AUDIO: William Shatner Provides New Voiceover For Star Trek Shuttle Wakeup + Shatner Still Wants In To Trek Sequel

This morning William Shatner gave the crew of Shuttle Discovery a special surprise with a newly added voiceover to the Star Trek theme beamed up for their wakeup call. You can hear that below, plus the latest Shatner news (yes he still wants to be in the Star Trek sequel), plus he is hosting the Canadian Genie Awards on Thursday.

 

 

William Shatner gives crew of Shuttle Discovery a special wakeup call

Chosen by popular vote from a contest last year, the Star Trek theme was one of two winning selections to be one of two final wakeup calls for the last missions of the Shuttle program. This morning (March 7 at 3:23 am ET) the crew of mission STS-133 on Shuttle Discovery were woken up with a special version of the original theme to Star Trek, with a ‘surprise twist’. Watch and listen below.

The "surprise" NASA promised was adding a brand new voiceover for the Star Trek theme tailored for the final mission of Shuttle Discovery, and spoken by Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner. NASA used the original "Space, the final frontier…" but then added their own twist. The new Discovery-themed voiceover for the theme:

These have been the voyages of Space Shuttle Discovery. Her thirty year mission to seek out new science – to build new outposts – to bring nations together on the final frontier. To boldly go and do what no spacecraft has done before.     

A perfect way to cap off the final mission for Shuttle Discovery.


By the way, this is not the first time that Alexander Courage’s Star Trek theme has been used as a wakeup call in space. In 2009 the theme was one of the wakeup calls for mission STS-125 and the crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis


By the way: Shatner still wants to be in the Star Trek sequel

Here are a couple of new excerpts from interviews with Shatner regarding Star Trek.

From the Press Association:

[Shatner] would also be pleased to have a role in the sequel to the [2009 Star Trek] movie saying: "I’d be delighted".

He added that one of the main motivations for wanting to appear in the film, which is due out in 2012, was so he can feel larger than life next to JJ Abrams. He joked: "I’ve become acquainted with JJ Abrams and he’s smaller than I am. I like to find people I can stand next to that I can tower over."

From Seattle Times:

Q. How would you describe yourself?

A. I’m 6 feet, 2 inches, 180 pounds, wedge shaped, tapering down to a slim waist and muscular shoulders. … Why are you laughing?

Q. What are your thoughts on "Star Trek’s" legacy?

A. "Star Trek" was and is apparently a cultural phenomenon. I think it struck a nerve in its humanity, as well as its sense of adventure. Maybe the actors had something to do with it. … It was a joyful experience for me.

Q. Would you want to be in the next movie?

A. I’d like to be in it, but I think it’ll be difficult to rationalize how Capt. Kirk got to my age and looks like me, you know, being 6 feet 2 inches, muscular in the shoulders and 180 pounds.

Shatner hosting Genie Awards Thursday + Priceline behind the scenes vid

Bill will be turning 80 later this month but that isn’t slowing down The Shat. On Thursday, March 10 he will be hosting the 31st ANNUAL GENIE AWARDS. The Genie Awards celebrate "the year’s biggest achievements in Canadian movies". Tune in at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on the CBC. More info at www.genieawards.ca.

In a recent ShatWatch we showed you the latest Priceline commercials with Bill in various costumes. Now check out the behind the scenes.

 

 

 

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I must admit that a part of me would love to see Shatner play Kirk again, but I’m not sure there’s any room for him in this new universe. I really loved the idea put forth the other day (I can’t remember who had said it) about the next two films involving the universe breaking down, but I would have people from other universes coming through to this one. In that way, Shatner could return as the greatest villain Jim Kirk ever faced: Emperor Tiberius of the Terran Empire. Yeah. I said it.

#1 if anyone visited the link in my name from the above post, it is not the right link. It has been fixed.

Shat’s gonna be 80? Wow. I’d never guess by the looks of that mariachi outfit.

Atlanta got a Shat Attack this morning at 4:40am.
I have such a nerd-on right now.

Nimoy passed the torch to the new cast in a dignified way. Seeing him once again was a treat for Trekkers. But it’s time to move on and let this new cast stand on their own without Shatner hovering over them. Squeezing Kirk Prime into the next film would be more about satisfying William Shatner’s ego than creating the best possible story.

And given how William Shatner seemed to avoid even watching the 2009 film for months, I think JJ Abrams owes him nothing.

*However*, having him do the voice-over for one of Discovery’s last wake-up calls was inspired – and even moving.

I can see old Kirk in a new timeline where liposuction was never invented.

The new crew have to stand on their own feet, now. They have to establish themselves. In the first film, they merely introduced themselves. I’m a huge fan of Shatner; however, if we want new Trek, new fans, we know in what direction we must go: forwards not backwards. I’ll leave it to the Captain, Himself, to say it:

This is the final cruise of the Starship
Enterprise under my command. This
ship and her history will shortly
become the care of a new
generation. To them and their
posterity we will commit our
future. They will continue the
voyages we have begun, and journey
to all the undiscovered countries,
boldly going where no man….where
no one has gone before…

The cameo that was written for Shatner wouold have worked and been appropriate for the first film; but, apparently, Shatner turned it down. So, it’s really his own fault that he hasn’t been in a JJ film.

Well-remembered, Alec! And that was twenty years ago this year. Who’d have believed he’d still be angling for a return a generation later?

shatners kirk is dead long live the new kirk

i so would love to see him back however he is dead and to bring him back from that state it would have to be a big story i.e like spock just that would cut into the running time of the film

trust me i would love to see him play kirk again and i even come up with a tv programe in my head for him to do( so set of course in the prime timeline)

Ok, hearing Shatner do the voiceover once again brought a tear to my eye.

Shatner still is and will always be the man to me.

Glad he did that for the Discovery crew. He is incredible and doesn’t look his age- or act it for that matter, and I mean that in a good way :)

80 years old with such an active and productive life. So far from drooling into a bucket, or even his fake old self in “The Deadly Years.”

Can we enact a moratorium on “Shatner wants to be in STXII” or “Will Shatner be in STXII?” stories?

Please?

(Space Shuttle bit was cool, though.)

If only we funded NASA so that there would be a reasonable chance that we could colonize the stars within a century.

Loved the Space Shuttle Bit. That was just Priceless. Would love to see Shat in the next film along with Nimoy for just one more theme. Long Live the Shat.

The wake up call was done with a lot of class . . .

Its a shame shat was not present at the launch of the shuttle program, viz., Enterprise. My how things have changed.

#8

You said:

“The cameo that was written for Shatner wouold have worked and been appropriate for the first film; but, apparently, Shatner turned it down. So, it’s really his own fault that he hasn’t been in a JJ film.”

Where do you get your facts that Mr. Shatner turned it down? I believe it’s been discussed here that the scene was written but never offered to Mr. Shatner.

It’s getting tiresome seeing the actor being blamed for turning down a part that he was not even aware of. I guess the blame would go to the folks that chose to not offer him the role.

Regards!

BTW – weather’s lovely here in Iraq.

That was an awesome surprise from Shatner, great reading.

Great wakeup call!
I’ll be attending the Genie Awards with Mr. Shatner as host on Thursday… I can’t wait!

Will they get Patrick Stewart to do this for Endeavour and Leonard Nimoy for Atlantis (assuming Atlantis gets funded)?

No Shatner in the sequel, please. Sorry. He was great in the Original Series but it would ruin this new reboot if he was in it. The purpose of Leonard Nimoy being in the first one was to help the reboot be accepted and not seen as competition or anything. I thought Nimoy did an excellent job being the connection between the two universes…if you bring Shatner into the picture then it just seems like the movie is an excuse to see how many of the originals can fit in the sequels. It’s a new mission, a new movie…so let the new actors take over. (And in my opinion they’re doing an excellent job…especially with JJ directing!)

#5

Is it reasonable to assume that if you have assumed the name Soran, you probably don’t feel that Generations was a subpar ending for one of the central characters in all of Star Trek?

Yes, I know, the character lives on in Chris Pine, and yes, there is a need to tell the best possible story. But there are other reasons besides “Shatner’s ego” to consider this. There are a great many Star Trek fans who want to see Bill as Kirk one last time. That’s worth something, isn’t it?

Ask The Shat if he’ll put in an appearance in Star Trek 2.0 for free as a “valentine” to the fans that helped make his career. Let’s see how bad he wants to be in the sequel.

They should make a mini series for television set in the new universe.

Only well into the future when Kirk and Spock are old.

The fans would be all over it just knowing that current events meant that Kirk did not go through the fate of Generations.

It could a story of how these two must team up one last time and go out in a blaze of glory, a dignifies death if written well.

If it could be done well even recast bones and form the trio.

It would be money in the bank for tv execs.

Heal the wounds of Kirks past demise why there is still an opportunity.

Shatner?Kirk in the films it would be forced, in a six hour mini series it would be gold.

Shat, sorry, but I still don’t want you to be in sequel. I’ll be delighted if you are not in it. :-)

Wooow Great wakeup ;)

Hey, if the movie is about illusions, getting an older Kirk in that context is a breeze, and without any CGI. Dave Bowman saw himself as an old man. Why not young Kirk?

The cool idea about doing a movie where illusions play a central role is that, like Inception, you could pretty much imagine and get away with anything.

Trek fan :) I love how you think about new trek it gives me comfort that it’s only the minority that don’t really like the movie

No Shat in the sequel. Or future TV for that matter, either. Time to move on.

Considering that WS was very vocal about how he preceived his character would need to be actively involved throughout the movie, yes, he turned down the role before it was ever offered.

I just wanna know when Captain Harriman will get his own movie. It’s way overdue.

The cameo would have worked. They should offer it this time. If he turns it down then that would be that. At 80 Bill needs to realize that this would be his last chance to appear in a Trek film. Bob Orci said he was voted down. So we know that JJ didn’t want it the first time. Perhaps with some modification he would agree. The cameo dealt with friendship between Kirk and Spock. That would be relevant to most Start Trek stories dealing with those characters

That was indeed special. Way to go Bill and Discovery and her crew.

I’m taller than Captain Kirk, but I could never fill your boots Bill. :-)

I’m so glad he didn’t wake them up with “KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!” ;)

@37. “Discovery, you bloodsucker! I am still alive! Like a poor marksman you keep missing the target!”

I see 2 options for Shatner in the next movie:

1) Actually shoot the scene they wrote for his cameo in the last film. Put this scene at the beginning of the new film. This would serve as a way of tying the last film to the new film. It would be as if this was a sequence or perspective we (the audience) missed in the last film. But the scene would obviously need to have some significance for the movie as a whole.

2) Shatner not as Kirk, but as an alien or some other new character. I think fans would love this, especially if there are some scenes with Shatner and Pine, perhaps with Shatner’s character saying some sarky lines to Pine’s Kirk about how he pictured him looking much more handsome, or something that would be almost a joke between actors — that also fits the characters in the scene. I would enjoy that, anyway!

I personally would enjoy either of those options!

PS – If I had to vote, I would vote to have that “missing” scene shot for the beginning of the new film. It was such a touching moment and so incredibly well-written. Even on paper alone it’s a tear-jerker.

I think shatner kinda regrets leaving ‘trek on a low (generations). If the trek 12 team can come up with something worthwhile and great then i surpose he could get a chance. If not… I hope they dont force the issue – forget it.

Ok, I teared up when I watched Discovery go up for the last time. And hearing the Shat give her such an incredibly appropriate send off brought on even more tears. God Speed to the good ship Discovery and her crew!

Bill, the only folks who want you in the sequel are yourself and a handful of diehard fans on this board.

Just love that interview with William Shatner LOL. He is surely the Shat man.

I have mentioned a way a getting William Shatner into the sequel with a small part, which I don’t think would appear too contrived or forced. Let him play Pine/Kirk’s grandfather or older uncle. He would still be a Kirk and would have much in common with George Kirk (brother or nephew) and James Kirk. However, he would act as a safe familial presence and allow the next Kirk generation to go do his thing. In a way, that is perhaps how Shatner should act towards Chris Pine, in much the same way as Leonard Nimoy has been for Zachary Quinto. Maybe he is already doing that. Who knows?

The other way to get Shatner a cameo/small role would probably go down like a lead balloon in this age of literalism and materialism, where anything mentioned that may seem remotely “spiritual”, “esoteric” etc is scoffed at. However, from where I stand, I do not see my idea as being completely beyond the realms of possibility, especially when looking at what is deemed possible within the Star Trek universe. Oh well…

It is really up to Paramount (first off), the producers/writers and William Shatner himself. Shatner seems to be doing the same JJ Abrams flip-flop – (“maybe I’ll direct, maybe I won’t”) as in “I want to be in the next movie” then “maybe I won’t/don’t…” Oh dear.

There could be a scene where Pine returns from a away mission and has aged 60+ years, Shatner wakes up next to McCoy and McCoy says, “Good God, Jim!”

Shatner/Kirk has not only gained 60+years but also 60 years worth of memories, que time dilation/guardian/paradox/puzzle story where the age of the solar system and stars are much older than the universe and it’s up to the Enterprise to solve this galactic mystery. Enter Trelane and Talosians and Mudd/Horta with some Klingons and Botany Bay floating in the end credits.

@44. Why???

Shatner can portray the other character he portrayed in the Immunity Syndrome: George Samuel Kirk, Jr. “Sam”, father of Peter Kirk. After all, he was an older brother: he had grey hair and a mustache! Of course, retlling the Deneva tale would be boring now: Spock-Prime could have told them how to prevent all that, so Sam lives to a much older age… at which time he attempts to travel back in time to prevent Jim Kirk from doing R, P, or S.
.
Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock-Prime… fascinating.

I think if they put Shatner in ST12 as a Kirk Prime, there would be a bit too many Primes in there. Nimoy had a specific purpose in the last film, but like Trek Fan said, if they put Shatner in there, it would just look like they were trying to see how many people from TOS they could fit in.

Maybe they could have Shatner be someone else other than Kirk? Like the captain of a different ship or something of the sort. Even though I wouldn’t like to see him as Kirk Prime, I’d like to see him all the same.

Question: My dad says that Shatner vowed never to do a Trek film again. Is this true?

@47:

YES! Yes yes yes!

Actually, Shatner as George Samuel Kirk, Jr. appeared in “Operation: Annihilate!”, not “The Immunity Syndrome”.