J.J. Abrams will direct Star Trek Sequel; Pre-production underway

Back in July we reported on news that Star Trek director J.J. Abrams was "moving towards a commitment" to direct the sequel to the 2009 hit. Now comes news that Abrams has officially committed to the project.

Vulture confirms the news, reporting that pre-production on the sequel is currently underway. Even more important, the site reports that the script — written by Alex Kutzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof — is expected to be completed by the end of the month and Abrams will begin shooting the film this winter.

There’s still no update on when the sequel will be released. As we’ve previously reported, Paramount delayed it’s release earlier this year (it was originally set for June 29, 2012–now its TBD) and has already slated the G.I. Joe sequel in the former slot. There are rumors that the film could slide into 2013 (perhaps summer or winter).

Last month Abrams teased that an announcement was close:

"I’m excited. We’re working hard. We’re very close and I hope to have something to talk about concretely soon. I do feel like if ‘Trek’ happens as we hope that it will, it will be a fun return to that group of people, because it’s an amazing group."

Update: No additional details, but EW has confirmed that J.J. Abrams will direct the Star Trek sequel.

TrekMovie will have more on this as the story develops.

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That’s great news! I’m glad JJ’s on board as director!

That’s great news! I’m glad JJ’s on board as director!

Rosario T. Calabria – who dat?

Pre-production means actual full time work has begun. Set building, etc… That is pretty much a green light.

Good news and GLAD to have JJ aboard for the second go.

:) :) :) :) :) :) Oh My God!!!!! Oh My God!! Yes!!! This is such good news!!! JJ is in and the script will be done soon,this is the best thing I have heard all day!! I am a very,very happy person right now!!! :) :) :)

Should have brought back shatner to direct!

About freakin’ time. Give us a better movie than Trek 2009 please, guys.

“J.J. Abrams will direct Star Trek Sequel…”

Oh, NO!!!! No! Please, Lord, NO! Not him!!!!

I did not expect such a….Well, this is a disaster.

A DISASTER I TELL YOU!!!

:))

Eek! Sorry for the double post above! Didn’t mean to do that! =/

Woohooo!!! Can’t wait!

This posting is great but how do we know this site wont go on another break after this?

Wow. News. Actual, honest to goodness news. Yay!

Having some defintion and closure to the Director issue is good for the Franchise. Abrams’ Trek was a solid, excellent addition to the mythology of Trek, and it’s good to know there will be some continuity with the next installment.

Great news! Glad JJ is on board, I had a feeling! Now we know that JJ likes the script. So what can we expect with the story? :]

Until I hear an announcement from JJ himself, and we have a completed script, I call bunk on the whole thing.

Great news, can’t wait for further details from Bob and the gang.

Crap… here comes another Trek movie for the 12 years old kids.

#7

Ummm. No.

As much as I admire the Shat, he ain’t no director!

I hope that they will come with a good movie after wasting all this time in waiting & waiting.

hot damn….please JJ on this new film less lens flares and a real engineering section for Scotty….

At last we can get back to the whining and complaining of clueless trekkies!!!

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. You can quote me.

Hooray! May I live long enough to see it.

Yay!!!!!!!

Well, I guess I’m out of the running to direct then. Nice of them to let me know! LOL.

Seriously, glad to hear that JJ is going to be back directing. But I agree with Starman above…please less lens flares and a real engineering set! Please.

24. Old Geezer – September 13, 2011

lol.

9. Aurore – September 13, 2011

You too: lol.

VERY EXCITED to hear that JJ will direct. I have complete confidence in him and the rest of the team. Great job in 09, and I am sure that the next installment will be even better. You can’t rush greatness. For all those who are not as confident in JJ’s abilities as a director, have a little faith…it will be worth the wait. On another note…I am also glad that Trekmovie.com FINALLY put some news out. I was beginning to wonder if everyone was on vacation. Come on guys…really?

I am relieved…TrekMovie.com is alive! …:-) :-)

Glade to hear Trek Movie will have more on this as the story develops. Just hope we don’t have to wait too long.

Bout time we had news! Been sad visiting the site over the last week and still seeing the news about the Domino’s on the moon… Pumped for updates on the movie, now that they’re officially in pre-prod.

#21 I agree with you.
If the lens flares aren’t dialed back somewhat and engineering doesn’t look more like an engine Scotty would manage, the unintended laughing and groaning won’t help anybody.
Other than that, it’s good news JJ Abrams is directing. His storytelling is a true gift and bodes well for Trek.

I’m not thrilled about this . . . . I think J.J. Abrams is a big loser who doesn’t understand Star Trek . . .

I’ll be skipping this movie . . . I had hoped for something more.

finally…. Its been a dry week of star trek news. Finally we have something now !

Thought the lens flares worked on the exterior shots.

Did you have any doubt? Okay, it was touch and go there for a minute. Glad to see J.J. At the helm again.

Hi, everyone. Anthony is fine and will be back soon. In the short term, myself, Chuck and Kayla will be providing updates to the site.

38. Thanks for the update.

YAY! Thanks for the update Rosario!!

Despite his catalogue of horrible work (Trek ’09 excluded) I am somehow still glad it’s JJ-

Too bad Trek is the one thing he does well.

GREAT news. No matter what the story is, I’m just looking forward to seeing JJ’s energetic, visually dynamic style in a Star Trek movie again.

Thumbs up for JJ and the return of the Trekmovie gang!

@3: – and for others who have wondered how to reach Anthony: If you click the “About” tab at the top of the web page, you’ll find a list of people associated with this site, and email addresses. Rosario Tino is Sci Fi Editor – list probably not updated since a marital status change.

Grateful for the update here, finally, but makes one wonder – as many have – about the site’s future. Perhaps the chief editor is just dealing with RL stuff right now. Hope all is well.

My excitement about the news is tempered by suggested release dates : …winter 2013?! I can see why someone might think it’ll be hard to keep a site going on little and no fuel for four and a half years. But maybe they’ll kindle our interests now and again – is that how it worked years out from Trek 2009?

And we’re off! …Again!

A wise man once said : “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Then, he breathlessly added : “You can quote me.”

And so, I did.

#41, I would say that “catalogue of horrible work” is a bit unfair to JJ. I’m a UCLA Film School guy and I recognize that some of the stuff he does is straight out of Film School, like beating the hell out of the camera, doing the lens flares, and leaving dangling open-ended plot lines. I’d say that 95% of the audience either doesn’t notice or is negatively distracted by it, but the balance call it genius. Personally I can put up with the camera drumming, but find the flares obnoxious. Then again so did JJ: ” I know there are certain shots where even I watch and think, ‘Oh that’s ridiculous, that was too many.'” What drives me up the wall is the dangling plot lines. I don’t want to “fill in the blanks with my imagination.” I paid my $15 + parking + popcorn and I want YOU to tell me what the story is. But then again… that’s just me! :)

“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life.” – Nero

And so you did Aurore. …And I knew you would.

Great news now JJ & team please hit this one out of the park like you did in 2009!! Take your time everyone wants a great movie not a movie made to hit a studio release date………….