JJ Abrams: Star Trek Sequel ‘Still Being Worked Out’

Last week Star Trek sequel producer (and possible director) JJ Abrams, along with the new Uhura Zoe Saldana, attended a Children’s Defense Fund event in Los Angeles. Both talked briefly about the Star Trek sequel on the red carpet, with Abrams giving an update on the script. See video and photos below. . 

 

Abrams: Star Trek sequel still being worked out

Hollyscoop caught up with JJ Abrams at the Children’s Defense Fund California Beat the Odds Awards Ceremony on December 2nd. In a video interview, Abrams gave a brief update on the Star Trek sequel:

We don’t have a script yet and it is being worked out so it is too early to talk about what it might be, because it hasn’t happened yet.

Abrams also talks about how much he "loves" working with Tom Cruise on Mission: Impossible: IV, the Children’s Defense Fund, and the upcoming Oscar race, noting that he loved Inception. Watch the full Hollyscoop video.

Zoe Saldana was also at the event, and she talked to Hollyscoop mostly about the CDF, but did note that she expect to be shooting the Star Trek sequel before the Avatar sequel.

PHOTOS:

Here are some official photos from the CDF California Beat the Odds Awards Ceremony:

J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath with Ruth-Ann Huvane
J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath with Ruth-Ann Huvane

Beat the Odds Honoree Jonathan Calderon and J.J. Abrams
Beat the Odds Honoree Jonathan Calderon and J.J. Abram

Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana presents at CDF event

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get on with it..!

A year and a half until it comes out! I have no idea if its usual or not to not have a script yet. I would guess that it will happen when it happens and all this speculation isn’t doing any good.

Not too early for us to talk about though eh J.J.? And when I say us I mean we.. as in you and I.. as in me.. lol

Truly illuminating.

But I don’t really expect anybody to say anything until opening night anyway.

What is taking them:/

Oh…. Zoe seems to go about getting more screen time the same way Nicols did with Roddenberry.
(hint: not just the action whore)

#6— That was TOTALLY uncalled for and COMPLETELY disrespectful.

6.

Iva………as in Iva good mind to slap you silly for such a tasteless remark?

I would not be surprised if the film gets moved to a different month, or end of 2012. Just seems to be going along slowly. If it makes for another awesome Trek experience, then take all the time in the world!!

I’m also surprised that there has been no mention of the fact that last nights “The Big Bang Theory” had Sheldon and Amy using Kohlinar from the Motion Picture and played heavily on Sheldons love of Spock..as well as commenting on how horrible a film TMP was.

I always find it funny when TMP is dissed. It was such a bad film. The Klingon scene and the Enterprise were awesome, but it was just not that good. I’ve felt that way for the last 30 years. I’d rather watch Trek V…at least that played like an episode from Season 3 (still not that good, but better then TMP and Insurrection).

Are JJ and company taking the reins on this script, or might the final scripting of the film end up in the hands of a yet-to-be-determined director? If it’s the latter, this could be great news! If not..And these guys just ultimately aren’t coming up with a primo script, then this next Trek could be in trouble. Guys, I know you don’t wanna rehash Khan, and that decision is right on..But, bring on Nick Meyer! He’ll give you a Trek with a killer story and a ton of passion. JJ + Meyer would equal kick-ass Star Trek…IMHO.

Just not sure how to react to this non-update. Ah well. I guess life in Hollywood is the art of turning 2-3 years of talking lunches into 2 hours of popcorn-munching.

Hey JJAbrams! ….Ok! … when script get ready warns us PLEASE!!!!….hmmmm … LOL!

@10 – Wow, never heard anyone say they’d rather watch Trek V rather than TMP. Despite its flaws, TMP is a decent move. OTOH, Trek V is an abomination.

Abrams comments re script development are surely more tepid than what we had heard previously. Makes me wonder if a “trial balloon” of a script was floated and nixed for some reason, and its having to be reworked.

I’ve maintained all along that waiting until 2012 was too long to wait for the sequel, and here we are at the end of 2010 with no script yet, at least “officially.”

I don’t think it’s a big deal that the script isn’t done. I don’t follow movie making that closely, so I don’t know how unusual or not it is, but…. I think I’ve heard and read all along that the script wasn’t due until early 2011. That could be anytime between January and March.

They aren’t suppose to start production until the Summer of 2011 from what we’ve been seeing on this site, so what’s the big deal? I mean, it’s not like they will finish the script in December 2010, and then sit around until June 2011 to start production.

Remember pre-production and casting time will be much shorter than it was for the first one, so don’t compare the timeline of the two movies. It made sense to get a script early on the first movie because the had to use the script to convince actors and Paramount to buy into the movie full force. This time they don’t have to do that. Everyone knows what to expect in terms of quality, so they don’t really need the script so far in advance.

@7 – you will change your mind about the “uncalled for ” part
once the sequel comes out and we find out that NuSpock not only cheats on his future wife and abuses both his academy and enterprise position for an affair, like in the first movie, but will also manage to make a baby who will get to be called Renesmee and sparkle in the sunlight.
Because apparently that is what Star Trek got to be degraded to.
Oh, and she will talk J.J. into giving her more of the screen time that should have gone to Bones who is already demoted to a support character both in the movie and the posters, and the triad will continue to be broken down for the sake of a cheap sex interest.

14 — Wow. “abomination.” Felt that one right in the marshmellons.

#16 – What? Abuses his position for an affair??? Cheats?

What are you making up?

I don’t see how anything you said has anything to do with the response to your rediculous comment earlier, or the ST09 movie.

“Star Track”???

@18 – Oh, nevermind, I thought I was talking to a trekkie. Nowadays you just can’t tell who is in it because of Sylar and who is real.

Btw, truth is never ridiculous, and if Nicols isn’t ashamed of herself, I don’t see why I should ignore her autobiography for the sake of a misguided Zoe fan.

I guess I’m confused.. You said “like in the first movie” so I assumed you were talking about ST09, but nothing like what you said happened in that movie.

Being a Trekkie or not has nothing to do with being “real”.

What Nicols did and wrote in her autobiography has nothing to do with Zoe either.

I still don’t get what any of this has to do with your rediculous comment about Zoe earlier in the thread, and people’s response to it.

But I’m sure you will just keep ignoring the point and spouting jiberish.

Iva….I’m a firm believer in letting people voice opinions, but yours just seem to be a spiteful attempt at getting your point across.

What you have written is in bad taste, very insulting, unbelievably rude and insulting.

We can all have issues with the new movie, i do anyway, but you can be consturctive in what you say and not just spit bile out there.

If that’s what you want to do, please go elsewhere and dont try and drag people down with this sort of tripe.

@ 20.

Chill the freaky boner.

You consider yourself a trekkie? I’m sorry, I was under the impression that Trekkies took life lessons out of the series. Such as respect, acceptance of all people, and love. Congrats on being a self righteous hater, though.

Well anyway, back to the point. I think there should be no worry about the script not being done yet.

Seems to me that if they get the script in by March, they still have plenty of time to complete this movie and have it “in the can” by January 2012, which is 6 months before it’s release. So, it looks to me like they have all the time in the world to get it right.

#16 Iva- Well I DO agree that Bones has had to take a backseat in the “new” triad. Yeah, for the sake of adding sex appeal to the movie.
Let’s hope it doesn’t get out of hand the next time around.
Urban is too great to waste in a minor supporting role.

In fact, new Spock will manage to have twin babies : Renesmee and Giovanna.

You all heard it here first.

P.S. : I, personally , can’t wait to see them sparkle in the sunlight. However, I think Mr Abrams should also consider the possibility of letting them glow through the lens flares ( I wasn’t bothered by them in the least. I realise it is not a popular opinion ,but, it is mine anyway).

:)

#25… i can see that point, but I don’t think it was for the sake of “adding sex appeal”. Star Trek has always had a large amount of sex, especially TOS.

I think there was very little sex in ST09 compared to TOS, which is what this movie is suppose to be set in the time of. There was one love scene that was VERY PG, and a couple of brief “underwear” scenes.

TNG had alot less of it, mainly because Picard wasn’t trying to bed every alian female he met like Kirk was. Maybe that’s why people have this idea that Star Trek doesn’t have sex.

Given how far the breach of canon has gone already
(and just how does a destroyed spaceship make ones personality on vulcan take a 180? o.O)
NuSpock could be menstruating too.

#28… LOL… so you are one of those huh? Hight and mightly thinking you know what canon is and what makes Star Trek Star Trek. LMAO

There isn’t one incarnation of Star Trek that followed canon… not even TOS followed it from one show to the next.

I get such a kick out of people that get so worked up over this myth of canon.

Ok. Tidbits are nice. But how about some real news. Like J.J Directing or any actors being cast for the movies. Like Maybe Tom Hanks. But could Tom Cruise be in the next Trek. They both love working together. Wouldn’t it be something if both Cruise and Hanks were both cast to be in Star Trek. Hanks as Commodore Decker and Cruise maybe as a bad guy. Talk about big numbers world wide.

#6. For that Lame Post you get 72 Hours in the Agoniser booth. # 8 Harry. You get a lifetime pass from the Agoniser Booth. Because you are just to Kool. Even though you do not like Erica Durrence. Lol.

Bob Orci. Make a great Trek you also get a lifetime pass from the Agoniser Booth. Bad Trek gets you 120 hours in the Agoniser Booth! Got It !!!!!!!

14..yeah, I prefer 5 over TMP. 5, while having terrible forced humor and bad special effects still felt more like an original episode then anything that came before it. Not that it helped, but I really, really enjoyed the scenes with Kirk, Spock and McCoy. The villian was not a villian intent on destroying all life but just a misguided religious zealot who found a measure of redemption in the end. Also, the core trio grew to understand the important effect they shared in each others lives. That was the last time we got to see that relationship unfold in the film universe (as VI, while awesome, did not delve into the trio).

I do find it funny that the movies that went the route that many trek fans want the movies to go (adventure over action with a minor or no villian) have been the most hated of the series…1, 5, and 9.

As a note, I do like the Directors Edition of TMP. It puts the movie in the right direction, but still, once a turd, always a turd, even with a new coat of paint. The same would go for TFF if they redid the effects. Both are turds, I just prefer watching 5 instead.

We will start to hear leaks about the script pretty soon. The film is a year and a half away.

The entire process of making a major blockbuster has to travel through too many channels these days for the plot not to leak. As an example think of when Aint it Cool News leaked the basic concept on ST 09 about a year and a half before the film debuted.

We will know what this movie is about by May of this year at the absolute latest. More likely we will have an idea in the next 90 days.

#33.. i agree..

I think one reason those movies that had less action and not a big bad villan were such duds was because they were made for Star Trek fans, and not a general movie audience.

Nemesis is a great example also. Man that sucked. I think it was Michael Dorn that said it was made more for the Star Trek fan. That’s the problem. The Star Trek fan is such a small target audience compared to the general sci-fi/action movie, or summer movie going audience. People need to realize this is a buisness, and for these movies to succeeed to a degree that they haven’t before, then you have to broaden the target.

I like those aspects of those movies (the Star Trek fan), but I don’t want to spend money to see them. I guess that’s why I felt like alot of those movies felt like TV episodes. I would enjoy watching them on TV for free, but when I spend money to go to the movies, and especially taking my kids, and all the money that costs…. i want something more than a glorified TV episode.

I think JJ got it right. It was the type of Star Trek movie I have been wishing for for a long time. Something worth the trip to the movie theater and the money spent.

If you want to make something just for the typical Star Trek fans, then make it on TV, where you can still be successfull with a much smaller audience.

Something that you wait 2 or 3 years for and spend good money to go see should be alot more than something you could have watched on TV.

That’s my main complaint about most of the 10 previous movies. I’m much harder on them than the TV shows, because I think a movie should have much higher standards.

35: Jay…THANK YOU!! That is what I have been saying all along. There are hundreds of episodes with the crew of the whatever ship finding new life and mysteries…movies are a buiz, and you cannot cater to just the fans. When you do you end up with 9 and 10. I don’t want a stupid movie, and Trek 11 was not stupid, but I do want epic and not what I’ve seen on the small screen.

I want to see Trek go on and on, but it won’t if they make TV style fan need film, it won’t last long. Sad, but true.

Where do these reporters come from? She was awful! Abrams and Saldana just looked confused by the questions.

To Iva: For some reason, you seem to be confusing characters from Star Trek with the actors.
Zoe Saldana (as opposed to Uhura) recently married her lover of at least five years.
JJ Abrams is married to Katie McGrath (seen in photo above) and have three children.
SO QUIT IT ALREADY!!!

The affair between Nichelle Nichols and Gene Roddenberry happened more than 40 years ago. Neither Gene nor Nichelle were unattractive people (anything but, when you see old pictures of them), so it is just as likely they were attracted to each other for more “primal”, “pheromonal” reasons… just a thought. Honestly, really…your comments are so tacky and comparing an affair between a couple 40 years ago with events happening now is just plain stupid.

And yes, what if Spock does have a baby with Uhura – in case you haven’t been paying attention – Vulcans have become an “endangered species”.
(Just in case of possible confusion, that does NOT mean that Zachary Quinto will be having a baby with Zoe Saldana).

At this rate, Iva and George Takei could set up their own site “The tacky, tactless trekkies”.

JJ Abrams is a tease. He’ll keep doing this sort of thing, just to…I don’t know, get attention, keep the interest, whatever. For goodness sake, JJ Abrams, just make a decision as to whether you are going to direct the sequel or not and don’t come back until you have decided. I don’t like teases – they annoy me and seem a little deceitful.

As with the story – please get on with it, although I believe that the studio does not expect a completed script to be turned in until the end of this year. They still have almost three weeks.

Aside from all the crazy, I do think McCoy has been turned into a supporting character . That said, I don’t think Saldana got a load of of screen time either. More interplay between McCoy and Spock please, that was hilarious.

Saldana has been great for the franchise. Also, is it really so unreasonable to expect the one female lead to get a significant amount of screan time?

Who cares how long it takes as long as it’s good!

RE: Zoe Saldana

How much screen time is deserving for a character whose lot in life is “hailing frequencies open Captain”….????

More McCoy Dammit! He’s part of the troika!

@39 – If she were a lead character…..yes.
But she is not,
so no – no more screen time for her. Especially not if it means a lead character – McCoy, has to get demoted to make space
or
serve as a ridiculous best friend parallel of a love affair triangle.

It doesn’t really matter what her position on the ship is. She could litterally be the Sigourney Weaver Character from Galaxy Quest, the point is she’s still the female lead.

So? That makes her more important then everybody else?

Besides, they already threw out both Chapel and Rand on her account
which is a major upgrade to her character,
not to mention demoting Bones and usurping Spock’s relationship with other two main characters. There should be only so much damage one can do by hooking up with J.J. but it seems I was wrong.
Hungry leech is hungry.

It means it makes more sense to use her as a character in a male dominated cast. This is a different movie, you can’t look at her as simply the Uhura from the original series, this is a new film and it has to be done in the way we do modern action films. This isn’t the sixties, they don’t just scream and run away from the monster. Now they kick its butt. She’s a breath of fresh air to a franchise that was on its last legs. Get used to it.

I know the two things are anatomically close
but still,
you should’t be mixing making your career by kicking somebody’s butt with making your career by stroking your academy instructor’s balls.

Apparently, that breath of fresh air goes no deeper that wearing no underwear.

But, hey, it makes money :D

@12

Note the funny unguarded giant laugh Zoe’s giving in that last photo?
:)

Seriously, what is your problem, Iva?

Uhura was wearing underwear and so was Kirk, otherwise the movie would not have got a PG-13 rating. Besides, that was just one scene and I’m sure many people would have liked to have seen more of Uhura (and Kirk) in their underwear…:)

Gosh, you mean to say that the writers showed that a main character (Spock) could actually have a life outside the USS Enterprise “boys club”, with a woman, no less -heavens forbid.
And what’s more, imagine that Uhura maybe genuinely liked Spock, just for being who he is and was certainly talented enough NOT to need to make a good career in Starfleet “by stroking your academy instructor’ s balls”. Gee, more tackiness, and anyway, who says that Spock and Uhura could not be in a relationship? They are both adults.

I’m sure that the friendship between Kirk, Spock and McCoy will be developed and shown. I agree that Karl Urban’s talent should not be wasted and his character, Bones McCoy, needs to be given ample opportunity to shine even more than he did in the first film. Neither should Zoe Saldana’s abilities be wasted on just “Hailing frequencies open, Captain” either. I think the writers have quite a balancing act to do to get it right.

Oh, her abilities are being put to good use, don’t worry about that :))