Star Trek producer/director JJ Abrams may be bringing yet another mysterious show to TV. CBS has made a pilot order for Persons of Interest, co-created by JJ Abrams and Jonathan Nolan. Details below.
CBS orders Abrams’ Persons of Interest Pilot
CBS has ordered a pilot for the CIA drama Persons of Interest, which comes from Dark Knight co-writer and Star Trek’s JJ Abrams. The project is being produced by JJ Abrams Bad Robot. Abrams and Nolan are executive producers along with Bryan Burk (long-time Abrams collaborator and Star Trek executive producer). As with all Abrams projects, details are thin but Deadline reports Persons of Interest is "a crime drama centered on a CIA agent, presumed dead, who is recruited by a reclusive billionaire to wage war against violent criminals in New York City." and EW offers this description: "an ex-CIA hitman and a scientist team up to prevent crimes before they happen."
Person of Interest is one of three pilot projects Abrams has in development for the 2011/2012 season, including the mysterious Alcatraz project and the crime drama Pulp. .
Let’s just hope this is better than “Undercovers.” At least the title is better…
If it ain’t “Star Trek: The Brand New Weekly TV Show,” I can’t be bothered
Undercovers was underwhelming. Might as well do the Alias reboot or let someone else do it.
Sounds Interesting. May have to give it a look. Never did watch Undercovers. But the Premise for Person of Interest sounds like it could be fun. But. Would rather have a Star Trek Series.
Not a fan of POI, but the show sounds interesting
I need a Star Trek TV Series.
Sounds like Minority Report. This is most likely a pass for me. Eh.
One thing that strikes me about the Abrams team is it seems that Star Trek to them is only one project among many. I find it highly likely that the next Star Trek film is going to be delayed by at least a few months. These guys just have too much on their plate and they will not want to shortchange the next film in the name of expediency. I highly doubt the Abrams team will produce a Star Trek TV series. He has said he likes Star Trek, but I just think that it’s not number one on his list of favorites. When it comes down to it, I think when it comes to what he wants to do on TV, he has other interests. A new TV series will inevitably have to be done by a different team. For Star Trek, he seems content with producing the movies.
This is not a slam on Abrams, after all some of by best friends aren’t Star Trek fans:) Just a reality check. Abrams has many, varied interests and a new Star Trek show will need someone that is willing to devote a great deal of time to it. Abrams is probably not going to be interested in devoting that much time to a weekly Star Trek series.
“an ex-CIA hitman and a scientist team up to prevent crimes before they happen.”
Sounds like it’s going to be just as good as Undercovers.
So we hear that JJ Abrams and the others – Kurtzman, Lindelof and Orci – are (heavily) involved in doing other projects, while the Star Trek sequel seems to languish with no apparent script and no director yet.
Right now, I feel disappointed and pissed off. The reality is that with the demise of ST:Enterprise, I thought sadly, “Oh well, all good things must come to an end at some point”. Then a brand new movie is presented with a fresh, new cast playing the original characters. So wonderful. Star Trek 09 left us waiting to see the Enterprise taken out for yet more adventure and exploration, exciting and fresh…
18 months later though, what do we have…nothing. It’s all been a bloody tease. Not good enough. Should I hate Bad Robot and Paramount right now?
10. writing Trek as we speak!
11
Hi Bob, So visiting TrekMovie is part of your writing process? I am honored
Im not sure why theres panic out in Trek land. The Script is near completion. And if JJ wont direct Im here in the wings to pick up the ball and run with my directorial debut! Relax people :]
Yeah!!! boborci!!!
Why is it taking forever boborci to write the script for Trek XII :/ :(
6 – So do I. Here’s my pitch:
Remember the TNG episode “Below Decks”? How about a series that concentrates on a group of characters on a Starfleet Starship that are lower in rank. The series main focus would be action (lots of beaming down on planets where lots of macho action takes place). But also romance, drama, and humor. The captain wouldn’t be seen much, maybe briefly in about 25% of the episodes. Their boss, the first officer, would be seen a lot more. He could either be a mean taskmaster, or a beloved hero, whom our group of ensigns hero-worship. Or maybe a bit of both. The Captain would be a bit like Charlie in Charlie’s Angels. He gives out the orders at the beginning of the episode, some ridiculously hard mission on a hostile world, and off our group of battle-hardened heroes go…
16 – great pitch
11 Boborci
Write on, dude
I am hoping that because it is taking a long time to write the script I am hoping we get a stronger plot next time? I still think plot was the weak part of the last one.
Anyhoo I had given up hope as it seemed they were more focused on their other movies and it seems the word mysterious is now synominous with JJ Abrams.
I hope that Star Trek XII will please us fans?
I just hope StarTrek XII will be a good movie, with the new universe I expect to have a few gripes with changes, like many a fan, but I still expect a good movie.
Still a bit dumbed down from the Trek of before but still a very good, enjoyable movie. As long as it captures the spirit of real Star Trek then it should be in safe hands.
Will the next movie go back to some more Star Trek things or will it keep the Star Wars template?
To Bob – Thank you. Really nice to read that you are working on Trek.
It would be good if the next Star Trek gets made before the Jack Ryan movie. Not that I have anything against Chris Pine being Jack Ryan (so cool)…However, what with globetrotting to Hungary etc – it is just that we can’t take even the slightest risk of having a tired, stressed Enterprise captain, “my captain”. All a question of priority for me.
There you go Bob Orci. Burning the Midnight Oil.
Oh and Bob Orci. Love what you guys are doing on Hawaii Five O
@11
…Sending many muses your way.
Bob has written more items of note than you have of late Anthony!!!!!!!
The question is, are we honoured?
I got to watch the first episode of a new series of Fringe last night – not sure if it is the latest series though. Anyway, it was very good!
It was screened at 10.30pm (really my shut-eye time). Not sure why it is on that late here. Maybe they think not many people are interested. I just hope they don’t take it off suddenly again. TV channels seem to be doing that a lot lately. Very aggravating.
This is absolutely true – I had the strangest dream last night. I cannot remember very much (not so unusual with dreams) but what I can recall is me, Bob Orci and some others, one of whom I think might have been Alex Kurtzman, being in this amazing big two storey home which was not finished, as in the walls were not painted or papered, there were bare floor boards, no drapes…that sort of thing. I recall lots of talk, laughter… Everything else has gone from my memory. I have never had a dream like that before, and certainly not with the people I have mentioned. Yikes.
Just thought I would share…FWIW.
…and Bob’s notes of interest weren’t really that interesting…
#23 I think Hawaii 5-0 is great It’s one of my favorite shows. along with the NCIS shows. Bob you should should write a 5-0 and NCIS crossover episode that sends Gibbs and his team to Hawaii and they have to work with 5-0.
To Bob Orci:
There’s internet chatter about how every ambassador from almost 260 U.S.embassies has been called back to Washington for a rare one-time group meeting called by Hillary Clinton.
Some say China has called on all U.S. debt, one world currency being announced…….
You’re always in the know, Bob. Any ideas?
anthony
yes it is!
29.
sheeesh. dont get me started! Based on my research, theres no leading candidate theory that i can detect.
31.
Well, we’ll see what happens in the next few days…..thanks for your reply!
I have recorded Hawaii 5-O
Going to watch it over the weekend. Let you know what I think.
Bob please don’t take my earlier post as an offence. I just really want a god strong story with good characters in the next movie.
I want the ideals of Star Trek to be preserved as much as the characters. I just feel that if it goes towards Star Wars, something of what makes good Trek will be lost.
I hope this makes sense.
Dear boborci,
Hows Star Trek (2) coming along? Will you guys/the studio release more info, maybe a teaser shot of something at SDCC?
Also, are you guys nervous at all about the competition you have in 2012 and the lack of anything from Paramount/CBS to tease the fans of Trek? Spider-Man seems to have already begun filming and excitement has started to trickle out about that movie due to a few teaser images and now that we know that Christopher Nolan has given a name to his third Batman film – excitement has again begun for that movie too – for Star Trek however, there is nothing, JJ Abrams still hasn’t decided to direct and you don’t have a title? I hope at the very latest Paramount/you guys get JJ on board as well as launching a teaser trailer and title at SCDD otherwise people are going to be more excited about Spider-Man and Batman than Star Trek.
I think had Nemesis not tanked, Enterprise not been canceled and Star Trek had remained the popular juggernaught – many of us wouldn’t be worried but since Star Trek before your 2009 Trek movie was regarded as lame, is your 2009 movie enough to change the majority of peoples minds or will you have to relaunch the Enterprise in 2012 rather than continuing the mission?
* I mean SDCC* haha :P
#11 Bob
In the scene you just wrote, the dialog needs to be smoothed out just a tiny bit more. Then perfection! :]
also can you put in a word to the people who make the decisions on what toy company to go for – HASBRO all the way! Have you seen their Star Wars stuff? and come on who wouldn’t want an Enterprise transformer :D
@0: Persons of Interest. I pray JJ stays away from the Dickian concepts used in Minority Report. A much more realistic idea could be swiped from the ‘sonar’ idea of Dark Knight, combined with real CIA-type intelligence: if a supercomputer were following all cell calls in NYC, listening to the words, seeking out terms on planned crime, racketeering, etc… with today’s tech you could (Patriot Act on steroids!) illegally “predict” quite a bit of planned criminal activity. The spook aspect of doing that, would exactly call for a top computer scientist (is Jorja Fox available?), and a thought-dead CIA agent (is Jamie Bamber available?) would understand why having that data is strictly off the grid, and can’t be disclosed.
@16: Great idea. It’s the MACO show. :) Could have an element of Starship Troopers to it… or the movie Aliens, the feel you got from the Colonial Marine team sent in to rescue the colonists. Set it in the “Kelvin” era, and I’m watching you for seven seasons. :)
@boborci: When the script is packed…. could you ask JJ and Paramount to let you and K and L write up a few comics again? Since it’s so far off to summer 2012, you could really pique are interests and help out folks like #10 who don’t see the progress firsthand the way you do. Graphic novels like COUNTDOWN, and the Spock Reflections in the WIRED magazine helped me engross the whole non-Trek-fan side of my family to wanting to see Trek 2009. Of course, this assumes you’re not picking up immediately after Trek 2009 and instead starting in medias res of a new storyline….
@Harry: My sources state new rules are being promulgated for ambassadors due to the Stroum/Luxembourg dust-up. They’re being all called to the carpet, because the HR committee under Issa has given hints they’re now going to investigate State’s expenses, etc.
@boborci: pique “our” interests. It was only a first draft. :)
@AP: Again, glad you’re back on the grid!
Hey Bad Robot, while you’re working with CBS, could you try to get CBS to do anything with the Star Trek franchise? I’ll take an animated movie for the Cartoon Network set in the prime universe. Might I again suggest they produce D.C. Fontana’s “The Secret of Vulcan Fury?”
Video game trailer with cut scenes; used oringal actors voices.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQHyg6nFpAY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o4YtpKnT00&playnext=1&list=PL3F7ACC460761B54A
TrekMovie article where D.C. Fontana says at the end, she wants the rights back so she can make it into a novel.
https://trekmovie.com/2007/08/16/dorothy-fontana-on-new-comics-new-novel-canon-ds9-ent-new-movie/
38.
Daoud, thanks for the info!
@boborci
Thanks for all the wonderful work you and your writing team have done, but please, please, don’t stretch yourselves too thin. I don’t know what you’ve cooked up for ST XII but I think THIS has to be the flagship project at the moment. A lot is riding on the success of the first movie without any of the original crew from the TV series, so take your time. Not that I want to put any pressure on you guys.
Oh, and P.S. To whomever at Bad Robot is working on “Fringe,” please, no more gore and body parts. As a pathologist, I think I have a pretty strong stomach, but on Friday nights my gut is already tied up in knots. I’d like something to stimulate my mind, not my solar plexus. Thanks.