Bob Orci Talks Star Trek & Star Wars + more new Trek/Wars links May 26, 2009
by TrekMovie.com Staff , Filed under: Sci-Fi, Star Trek (2009 film), Trek Franchise , trackback
For decades there has been much discussion and debate about Star Wars and Star Trek, and that has only increased with the new Star Trek movie and all the talk about bringing a little Star Wars into Star Trek. This has even risen to the level that StarWars.com has interviewed Star Trek co-writer. We have that plus some more new Trek/Wars links.
Orci talks Trek & Wars
To pick up on all the Trek/Wars talk, the folks at StarWars.com decided to interview Roberto Orci, and of course the subject of the influence of Star Wars came up:
You and Kurtzman have both admitted to being huge Star Wars fans. How did the Star Wars saga influence your writing for Star Trek?
A New Hope is very much like an origins story. But we also looked at Superman, Godfather II and other movies that took their time to set up a character before he sets off on a journey. Doing that for Kirk and Spock was a way to introduce them. But we were also after just the way Star Wars made us feel as kids. We were more in search of a feeling than perhaps any specific archetype; that feeling of momentum and inevitability of something.
Bob also talked about what he would like to do if he had a chance to play around in the Star Wars universe:
Yeah, we use the Force as an excuse too. As a Star Wars fan, how would you reboot the Star Wars franchise?
I’d love to go back to the time in between the movies A New Hope through Return of the Jedi, and see other planets and the people who live on them, and how they see the war like we’re following the war in Iraq. It would be interesting to see other people respond to finding out there’s a base on Bespin.
much more from Orci at StarWars.com
Wiedlin talks Trek and Wars fandom
StarWars.com has another interview that is Trek/Wars related, with Jane Wiedlin of Go-Gos fame, who Trek fans may remember from her cameo in Star Trek IV. In the interview Wiedlin talks about her fandom of both franchises:
"I remember that, having grown up in a hardcore Star Trek-loving family, I felt a bit like I had to choose sides when the first movie, Star Wars: A New Hope came out," Wiedlin recalls. "But seeing the movie turned me into an instant huge fan. The characters seemed totally real to me, and the technology of the special effects was mind-blowing. I fell in love with everyone and everything Star Wars."
Madsen on ForceCast Trek/Wars round table
The ForceCast, the podcast from theforce.net (the TrekMovie of Star Wars), has a new podcast that does a round table discussing Star Trek and Star Wars, including guest Dan Madsen (a man who knows his Trek and his Wars as good as anyone). Listen to it at theforce.net.
I’m a Star Trek, I’m A Star Wars
One final Wars/Trek fun bit, here is another one of those Apple parodies all about the new Star Trek.
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Comments»
As a funny shout out to Wars, in the movie when the cadets are getting their ship assignments, you can hear “Vader, U.S.S Hood.”
I don’t think that there is any inherent conflict between the two franchises and I hope there are bridges created between them.
3 hehe
Darth Kirk…
It’s good to see the long-estranged relatives making up and acknowledging the family connections.
Roberto Orci is officially my hero/man-crush haha
This could lead to SW and ST fans embracing, Arabs and Israelis making up, dogs and cats co-habiting and world peace! Or the end of the world in 2012, one of the two.
1.
I’ve heard that three times now, and every time I think, ‘Nah, he didn’t really say Vader, did he?”
oh wow that thing STINKS! that clip is sooooo long. I like these apple/pc parodies but come on… 3 and half minutes? Short and Sweet = Win. That equals epic fail
6,
Yay December, 21st!
I am proud to be a bilingual fan. Can’t we all just get along? :-)
Star Wars and Star Trek. Apples and Oranges. You are allowed to love them both.
Could you imagine a movie with the two universes meet? I think even Shatner suggested that at one point. But that’s about as real to see as world peace is here today.
Assuming Star Trek is ‘our’ reality in the future, as a kid I’d wonder if they watched ‘Star Wars’ on the Enterprise…
I didn’t watch Enterprise regularly, but I thought it would have been delightful to hear about (or even SEE, if I’d manage to actually catch the episode) Tripp ruminating on the Star Wars trilogy to T’Pol.
(It was Tripp with the movie nights, right?)
there is a star wars poll, btw
as expected, most trek fans are also sw fans
This rivalry has always been more of a media canard than anything else. Wars fans owe Trek a debt for opening the door to large-scale, space-travel epics. And Wars showed how much money such epics could make, opening the door for TMP, TNG and everything since.
11. Cylon – May 26, 2009
Star Wars and Star Trek. Apples and Oranges. You are allowed to love them both.
And I do. Both franchises are amazing in their own way. Still, I want to see a lightsaber in a Star Trek movie.
In the captain’s quarters on the wall, or in the ready room or whatev’s.
i had never heard of you were either a fan of one or the other into recently.
As a sometime critic of the new Star Trek movie, let me say that it is light years beyond any of the SW prequels. In every way conceivable ST 2009 bests Episodes 1-3.
It’s like the difference between “Aliens” and “Battle Beyond the Stars.”
Not even close.
I do kind of like “Battle Beyond the Stars”, but it’s nothing to be proud of.
I bet the ones who don’t like Star Wars probably don’t like the new Star Trek movie. If it doesn’t look like 1966, it ain’t any good!
“I just love 23rd Century (1966) design!” Jadzia Dax – DS9 – Trials and Tribble-ations
I always expected the ship on Battle Beyond the Stars to fire twin milk streams at the enemy.
Bespin? Rebel Base? Really? Must have been Top Secret.
In my sophomore year of high school I was able to learn how to program from a code listing of Star Trek. My Senior year Star Wars came out and I helped a student learn programming by teaching him how to write his Star Wars Adventure. At the time there was only teletypes and Dec Video Terminals (160×50 in Black & White and gray text, so the adventure was text. It still became a popular game, so popular it earned the honor of being banned because school kids wanted games not education.
So I’ve been in the Trek/Wars battle since day one. I’ve always viewed it as two universes of equal value. Although I may be biased by saying Star Trek is made for Adults and the real World. As where Star Wars is made for kids with smaller minds and there imaginary worlds.
So Trek is more real and Wars is an imaginary game. So to me Star Trek will always rule, but Star Wars is a good but smaller side adventure. For proof look at 555 hours of viewing compared to 12 hours. (these are ruff time lengths not actual and Star Trek fills a Terabyte drive as were Star Wars fits on a Thumb drive)
First chance to say, “Thanks & cheers” to Bob Orci and crewe for the film and saving the day, eh! Have fun picking out something from O’Gara Coach to make the grocery shopping and commuting a bit sportier. PS: A-M DBS, schwing.
And, O by the way, mention something to JJ about using the LHC or at least the Guinness brewery for the set of engineering next time. ;-)
GN
The Star Wars Prequels are terribly unentertaining, and essentially define the saying “lipstick on a pig.” Stories written horribly with the gloss of ILM’s best work to date in a cost-no-object environment. Poor acting gotten from good actors and worse acting from bad ones, plus the reduction of Darth Vader to a stupid idiot, just destroy the series. I am a fan of IV, V & VI only.
And would you watch a film with Tiberius Vader and James Darth Kirk where it was the Force -vs- the Mind Meld. How would Spock do after a meld with Vader and Jar Jar or Vader handle the Silicon Rock creature. They are both different worlds and exist only on film or video. So enjoy both as much as possible.
One more thing about the new Trek movie…
I’ve seen it six times now. I like it better each time.
That’s really rare.
Punch it.
20. frederick – May 26, 2009
I thought that George Peppard was cool in BBTS. Space Cowboy.
Both are great for different reasons. And both have periods I’d just as soon ditch from so-called ‘canon’ (SW 1-3, VOY & ENT).
Comparing Star Trek with Star Wars is, as previously stated, like comparing apples to oranges. I’m definitely a Trek fan and Star Wars never really appealed to me. It’s just not my cup of tea. That’s not taking a thing away from Star Wars or anyone who enjoys it… it’s just not my favorite.
Star Trek and Star Wars are both great. The funny thing is that though some Trek fans hate Wars and vice versa the two could easily be made to be the same universe. Not that I’m advocating that necessarily. However, considering that Star Wars takes place in “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away”, it would not be hard at all.
Great fun! Love the parody!
It may come back….but at the moment, to quote BB King….the thrill is gone.
I wonder if someone will take up the task to produce the 3 final stories Lucas decided not to go into after Jedi? Someone will Im sure, if Lucas allows it.
I just saw Star Trek a 4th time tonight. This time brought my coworker along who is 21 and is a Star Wars fan. He never really like Star Trek movies because they were always too slow for him. But this new movie won him over. He liked it and says its the best one he’s seen. So JJ and crew did their job for making this film likable to the young people today. I never understood the need for non stop action in movies, but knowing kids today who have short attention spans- it makes sense.
Where is it written that I cannot like both? I always found this “one or the other” thing very puzzling.
Anybody seen that clay puppet spoof star warpd: the fandom menace? I think it was on dvd about 2001 and its story combined trek and star wars and 2001 and et and just about every scifi movie hero/villain-the enterprise had propellers etc.it was mildly amusing but interesting due to the good effex mixed with claymation–the trailers for the non existant sequel were funnier than the main story as it involved killing/injuring Ewoks hehe
I have taken every family/friend I can think of and recommended the new movie to everyone I see-4 times for me so far–please mr orci tell us there will be a sequel!
There is no problem with liking them both… so I have to say I don’t like Star Wars as much as Trek, just because I never get into the “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away” it somehow always puzzled me, the whole backstory…
sorry, Star Trek and Star Wars are pretty different in my eyes. I like both, but I far prefer Star Trek. There was never enough to think about in Star Wars. They are different works with very different intentions behind them, and I think it’s a disservice to both to let them meld into one conglomerate mess.
I liked Star Wars before the prequels. Once Lucas started fiddling in 1997, although I enjoyed seeing them on the big screen for the first time for me anyway, I started getting bored with it.
There was nothing but Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars until Revenge Of the Sith came out, and then we had the whole dvd reissue thing in the last few years. I’m happy its quiet for a while.
I remember growing up having Star Wars on vhs, taped of the TV on the back of Forbidden Planet funny enough and I was a kid and it was fun, the prequels got so serious and dull at times or so slapstick it was like watching It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad Star Wars.
I am seeing Star Trek again on Monday and if nothing else it was upbeat, “I feel young”, the first film in ages that doesn’t see the World as one dim place.
I think this is why it will outdo Terminator, there is enough gloom in the World at the moment, we need escapism enjoyment and something positive.
Even the superhero movies are getting darker.
There can be a better future, one where machines do not rule but a group of people explore space in an effort to better mankind and to boldy go where no one has been before.
The future has begun.
Keep in mind it was always Paramount’s desire to bring Star Trek in competition with Star Wars – the TMP was created only after ST – Phase II axed.
I see many Star Wars connections in the new film, some of which I liked and some of which I felt was inappropriate. I enjoyed the film immensely, but I didn’t like
1) the aahhh aahhh ahhh operatic Star Warsy music during the space battles
2) the cadet uniform tie in to SW
3) the turrets
But hey, these are just my thoughts – it was a very cool movie that Abrams and crew created.
I thought it was worth mentioning that the Star Wars connection was likely hatched in a executive board room as part of the pressure from the studio to Abrams and crew – it is a franchise that seeks profit, after all.
The idea that fans are expected to choose sides between franchises is just really, really, really, really silly. Just … amazingly silly.
I’m taking my TARDIS and going home.
Re: Cagmar (37) says it pretty good for me.
SW and Trek are two totally different franchises in my eyes too. I really loved SW up until I hit my late teens. I got bored with it, to say nothing of the recent SW films. A classic example of the Trek/SW disparity hit me last year when I inquired about Trek related merchandise at a popular, local comic book/collectibles store, which is packed with overpriced, SW inventory. The imperious little zit farmer behind the counter acted as if I’d requested he take a swim in a sewer. {{Condescending Sigh}} “The only ‘Star Track’ stuff we carry is on the display rack, behind the 25% off tee-shirts!”
The Star Wars vs Star Trek feud is silly, yet obviously pointed at times. The more I hear/read about “Star Trek needing a Star Wars infusion, the more I want to hurl. Maybe it’s just me, but I want more than “Space Opera” out of my Sci-Fi entertainment. Maybe the kid at the comic book store was right. ST and SW should remain distinctly separate franchises. To each his/her own…
Totally escapes me why one shouldn’t be able to like both Trek and Wars.
42. Holger – May 27, 2009
Totally escapes me why one shouldn’t be able to like both Trek and Wars.
Supposedly, if you do, Regulan Blood Worms and Mynocks devour your soul for the rest of eternity…
Star Trek stirred my interest in science fiction during my boyhood. Star Wars awed me in what could be done cinematically with science fiction/fantasy in my senior year of high school.
Both peacefully co-exist in my personal history as major companions on my journey through a life first wondering why no one else got into the optimism that was Star Trek and later rejoicing in the company of others who were willing to stand in line often to enjoy the experience that was Star Wars.
I love both Star Trek AND Star Wars.
I’ll admit — I loved ‘Wars way before I even knew who Captain Kirk is. I loved Luke Skywalker and Han Solo before I (saw the light and) knew Spock. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, and besides, my older brother had aaaaallll the action figures. (Skywalker + Barbie = Best couple if you ask six-year-old girl.)
But then I became familiar with Star Trek, and I fell in love with THAT, and now I just like them equally.
Or, ahem, Star Trek a wee bit more. ;3
[...] Bob Orci Talks Star Trek & Star Wars + more new Trek/Wars links … [...]
star wars is great, but is basically a childrens fairy tale-in-space franchise.
knights, princesses, wizards and magic, oh my!
ewoks anyone?
trek is grounded in more traditional scientific fiction depicting the future of contemporary humans now.
the difference between the two is the difference between sci-fi and science fiction…
i love apples, and i love oranges too!
the star trek revival would not have been possible without the success of star wars:anh, without it we would have been stuck with the mediocre ‘phase two’ made for tv movies…
Judging from the comments here, it looks to me as though most of us like “Star Wars,” too. I seem to recall some threads earlier in the year where a few posters popped off against ANY suggestion that Trek might have some elements borrowed from SW. I wonder who they were. . .
Anyway, the debate always struck me as inherently silly. There’s room for all kinds of science fiction in my universe. It’s like asking me to choose between Philip K. Dick and Ursula K. Le Guin.
Can I make one point….
Besides getting annoyed by these constant references to Star Trek essentially ripping off the original star wars………
I ask you all this, look up the story of the movie of Judge Dredd…..
Read the storyline and think to yourself, what movie does this remind you of.
:Ahem: Episode 2 :Ahem:
Take THAT George Lucas…..
Funny another connection of the new movie to Star Wars was in this film, they didn’t include beginning credits (other then the movie name) like they used to. Sounds like a nod to Star Wars to me. Don’t want credits getting in the way to slow down the movie and take away from the action. :P
Whos to say they can’t bridge Star Trek and Star Wars in the same Universe. Star Wars was a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. So we are now in the 23rd century and the Enterprise gets Swept to the galaxy where all the Star Wars people are and the Big E has to take on a few Star Destroyers before they meat up with more rebels. Maybe decendents of Luke and Leia and Han. Kirk and Spock could even meet up with R2D2 and C3PO. Kool Story maybe.
51 – that would be the dumbest movie ever made.
52. No… “Kung Pow: Enter the Fist” was the dumbest movie ever made. Forever. Since before your sun burned hot in space…and until the last quarks shimmer into absolute cold death in the vast endless expanses of the universe.
@53. Ah, but Kung Pow was deliberately dumb. So that hardly counts.
I am also always bothered by both Trekkies/Trekkers and Star Wars’ fans tendencies to line up into camps and flame one another. I’ve always been a fan of both. Always will be.
48: You can like both Star Trek and Star Wars, but not like mixing them. No contradiction in that.
It’s too late Orci. You can’t ruin the Star Wars franchise too. Lucas beat you to it.
5 Robofuzz – May 27, 2009
51 – that would be the dumbest movie ever made.
I havt to agree. But would be fun.!!!
Never forget that Trek is owned by CBS and Wars is owned by Lucasflim. Heck, I was once a Trekkie and a Warsie, but my favorite film series is still “Superman.” These uniforms seen in the 11th “Star Trek” motion picture got a feel that is similar to the Superman costume from 2006’s “Superman Returns”. I consider the 11th “Star Trek” motion picture as the “Superman Returns” of 2009. I’m proud to say this: May all you Trekkies out there live long and prosper, and may the Force be with all you Warsies out there.
Superman Returns-yyuk!all that movie did was remind you over and over how great the original superman movie was-without becoming a great original movie of its own-I kept thinking yah those were great lines from that movie Singer,cant you think if any new great lines of your own for this movie, or an original story, etc. improved efx were the only thing similar in the new trek movie-I even liked the costumes a lot better in trek…
oh yeh I also blame Singer for the horribly bad 3rd x-men movie-since he ditched making it for supes returns-when the first 2 xmen movies were pretty good-they totally ruined 3 by killing off major characters for no reason and doing it poorly and for reducing the cosmic Phoenix saga to a psycho jean gray–such an awesome original story wasted—grrrr!
i like both but one is short lived escapism and the other is an ongoing intellectual journey so while one gets the odd double movie night the other lives with me day to day.
Star Trek is better than Star Wars
56: Geez man! What do you have against Orci?!
#63—Red Shirted Monkey is just a troll.
27 — amen.
#64–Yah, I know… Just pisses me off after a while..