Report: Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ Wyatt Leads Star Trek 3 Director List

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According to a new report, the list of possible directors for the next Star Trek film is narrowing. More details below.

Deadline reports Star Trek 3 Director Short List

Deadline is reporting that JJ Abrams and Skydance have narrowed their list down to five possible directors. According to the report the studio has met with and "is high on" Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt. Others on the list are Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game), Daniel Epinosa (Safe House), Justin Lin (Fast & Furious) and Duncan Jones (Source Code).

Deadline also notes that while Edgar Wright had been mentioned before they are "not hearing his name in the mix."

 

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Who is writing the story/screenplay?

I agree with Ensign Kirk. I could live with that.

^^^
Ocri/McKay/Payne

@ 2. Michael Stivic – December 15, 2014

“Who is writing the story/screenplay?”

==============

There is no word currently on whether the film will move forward with the same screenplay scripted by Orci, Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne or seek a new draft.

http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/392269-star-trek-3-director-list-narrows-to-five-names

I read Jones doesn’t want to do it unfortunately

It Appears the option to use Wyatt depended on the Directors Availability.. I Hope they re not going to Scrap the Entire Script!

Duncan Jones tweeted that he is not doing Star Trek 13

“Very flattering being on short list for Star Trek, but won’t be doing it. Absolutely MUST make my own thing next, or I’ll die of old age!”

https://twitter.com/ManMadeMoon/status/544531841781223424

Well, I certainly hope that “I” am still being considered by the powers that be.

I am a true Trek fan, and I have more creativity and industry knowledge than all these guys – combined!

Email me if you want My (free) pitch for Trek’s future. .

startrekmovie@gmail.com

I certainly loved Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Hopefully he understands Trek.

Duncan Jones would have been my choice, too bad he doesn’t want the gig.

Only troublesome thing about Rupert Wyatt is that all three of his films were under 2 hours.

What is known is what has been commented on by Orci, Abrams, BR, or Paramount. Anything else is speculation by soothsayers, who have been staring into their hazy ‘I hate BR’ crystal balls, then posting those speculations, pretending that those prognostications carried the weight of fact.

People are free to believe what they wish – for all the vitriol aimed at BR by a few people, it seems to be shaping up that what we have is a simple case of a production being put on hold while director issues are sorted out. Sometimes that cigar is just that – a cigar.

That’s a good question for Harry – Is Crystal Ballz a distant relative?

Very important that the Deadline story points out the studio is *actively* involved with this process, not just BadRobot. Definitely puts cold water on any notion they might contemplate pulling the plug on the project for whatever reason.

Would definitely like to hear confirmation of story/script situation. Hope they’re not trying to salvage a gutted script, but schedule may dictate otherwise.

Déjà vu all over again!

=================================

J.J. Abrams endorses Rupert Wyatt for Star Trek 3 director – still nothing official – September 12, 2013

While still nothing official has been announced about the next director for the 3rd Bad Robot Star Trek movie, the website HitFix caught up with J.J. Abrams during the home video release celebration of Into Darkness. They asked him about the rumor that Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) was being considered, and the status of any pre-production progress on the 3rd movie.

https://trekmovie.com/2013/09/12/j-j-abrams-endorses-rupert-wyatt-for-star-trek-3-director-still-nothing-official/

Not near as stylized or inventive in his direction as JJ, but with a good story he would be a safe bet.

Lol #8.

I would okay with Rupert Wyatt, although with a few reservations. While I enjoyed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, I felt some of the acting from the human characters was stilted and lukewarm–James Franco in particular. Some may disagree, and Franco may be to blame, but I do pin that someone on the director. After all, it is the director’s job to coax the actors into giving it their all.

Why was he not selected to director the sequel? That also gives me pause.

bleh, pardon the typos

No Matt Reeves? I guess he’s working in the next Apes.

I also like Matthew Vaughn’s stuff.

I have no insider knowledge, I just know what movies I’ve enjoyed.

But yeah, this is all far from bad news. Big name directors certainly seems like a show of confidence.

8. Still? Who are you? :) Can you show us your IMDB profile so we can help with the lobbying? :)

#8: The phrase “true Trek fan” is elitist garbage, and that, for me, removes you as someone I’d want to see directing a Trek film. There is no such thing as a true or false fan.

tyldum could be an interesting choice.. Norway Film “HeadHunters was Great!

Dont know if he has experience on Blockbusters though.

@18. I suspect he was being a bit cheeky there. Unfortunately, dry humor doesn’t always translate well in the digital realm….

I haven’t seen Tyldum’s stuff yet, but the Imitation Game has had good reviews (and I want to see it).

Espinoza = also interesting.

Lin worked with K O on Scorpion (anyone here watched it?) and the FFs have made a fortune (and they’re watchable; have a fairly diverse cast).

May 2016?

tic tic tic…

Don’t know any of them, haven’t seen any of the movies they’ve done…

Would love to see Lin do it – he helped turn F&F into a powerhouse. Would be great to see his sensibilities applied to Trek.

*watchable but pretty formulaic?

I wonder why Paramount or Bad Robot leaks this information and how accurate it is. First, Deadline reported Edgar Wright was on the short wish list and now he’s apparently not. We don’t know why or if he was ever on the real list.

Next, they leak this list and immediately Duncan Jones declines on Twitter.

If the Deadline article is somewhat correct then it’s good news that new and exciting directors are being considered rather than simply an assistant director who happens to be available early next year.

I loved “Rise of the Apes”. Didn’t care much for “Dawn of the Apes” (wayyyyy too much monkey hoot-hooting to each other like Cheetah from Tarzan,)

In more recent developments, it has just been reported that Jonathan Frakes has hung himself…

Some solid choices in there.

More concerned about the script than anything else. Please, let them explore a strange new world or two! Twelve movies and counting and we’ve yet to see them fulfil their mission brief. There’s got to be more out there than assorted humanoids with knobbly foreheads.

None of those directors would be suitable. They need a big name director this time.

Go big name or go back to TV!

*although Scorpion apparenanty had 3000 producers, including Scooter Braun. I guess Dell laptops cost a lot of money. :) So Lin may not have “worked with” K O at all. Dunno.

I need some filmmaking 101, do TV exec producers have any real say in the finsihed product?

I kind of loved Dawn of the Apes — it reminded me of a Star Trek episode. Rise was also good, but a little James Franco goes a long way.

24. Fritz Kessler – December 15, 2014

But aren’t the FF movies brainless action movies? There are cars 1-dimensional characters, a few hot chicks and that’s it.
If Lin become director I seriously consider leaving trek 13 out. And I have seen every movie and every episode from 5 series and I can see positive things in every single of them.
But the guy from FF? I don’t see where star trek ideals and brain and complex charecters fit in, if we get FF in space.

30. That’s a good point….I guess I’m thinking about it this way: The nu-movies aren’t really all about old-school Trek ideals anyway, though I think each one has tried to shoehorn them in a bit. So, if we’re going in the direction of “action epic” for Trek, why not have a guy who’s done that really successfully with another franchise, and, moreover, has some solid brand recognition that he brings along with him? I actually think that a Star Trek “from the director of Fast and Furious XX” could be an enticing statement for a lot of moviegoers. And, plus, it’d probably look really cool :).

That said, believe me, I’m all about wanting to return to what I think Trek is all about: quality, forward-thinking storytelling that’s centered around a TV show – I even argued as much to EW last week:

http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/12/09/star-trek-suicide-squad/
(my bit is at the bottom)

Actually, I’ll revise my last comment a bit – I dunno that ST09 really went for Trek ideals all that much, but STID had a pretty classic Trek moral running through it. Consequently, I think ST09 felt the most like an actual “movie event” as a result, and STID felt more like a big-budget TV episode.

@29. Jack,
“do TV exec producers have any real say in the finsihed product?”

Yes, they are the same as “Director” to a feature. Directors in TV are shown the door as soon as they deliver their cut, assuming they are not Executive Producers, as well … and even then, if they are not the creator/show runners, they may likewise be sent off to prep their next episode.

@30. stephan

Star Trek: Too Fast and Furious

The Chinese market will love it!

@29. Jack, ^^^^

**TV EPs are the same feature directors, except of course for the directing (unless they also happen to do that)**

So I guess those of you “in the know” who claimed that this film is dead and Paramount is not interested in Star Trek films will be admitting you were wrong sometime soon?

It makes sense that Paramount would want this guy because his first Apes movie is just like the BR Trek movies—overly reliant upon action and cut like an action movie trailer.

I could barely keep my eyes open in the theater during Rise of the Planet of the Apes. All of those action scenes and lame CGI were so boring. James Franco was badly miscast as a primate biologist and I didn’t believe him in the role for a second. The facial expressions of the apes were so artificial and mechanical looking that I didn’t connect with them, either. Hence, I didn’t care about the outcome of any of the action scenes ==> snooze.

Might as well hire Michael Bay, if they’re determined to do yet another movie in his style.

8. TrekMadeMeWonder – December 15, 2014

Well, I certainly hope that “I” am still being considered by the powers that be.

Who told you that you’re being considered?

I am a true Trek fan, and I have more creativity and industry knowledge than all these guys – combined!

Maybe, with your industry knowledge, you can settle the issue of whether CBS or Bad Robot owns the copyrights for the derivative content in the BR Trek movies.

32. Ahmed – December 15, 2014

Star Trek: Too Fast and Furious

Too slow.

Better make it Star Trek: Exceedingly Fast and Excessively Furious.

Actually, why do they even need a script to make another BR Trek movie?

Just film a bunch of action set pieces and string them together into one long action sequence that lasts an hour and a half.

Half the audience will be disappointed, but, of the remaining half, 1/4 will fill in the blanks and create their own meaningful story out of it, and the other 1/4 will assume that it was really smart and went over their heads.

ST XIII: we are so tired….

More discussion regarding Orci’s ouster:

http://badassdigest.com/2014/12/15/whats-going-on-with-star-trek-3/

Lots of concern re Paramount brass re direction, performance of previous JJTrek flix compared to other big franchises. Concerns about how characters are used, possibly LOTS of concerns re Orci original script. Author states Dec 2016 release date virtual necessity given story uncertainty, new director.

Presented without further comment. Read for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Interesting choices! Would have loved to see Duncan Jones but Morten Tyldum sounds like a great, interesting choice to go with! the Imitation Game is glorious and his style could work well in that it’s more grown up.

35. Cygnus-X1

If you have read my postings. I say no one does. its public domain because it basically comes down to copyright abandonment.

There has been little protection of the Star Trek brand and core characters.

Yes. IMO.

And @14.

I have you know that I have appeared in Nolan’s Dark Knight Rises, Christopher McQuarrie’s Jack Reacher and my art has appeared in Academy Award winning movies.

I am no stranger to the business, and, should a real fan be given the opportunity? Hell, no I am reading, through rumor, that bob o plagarized “a fan script” for his treatment of STIII? When my original screenplay was more on target than what became ST09.

If you want to read it here it is. (Thanks for putting up with me again, TM).
And remember, at the beginning, Spock is traveling back ‘Astrally.’

http://megomuseum.com/community/showthread.php?15013-Is-this-the-Trek-movie-plot-POTENTIAL-SPOILER-ALERT!!!

Again. It was fun to type up for all to read here, and as I understand the tale, with respect of course, JJ was actually confronted with this story at a big Convention, with the proclaimation that it was the real deal. At the time, many did read it, and a few did think it was pretty good. My opinion, as a one off I still say it was better than what we saw. And it only took me three hours to think it up and post it. What do you think the outcome would be if I were being PAID big coin and had a few days to really impress?!

Remember. If you were to challenge ME to a Trekkie duel against JJ, Orci and his pals as to who can come up with a better Trek tale – then I think you would be surprised at the outcome. Or, at least it would make you seriously wonder.

I do not think there are rules against offering my services here. It may be my density. But, If anyone in the right circles wants to do the right thing, then give this ol’ Trekkie a yell!

startrekthemovie@gmail.com
startrekmovie@gmail.com

Buh, in my opinion the name of the director is not the main problem, but the script and the budget…and the release date because 2016 schedule is full…no room for any star trek movie.Tons of cheap directors out there…
Any news about the stuff?

Seems clear by the choices they are looking for action type director. I enjoyed Rise of the Planet of the Apes and would be ok with Wyatt. The others I’m not too familiar with outside the noted films.

But I think this will be another high octane action movie, for better or worse.