Another indication has emerged today that Star Trek (2009) producer/director JJ Abrams is moving towards a decision to direct the sequel. A new report details how he and Paramount are beginning to plan ahead, including rescheduling the film and exercising the actor options. Details below.
Abrams close to directing decision
The latest news comes from Deadline who are reporting that JJ Abrams is "is moving toward a commitment to direct Star Trek 2." This is consistent with Deadline’s past reporting and has been confirmed by TrekMovie sources. However, as has been reported before, no final decision (or announcement) will be made until Abrams approves the first draft of the script, which is currently being written (as indicated by the many comments from writers Orci, Kurtzman and Lindelof during last weekend’s San Diego Comic Con).
Deadline also confirms TrekMovie reporting that Paramount are still eyeing two release options for the Star Trek sequel of either holiday 2012 or summer 2013. TrekMovie sources indicate that an announcement is likely to come on a release date and Abrams directing decision sometime in August. Deadline also reports that GI Joe 2 will likely slot into Star Trek’s June 29, 2012 release date so the studio will not lose the 4th of July holiday week, but again the studio has yet to make this official.
JJ Abrams directing his first Star Trek film – moving closer to decision for the sequel
Paramount exercising actor options
Probably the most significant piece of news in the Deadline report is that Paramount has exercised its options on the cast. When they signed on for Star Trek, all the main cast (Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, and Anton Yelchin) signed options to appear in two additional Trek films. Exercising these options is a big step as the studio could end up having to pay the actors if they miss their schedule. When money is involved, things are definitely serious. As reported yesterday, the recent activity on the Star Trek sequel shows that the final development phase work is finally happening, albeit six months after originally envisioned. Now that Super 8 is out, the Star Trek sequel is back on track.
As for Chris Pine, Deadline says he is expected to shoot the Star Trek sequel before the Jack Ryan reboot, which was previously said to be aiming to shoot in January 2012.
Paramount finally rounding up the cast for the Star Trek sequel
POLL: Want JJ Abrams back in captains chair?
Time for a new poll and a rare simple yes or no choice. Do you want JJ Abrams to return as director of the Star Trek sequel?
[poll=670]
Do it jj :)
Of course he’ll do it. Duh.
JJ would be dumb not to direct the next film. Most directors direct for a decade then they fade away. IF JJ wants to buck that trend he should direct all the blockbuster films he can when they come to him. If he wants to be on par with Speleburg and as popular, directing into 3 decades then he should direct this film and the next.
Considering all the way a reboot could have gone, I think Star Trek 2009 turned out surprisingly enjoyable. Yes, JJ, do it again!
He’ll do it. It’s just not official via the study mouthpiece yet.
=A=
And if JJ wont direct then il do it ;)
I thought the whole reason they delayed this movie was so he would be available to direct.
If it ends up being directed by someone else, the delay will have been for nothing?
I thought he already had signed up?
Greg
UK
Good, I want the look and feel to remain modern and JJ directing will do that.
Let’s hope JJ Directs, and lets aim for Christmas 2012. Two good goals – Warp Speed!!
Lets hope JJ directs and lets aim for Christmas 2012 – two good and very possible goals to aim for! Warp Speed!
Anthony, it would seem Holidays 2012 is very much in play after all.
Thanks for the daily updates here on real sequel news. With more news stories like this every week, I can relax and not be so obsessive-compulsive about the sequel. Much appreciated!
JJ needs a blockbuster again and a very good Trek 2 is sure to bring in $500M.. Super 8 was a very good movie, but it was not a blockbuster, and I don’t expect that MI4 will be one either.
So JJ will definitely be directing Trek 2 — you can take that to the bank.
MJ
I never said Holiday wasn’t in play, just that of the two options, Holiday 2012 would call for a tighter post production than originally planned.
Not another year. this is what killed the next gen movies. i like it when we got a star trek film every 2 year, now its 4 to 5 years starting with nemesis
do it! do it! do it!!!
I’m leaning towards the “No” on this one. For such a talented individual who’s directed a lot of projects that he himself has also written, I find it confusing that his only interest in directing Star Trek lies solely on whether or not the script is any good. If he wants a good script, why doesn’t he write one himself? Why is there a disconnection between this project and a lot of other things he’s done?
You could say that it all has to do with the fact that JJ didn’t create Star Trek, it’s setting or it’s characters. He is working with someone else’s work who he has to give credit to. And who can blame him? I wish I could go on about how interesting it would have been if JJ and his team came up with something that wasn’t done in Trek before rather than take redo something but done a little differently. There just isn’t enough in JJ’s Trek that interests me since it still relies heavily on what’s familiar and what’s to be expected. Sure, he may blow up Vulcan and declare to all the fans that Star Trek is now different, but that still doesn’t change the fact that Uhura is still “The Chick” of the show.
if j.j. is too busy…you know…pondering…maybe paramount should contact nicholas meyer. one doesn’t get a lot done in the real world…pondering…all the time without actually doing anything.
@15 What killed the TNG movies wasn’t the the time between movies. . .they just weren’t GOOD movies. . . .the three years between TMP and TWOK didn’t hurt that movie. . .the 3 years between the original Star Wars movies didn’t hurt them. . .the 3 years between Batman Begins and the Dark Knight didn’t hurt it. . .the 4 years between the Dark Knight and the Dark Knight Rises. . .probably not going to hurt it. . . have a good story that resonates with people, make a decent to good movie, advertise it well, and the rest will take care of itself
~FS
I would be really suprised if he doesnt direct this.
This is all over the IMDb board. One article says that JJ Abrams will be directing, while another says he is still deciding, depending on the script? What – with JJ supposedly throwing various ideas left, right and centre at the writers? Honestly, I think JJ Abrams would have known months ago whether the new Star Trek story is something he would want to direct. All this humming and haa-ing on whether to direct or not is not doing JJ Abrams’ credibility any favours. It just makes him look like a stupid tease, I am sorry to say. But then again, there is no mention of the “elephant in the living room”, ie 3D or no3D…
I need to see a Star Trek sequel that would be able to hold its head high next to a (no doubt) wonderful Peter Jackson screen adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s Hobbit. Star Trek ain’t no silly “tent-pole” (whatever that means) summer release fodder. It can be better than that!
C’mon JJ! Star Trek is a family that goes beyond the characters and the actors that portray them…..the director is included!
I dont understand about the cast and Paramount’s “option exercising”- this is a good thing for the cast right? Can someone explain that to me- it’s been a long day today-
Well glad to get the updates, thanks TM crew! Almost there with part of the news we are waiting for….. *crossing fingers* :)
The options commits the studio to paying the cast for the next movie. Usually there is a schedule limitation on when the studio must exercise the option. They were probably approaching that date, and so decided to move forward with exercising the option now that they see the sequel prep going well, and looking like a good business bet.
BREAKING : Jeffrey Jacob Abrams WILL Direct The Star Trek Sequel.
Yes. I boldly went there ; making stuff up on a serious site.
But ,hopefully, history will prove me right…
@21 “All this humming and haa-ing on whether to direct or not is not doing JJ Abrams’ credibility any favours. It just makes him look like a stupid tease, I am sorry to say.”
Wow Keachick, you are coming around to my way of thinking about this. Remember, you were pretty critical about some comments I made previously in this vain. No hard feelings though — good to have you see the light!
Whether or not he directs, he should be involved in the sequel. As a Director would obviously boost confidence within the cast, going back to work under the same guiding hand.
If someone else, JJ Abrams needs to have hand picked his replacement, rather than have Paramount dictate it. No offense but Michael Bay would be wrong for Star Trek… just as Stuart Baird turned out to be.
A different director can be a success as Irvin Kershner was for Empire Strikes Back. I’m not familar enough with that movie series to say, but obviously he had to work closely with George Lucas.
We know Nicholas Meyer virtually saved Star Trek by bringing in a sequel that cost a lot less to make than the original, while also being more epic in the storytelling department. But where we’re at now – runaway success, both critically and financially, it’s clearly different and not in need of a rescuer. Room for improvement (my admittedly hardcore perspective), mixed with more of the same (everybody else’s)…
I am leaning more towards, “No!” as well. I could do with fewer lens flares and fewer brewery based sets as well as a better composer and a re-redesigned Enterprise.
Surely JJ wants to be back behind that camera monitor, hearing “Saaaavage Presssure” being shouted on set! :)
17
Are you drunk again?
J.J on Directing. Do It! Do IT! Do It!
The poll should have included a third option. I don’t have an emotional attachment to JJ’s directing. I don’t care who directs, so long as he or she is willing and capable of doing a fantastic job. The director will need enormous talent and commitment, but we may do even better with someone who has those attributes in addition to a love for Trek.
28 – what’s with the Giacchino bashing? his score was one of the best parts of the new film. Didn’t rely on the Courage or Goldsmith themes but still felt part of the same team.
Abrams made very few bad decisions on the last one. Sure, no one likes the lens flares or Budgenering. But all the important things were there. Only way I’ll accept Abrams not directing is if passes the torch to Nick Meyer (as was hinted a while back) or Brad Bird (who took over the M:I-4 directing job when Abrams passed).
@28. A better composer??? You’ve just lost all credibility with that remark, dude.
No, MJ. If you go back and read some of my postings some months back, I expressed these notions then. I feared that, as Star Trek fans, we were being teased by a director in particular who perhaps thought that being apparently indecisive and secretive was somehow clever. Unfortunately, there are people around who do think that teasing (playing on the emotions and desires of others) is clever. I don’t think it is clever at all – it is just mean and stupid.
JJ Abrams needs to bring some clarity and direction (no pun intended). People want and need to know where they stand, not least the writers, other producers and cast.
#35
Yea sorta like lebron james and the decision lol just get on with it already
Hey all…..Put your Cynical hat on for a second..
Paramount has a contact to the ST09 actors for a sequel within 5 years of production of the first JJ Trek.
Paramount release this nebulous statement to stave off actors suing Paramount for breach of contract.
If I’m wrong tell me pls, but tell me why I am wrong.
@35. Well regardless of who said what when, I am glad that we are in full agreement now. JJ does need to either sh*t or get off the pot here with the sequel.
@36. Excellent analogy…like it is clever to keep us waiting for the big decision…it definitely does remind me of a lesser version of the LeBron James Decision deal. :-)
Personally, I feel Paramount missed the boat by not keeping Manny Coto on board to run the series. I feel like he more than anyone in the Berman years had what it would take to reinvigorate ST. Who knows where he could have taken it. Seriously, JJ & Co. have too many irons in the fire to do ST justice.
get Schumacher to direct….he’ll camp it up good with Harry Mudd…of course I am absolutely kidding here
Ok. Lets get crazy. I vote for Stephan King to direct Star Trek. It would be Chilling. Lol
or. We can really get crazy. Anthony Pascale can direct Star Trek. He could get it right.
Commodore Mike
Yes! It is time that the people demanded that i can fulfill my vision. I am envisioning the film as a noirish thriller (in black and white of course). Also I think it should be in Esperanto, since in the future that is what everyone speaks. Oh and lots of nude scenes.
I also demand a bigger trailer than Deep Roy (the guy who plays keenser)
Now I’m really worried. There seems to be a tremendous sense of RELUCTANCE at being involved with a Star Trek project, which just oozes from every pore of these guys (with the exception of Mr. Orci, of course.)
Maybe we’ll start writing, maybe we won’t.
Let’s lock ourselves in a hotel room (because this is so painful).
Well, we don’t really have an complete outline yet, we have to do another movie first.
Well, maybe I’ll direct this thing, maybe I won’t.
They sound just like me in the 5th grade on a Sunday night trying to get a book report done before Monday, on a book that I didn’t really want to read.
Where’s the passion for the project at hand? I don’t hear any. I don’t even hear mild enthusiasm. The Star Trek movies (TMP thru ST VI) were OK, but none were great. The directors: Robert Wise, Nicholas Meyer, Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner had varying degrees of interest but none had the almost monomaniacal passion for the job of say, George Lucas for “Star Wars” or Peter Jackson for “The Lord of the Rings” or Sam Raimi for “Spider-Man” or the Wachowski brothers for “The Matrix.”
Sam Raimi was selected to direct “Spider-Man” by the guys at Marvel “studios” because of his obvious love for Spidey. And it certainly showed in the final product. I don’t think you can just will a movie to be great. The greatness has to be there already, in some dream that is burning to be told on film.
The gold standard should be the four movies mentioned above, not “Star Trek ’09.” If JJ Abrams does not have the passion to direct the next movie, then he shouldn’t even try. It’s OK if he produces and writes. Just find someone who DOES want to direct this movie. And find him or her quickly.
39. I loved what Manny Coto did with Enterprise. I’d prefer him to be running Star Trek should it ever return to television.
42. Listen to the audio commentary on the ST’09 DVD or Blu ray, or check out any of the Special Features. JJ Abrams is passionate about the part of the franchise he’s reinvigorated. I wouldn’t mistake lack of enthusiasm to learn about the history, canon, backstory for reluctance in making a good film.
I voted “yes” as a fan with increasing frustration with abrams. If I were a paramount suit I’d have booted him long ago.
45. (cont) RE: Manny Coto, loved Season 4 so much so I still haven’t given up on the promise another year might’ve brought. He had so many ideas to tie everything altogether and get the most out of the premise of Enterprise. Quite a few others campaigned hard not to lose him and the show. He of course, went onto the much more high profile job of writing for 24.
VulcanFilmCritic… wow, you said EXACTLY what I thought, but said it better than I could! Thank you!
In the 1960s, Superman was dying and Star Trek was hot. Then, DC handed Superman over to a few of the letterheads… serious fans who wrote to them regularly. The result: In the1980s there was a Superman reboot that not only captured the best of the true spirit of Supes, they made it more science-like and less fantasy, more exciting and took care of updates in time line and place that had vastly changed the landscape since he was created in the 1930s. Today, Superman is one of the most valuable franchises in the world. Marvel, hot in the 1960s but cooled in the 1980s, likewise turned to serous fans to revive it with great success.
Contrast Paramount, which hired wunderkind JJ Abrams, a known Star Wars fan, who thought Trek was a bore. His first movie was a remake of the first Star Wars film in Trek. Now he can barely concentrate on the sequel BECAUSE HE JUST DOESN’T LIKE STAR TREK.
I’m sure there are professional filmmakers who are Trekkies. I hope, when this three film disaster is over, probably not until long after 2015, they hire a talented Trek fan rather than a Trek bored wunderkind to run the franchise. Perhaps THAT person will get rid of the Clone Wars of the 1990s, and World War III of the 2020s. Perhaps that person will make Star Trek an updated Star Trek, not a poor (and disinterested) Star Wars.
I suspect Whoopie Goldberg would be happy to help. I’m sure she’s not the only big name Trekkie.
I said it months ago, but this looks like it will come out May 2013.
YES! Bring JJ back and let the Okudas and Doug Drexler do some work on it too! The best of both worlds coming together, new and old Star Trek!
Well, judging from the reviews Cowboys and Aliens is getting, I’m not exactly expecting a Trek masterpiece from the writers. But here’s hoping JJ (or whoever directs it) will make this thing shine in the end.
Perhaps a Nick Meyer script polish is in order…? C’mon, who doesn’t like a few—or a few hundred—Melville, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Shakespeare references in their Trek?
;)