Leaked Paramount Memo: Star Trek Sequel Still Listed As A “Go” Priority

Here is a bit of news to file under: no news is good news. A leaked email memo highlights Paramount Pictures upcoming slate of films and the Star Trek sequel (planned for 2012) is still on the Paramount list as a "go". More details below.

 

Star Trek still on deck

The Wrap is creating some buzz today by revealing a long detailed email memo which purports to be the inside scoop on the status of a number of upcoming projects from Paramount Pictures. Each film listed is given a very quick summary on its status. The upcoming Star Trek sequel comes under the category "PRIORITIES/ON DECK" with the following notation:

STAR TREK: Writing; this will go next year

The translation is that the Star Trek sequel project is still a priority at Paramount, and is currently being written with no problems foreseen to get in the way of production starting in 2011. That kind of rosy outlook is not true for every project on the list. For example the next Jack Ryan movie (starring Chris Pine) is noted "Needs a rewrite (looking for new writer) before greenlighting".

As for the Trek sequel script, co-writer Roberto Orci has previously stated that they hope to hand it in by the end of the year. Last we heard from Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof, they were still developing the story for the film, with scripting to follow. Production on the sequel is expected to start in May or June of 2011 with the planned release date of June 29, 2012.

The leaked memo at The Wrap has other non-Trek related info on, check it out at The Wrap.

 

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Awesome!

Why does it still have to be written by the same guys who did Transformers 2 AND tried to put a little SW into ST?

Second post a hater post. That was fast.

#2, probably because the movie made millions. Just a thought.

Looking forward to see whats next! You know the 2nd one’s going to be even better!

Great news! Hope its smooth sailing ahead for the remaining work. Ahead. Best of luck

The Jack Ryan movie isn’t in as pessimistic a state as you suggest. It needs a rewrite since it was a random script that they decided to adapt into a Jack Ryan film. So of course it needs a rewrite.

there is need for concern
transformers 1 excellent, transformers 2 mess
Stat Trek 11 excellent, Star Trek 12?

Bob Orci and company did a fantastic job on Trek 09. I only hope they can do it again on the Story. But still guys. Give us a real Engeneering section ok. Then all will be well. So break a leg and get us a story that will blow us all away.

I thought Damon was also writing the screenplay this time?

What exactly does this mean anyway awesome now blow us away with a brilliant sequel :0)

Star Trek 12 (or could be called Star Trek 2) is an even number, so it will be great.

there was a little star wars injected into the original series movies as well, everyone just seems to have forgotten

Transformers two sucked because Bay is a idiot.

Star Trek 12!!!!!!!

12. Yeah, I guess it depends on how big a rewrite they have to do. Considering they signed a director, I assume they’re still hoping to get that into production after Chris Pine finishes his next film and before Trek. Whether that happens will be interesting. Although by signing Bender as director, they could be looking at a faster shoot considering his extensive tv experience. That would also keep costs and risk low.

13. I think the odd movie curse is officially over after the last two films.

#13

And Star Trek ’09 (or could be called Star Trek 11) was—oh no!—9 and 11—both odd numbers. Maybe #2 (even number) was right…

Things I’d like to see in the sequel:

-Gorns
-Talos IV
-Cestus III
-Orion traders
– Haunted Castle (a la ‘Catspaw’)
– Great barrier
– Doomsday Machine
– Death of a major character (Uhura, Sulu or Chekov)
– More character development
– More Scotty and McCoy
– A moral crisis
– End of the awkward romance between Uhura and Spock (see #8 above)
– more Admiral Pike
– No Harry Mudd!

It’s been a while since a Trek movie was such a priority to Paramount. For all the haters: Transformers 2 sucked because Michael Bay is a terrible director and it’s a movie based on toys. Sure they’re were previous movies and cartoons, but they’re toys. Star Trek has 45 years of history, canon, and an incredible amount of love from its fans (the writers included). For once with Trek, I think it’s safe to say, we’re in good hands.

All hands on deck for Star trek (1)2!

The one thing I am tired of in the Trek movies is the Enterprise VS. X format. They all follow the TWOK formula. Let’s see something different.

What I don’t want to see in the next Trek movie:
Khan
Mudd
Doomsday Machine
Klingons (they were over done)
anything from modern Trek

As to the sets, I agree the ship needs a real engine room, maybe Scotty can have a still somewhere as an homage to Trek09. ;)

The Bridge is worse than Engineering.

Fix the bridge!

#25

Agreed! If Paramount only gives them enough money to redesign one set, let it be the Apple store—I mean the nail salon—I mean the bridge…

And if JJ & Co. are so determined to make the Mattel playset—I mean the Enterprise—look realistic, they should just take a look around the bridge of a modern aircraft carrier, spruce it up with a few futuristic displays, (maybe a couple of ferns and a throwrug) and there you go! You got a real bridge!

As for engineering… sigh….

“viele köche verderben den brei.” is there an equal english saying?

please fix
– the bridge,
– the engineering,
– the timeline/alternate mishmash and
– the definitely recurring bad script.

imho the story of trek09 was just horrible and stupid. i liked the overall atmosphere (if not thinking of this ridiculous story) and acting though!

What about Tholians?

28…

– I didn’t love the Bridge, but I didn’t hate it. If Mr. Abrams & Co. can squeeze money out of Paramount for only one new set, it must be Engineering. We need something that looks like it is powered by antimatter and a warp core, not a steam engine.
– Fixing the timeline would probably require time travel… yet again. Please, let’s call a moratorium on time travel in Trek movies.
– I’m still hoping Mr. Orci and Co., now freed of the need to reboot the franchise, will now be able concentrate on story, instead of getting all the characters where they’re supposed to be. No more one-dimensional villains like Nero, and a much lower Disbelief Suspension Quotient than the first movie.

I find the comments about the Enterprise not looking realistic amusing. Do we remember how bland the Enterprise Bridge was in TMP?

More epic friendship. And the Kirk, Spock, McCoy super brain at work.

NuTrek was an answer in search of a question… or was that in search of a profit? No matter. I hope the “inner-authors” of the corporate creative team will rise to the occasion and give us ticket purchasers a story worth the time and money of a viewing.

Oh and skip the migraine inducing “lens flares” — I mistook it for CSI: Miami at first sight.

(Come to think of it, CSI:Miami is not such a bad Star Trek variant…

* cartoon-like morality plays that are more sophisticated than they appear (and the good guys win always win);
* unbelievable costumes that never get dirty/bloody;
* high tech gizmos galore;
* a leading man named “Horatio” who kills when bad guys needs killin’ and always has a beautiful woman by his side;
* and retro-fun cinematography that favors over-saturated primary colors reminiscent of a certain “Brought to You In Living Color” television program from long, long ago.

Sincerely,
C.S. Lewis

#31

Bland and believeable.

But if you want to reference a great-looking bridge from a previous Trek film, how about the Enterprise-A or Excelsior from TUC? Oh heck, the first Excelsior bridge from TSFS looked better than the Abrams nail salon.

believable

34. The bridge from the new Trek movie was from a different time. It looks different.

also, I’d take New Trek over some bland Voyager or Enterprise episode any day. The first 3 seasons of DS9, too.

Lets hope the writing in this one is good! Just looking at the writing history of these two so called writers is abysmal.

#34

Oh, it looks “different” all right. Reminds me of when parents are trying to be nice to some poor kid when they’re critiquing his pug-fugly finger-painting— “Well, it looks… different, JJ.”

Why do so many despise Trek 09:0/

I only want two thing, a new engineering set, a revamp of the TMP warp core or one of the images we saw in the new movie art book. The other thing I want is an epic battle, one that will go down in Star Trek history, one that will trump the DS9 retake of DS9 battle or invasion of Cardassia. Rob, Alex, Damon please please please give us ONE HUGE EPIC BATTLE!!!!!

@ 8. trekboi
Honestly I feel the second movie will be better, you cant compare Star Trek 11 to Transformers 1 and Star Trek 12 to Transformers 2. Star Trek has a huge legacy more so than transformers. They wanted Star Trek 11 to be huge but they had to numb it down a bit to bring the current fans to the light and non fans to the light and it was still HUGE. And those same writes might just be better at writing one thing than another. Transformers was good for what it was where Star Trek 12 was well written, I don’t that fact that they didn’t do the best job at writing Transformers will mean that Star Trek will suffer the same.

@ 9. Capt Mike of the Terran Empire
I agree I want a real engineering with a warp core, think of what warp core would look like with todays tech. Must be swirling lights like TMP or Voyager engine not TNG engine. And we know we all want a HUGE battle scene with armadas not one on one submarine battles, I will say this every time.

@ 10. Phaser Guy
Yes Damon is also writing with them, so three brains brewing.

@14. nig
How so?

@ 15. Kevin
EXACTLY!!!

@ 22. Joel
BINGO!

@ 25. John from Cincinnati
The bridge was AWESOME!! All white and Apple! Although it was a bight bright and yea could use a little tweaking.

@ 26. Vultan
Um yea the Kelvin bridge was a naval bridge they even said it in the special feature, they wanted to have a naval feel, the Enterprise was supposed to be clean and bright.

@ 30. Thorny
I don’t agree with the bridge, I loved it, but engineering is the one new set which needs to be built.

@34. Vultan
Are you kidding me! The first excelsior bridge looked light a cheap computer nightmare! It didnt have a definitive shape, it was like DOS on acid. My favorite bridge is a tie between Star Trek VI and Enterprise E bridge.

Beats me. I loved it.

this memo IS A FAKE (inside joke: senator vrenak)

Apparently I don’t proof read :(

You’ll probably disagree with me, but I always keep thinking that a good title for the new movie should be Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Why I think it would be well titled like that? The crew is now assembled, and there’s a entire universe for them to explore together. Many planets and civilizations to get to know about.

It’s just me thinking anyway…

@ 43. jas_montreal

lol YES! “IT’S A FAKE!” Vrenak was furious, he was going to expose this whole deceit, soooo….call Gerak, carful application of explosives can solve any problem.

@ 45. Gustavo Valente

I agree I the trek fan in me likes it, but the sceptic side of me in all honesty say’s it is kinda cheese.

#41

Yes, the Enterprise bridge was clean and BRIGHT. Maybe they should have Mister Moe bring it down to mood lighting next time. ;)

And, yes, the original Excelsior bridge was cheesy, but I’ll take TOS cheese any day over Abrams limburger.

TOS Bridge looked better, the corridors looked better, the transporter room looked better, the uniforms looked better, the dress uniforms looked way better, the engine room looked better then ANY of the movies

@27 Florian –
“too many cooks spoil the broth”

Yep, They need one strong writer with a vision to revive Trek. Not a committee or a “supreme court” or other such dorm room BS.

Until then it’s going to be a compromised, negotiated hash, written for cheap laughs and toy sales.