Simon Pegg’s new film, the John Landis directed body snatching comedy Burke and Hare, opened in the UK over the weekend. Pegg. While promoting the film actor talked a little bit about the Star Trek sequel, excerpt below, plus photos and video from the London premiere.
Pegg talks Star Trek sequel character development
Pegg made some brief statements to the media about Star Trek at the Burke and Hare junket and premiere, mostly the same sort of thing. Here is an example from an interview with the Screenjabber where Pegg first noting that he doesn’t know anything, but said he recently saw writer/producer Damon Lindelof and offered his update on the scripting of the Trek sequel:
It is in the office right now, it is being hashed out. I know from what Damon [Lindelof] has said publically that they are looking to develop the relationships between the crew — they only have just all got together, really. And JJ [Abrams] is incredibly secretive, frustrating secretive, even with his closest friends…he is a blind alley.
These comments match what Lindelof and others have said about how they are looking to do more character development with the new Star Trek crew for the sequel.
Pegg expects sequel to develop relationships between the new crew
More on Burke and Hare, plus Paul and other projects from Screenjabber.
Burke and Hare opening disappoints
Pegg’s new comedy Burke and Hare opened in the UK last weekend to disappointing box office, landing in sixth place with less than £1M of sales. The UK’s Guardian named the film "the loser" of the weekend, noting "as a leading man, star Simon Pegg has been on a commercial downwards slide since Hott Fuzz opened in February 2007. The comedy was probably no helped by generally unfavorable reviews, with a current Rotten Tomatoes rating of just 38%.
Burke and Hare Premiere Video and Photos
Here are some videos and photos from last week’s Burke and Hare London premiere. Videos include interview snippets with Pegg and other cast and crew.
Burke and Hare stars Andy Serkis, Isla Fisher and Simon Pegg arrive for World Premiere at The Chelsea Cinema on October 25, 2010 in London, England
Pegg at Burke and Hare Premiere
Pegg at Burke and Hare Premiere
Burke & Hare had one problem.
It wasn’t remotely funny. Bit unforgivable for a comedy, really. Edinburgh looked nice though.
Keep an eye out for a Ray Harryhausen cameo though!
Cue the brewery posts in 5 4 3 2
Scotty’s development is the one character I’m worried about… the man should be a genius first and comic relief second.
#2
Interestingly it is you who lobbed the first volley. You have become that which you deride.
I agree with you Engineer#1 but I also hope they do more with the trio and I mean the entire trio, putting McCoy in there and not just concentrating on Kirk and Spock. The only movie to really show the relationship with the trio was The Final Frontier and how most people hated that one. I personally didn’t hate it but it is not my favorite either.
I really hope the sequel allows McCoy more screen time and incorporates him more deeply into the Kirk/Spock friendship. To me, Trek has always been about those three characters. The Kirk/Spock/McCoy Trinity must live again!
Weren’t these characters (at least Kirk, Spock, and McCoy) developed over 79 episodes and 6 movies?
Oh, that’s right, alternate timeline=Carte Blanche to change EVERYTHING that was developed over 40+ years!
Of course they’re looking to ‘develop the characters’. If they said they were just looking for ways to blow more stuff up people would get mad.
Isla Fisher as Marla McGivers. Yumm.
Character development …. okay! ….. I get it !…. LOL!
Character development …. okay! ….. I get it !…. LOL!
But Deshonn Steinblatt ??… can you explain this to me if you want! .. HAHAHAH!
McCoy needs more screen time :) please
13. Trekprincess – November 2, 2010
McCoy needs more screen time :) please
I agree, equality would be nice but c’mon TOS was ALWAYS about Kirk, Spock, and McCoy and my fav trio by far.
Well, it is nice to know they will develop the characters even though that felt to be an obvious thing.
But at least knowing that is a true definitely makes me more assured that Mudd and Horta are not the “villains”. But Trelane and Gary could be. Gary less than Trelane because Gary would make the plot more about Kirk and him and less about everybody else. Trelane, who could be a possible Q, might be interested in this new timeline with an alternate Kirk and Enterprise crew. :D It would give time for each character to develop themselves because Trelane likes playing with people.
At least that is my hope
3. Engineer #1 – November 2, 2010
Scotty’s development is the one character I’m worried about… the man should be a genius first and comic relief second.
True, but its not like they didn’t establish Scotty as a genius by inventing transwarp beaming.
But to compliment your case I agree, I am also worried. Scotty’s genius need to be bumped ahead of his comic relief. He was never really the comedian in TOS. I just hope they don’t skip the genius and give him oh a drunk scene like in “By Any Other Name.” Although Scotty drinking with the Kelvin was funny.
16
I agree. During “The Original Series”, Scotty was always pretty serious while on duty. Only when he drank did he become funny (in a good way, a bottle of Scotch was sort of an escape vehicle for the character).
Scotty is one character that I felt Bob & Co. didn’t get right (although they also tinkered with Chekov, the results were better). I’m really hoping that the writers do right by the character in the sequel.
#16 Go and count how many times Scotty drank, then go and count how many times Kirk and McCoy drank. The total for the latter two will be WAY more than Scotty, but because he was once seen getting fall-down drunk (in the line of duty, if you recall) he’s the one who’s pegged as a drinker.
*sighs*
I too hope the writers get more of a handle on the character this time around. Yes, guys, he had a sense of humour. No, he was NOT there to *be* funny (for which also read, ‘stupid’). One more time: professional, authoritative, brilliant. Oh, and he can do the Captain’s job too when he has to.
Scotty is the number 3 on the Enterprise, he needs to show a bit more maturity and leadership in the next film. He should be like a war seasoned platoon Sargent. Like Tom Sizemore’s character in Saving Private Ryan.
Does anyone remember from TOS that Scotty ever acted surprised when anything he did worked? I hope that’s one thing that gets weeded out during future character development.
I’d like to see something about Scotty that portrays a man who is prepared to sit in the Capt.’s chair.
#19:
I’d be happier if he was more like James Doohan’s character in Star Trek :)
That said though, Scotty was pretty much comic relief a LOT in Star Trek… but as a result of his seriousness and exasperation rather than because of being “funny.” I don’t think they crossed that line entirely in the first movie, but I’d much rather see Scotty running around engineering flapping his hands and yelling “I’M GIVIN HER ALL SHE’S GOT!” than shooting one-liners at his sidekick.
i definitely prefer the tense, grave, but sometimes lighthearted Scotty of TV-series. however, the Scotty of the TOS-films was more often relegated, as some have noted, to comedy relief (“there be WHALES here!”).
so i suppose TREK2009’s representation of the humorous-characterization was appropriate. and, in my judgment, superbly played by Mr. Pegg in the feature.
I always liked the idea that Scotty was older than Kirk and had as much (or more) starship experience. He just preferred the engineering aspects of his duty. But make no mistake, he was a formidable commander when called upon and his tactical and fundamental approach to command was unparallelled. Doohan seemd to play the part on the series with a subtle exasperation that other crewmembers on the ship just didn’t understand the mechanics of the ship as well as he and he was always trying to edify them as to how things worked and why ideas they had might not be practical or functional. He had a bit of the elder crew member status while still maintaining his subordinate position to the captain and Mr. Spock.
As played in the new film the only resemblence to Scotty was the color of his shirt.
You have to earn the comedy moments… the best way to do that is by playing on the foundations of a serious, slightly surly, inventive and passionate Scot. Those foundations have to be established. That’s pretty much Doohan’s formula… all the hard work was done early on and his comedy moments were down to the character he built. I hope Pegg is given the opportunity to do the same…. (and sit in the chair!).
#24
A lot of good points. I hope they’re noted. But don’t you think that Scotty was the one person Spock really respected professionally… I always found that really interesting. Spock often turned to Scotty in a moment of crisis. Perhaps, as you point out, due to Scotty’s experience and knowledge of the ship. I liked the relationship between Nimoy and Doohan perhaps because I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
#26
I do agree there. Spock always seemed to accept Scotty’s “emotionalism” moreso than McCoy’s and that was perhaps due to the fact that Scotty was higher up in the command structure of the ship. And that perhaps Nimoy and Doohan did much to foster that relationship onscreen. They didn’t have to play the ‘triumvirate” dynamic so much.
Have we ever seen Pegg play serious? Hott Fuzz? I’m trying to imagine him as the steely Commander Mr. Scott when not being comic relief.
Scotty was always one of my favorite characters in TOS. He is a brilliant engineer and is passionate about his work. He could be both serious and humorous. I thought Simon Pegg did a great job. His take on the character was fun. Pegg can do serious characters like Nicholas Angel in Hot Fuzz.I hope the writers will dig a little deeper and highlight the serious and capable side of Scotty.
In the new Star Trek we’re in an alternate universe — the timeline has been altered. New Scotty has apparently had other background experiences that differ from those in STTOS, which can explain his apparent too-comedic shtick. He can develop those leadership skills in his gig on New Enterprise, while still retaining his Scottish comedic sense.
I’ll say it again: Thank you JJ, for making me not be embarrassed to say I’m a Star Trek fan any more.
Less jokey Scotty please.
Definite increase in Triumverication required!
Yes more of Pine,Quinto and Urban :)
Would it have been an issue if Pegg played Scotty with ginger hair? A lot of Scots are ginger. I think he looked slighly odd with dark hair. Daniel Craig played a blonde Bond…