is dumbfounding. All of this.
And meanwhile there’s an R2D2 hidden in the movie? OMG, is there anything less freaking important??
How the hell is this new Connie larger than a Sovereign or a Galaxy class for that matter? I like the ship as much as Scotty but I dont feel that’s right. But, I guess thats what you get when you mess up the timeline.
What the heck? 725.35 meters long?
That would be even longer than the Sovereign class, that’s ridiculous!