Karl Urban Up For ‘Star Trek’ Role (But Not Villain) + Casting & Plot Updates September 28, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Rumor, ST09 Cast, STXI Plot , 190 comments
This seems to be a week for Star Trek casting rumors and news. TrekMovie.com has confirmed that Karl Urban (Eomer of Lord of the Rings) is being considered for an unnamed role in the new Star Trek movie. IESB.net is reporting the Kiwi actor has been made an offer to play the villain in the film, but a source close to the production tells TrekMovie.com that Urban is not up for the film’s villain (nor is he being considered for Kirk). The source would not go further when pressed, but based on the Actor’s age (35) either Scotty, Bones may be a good guess (or possibly Captain Garrovick?). Regarding the casting of the villain a studio insider recently told TrekMovie.com that they are looking for well known brand name actor (especially one who will help the film play in foreign markets). This fits with the report that there is interest in Russell Crowe for the part.
New ‘Star Trek’ Plot Rumors August 30, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Rumor, STXI Plot , 253 comments[possible spoilers] AICN has posted an article on plot rumors for the new Star Trek film that posits much of the film takes place in an alternative timeline (possibly as a way to avoid canon violations). AICN’s Moriarty (apparently based on a dinner chat with someone at Paramount) describes the film involving Romulans going back in time to kill James T. Kirk and change history with older Spock (Nimoy) doing what he can to fix the timeline. However, it is a little hard to separate what are possible plot rumors from and what is Moriarty’s own speculation. Beyond the notion that the older Spock character is central to the film’s plot, TrekMovie.com cannot confirm (or refute) any of the details at this time.
Orci: ‘Star Trek’ is two movies in one July 1, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Orci/Kurtzman, STXI Plot , 75 commentsIn yet another interview (this time with Latino Review) screenwriter Roberto Orci talks about how the new Trek is being made to appeal to fans of the franchise as well as those unfamiliar with it. He also draws a distinction with Tranformers which had a smaller fanbase, saying:
‘Transformers’ is gonna get us nice and ready for the fans on ‘Star Trek.’ We’ve learned a lot, actually, from that. Again we, we’re diligent about, with J.J. Abrams, and with Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk, agreeing what we all wanted to see first. And then this one, on ‘Star Trek,’ for example we don’t have the advantage or the luxury of the fact no one has ever seen it. People know what ‘Star Trek’ is. We don’t have the advantage of the fact (that Transformers has) the giant robots or something.
Kurtzman Sees Parallels Between New ‘Star Trek’ and Wrath of Khan June 29, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Orci/Kurtzman, STXI Plot , 102 comments
Adam Wills of the Jewish Journal recently interviewed Star Trek 2008 writer Alex Kurtzman and has put up part an interesting Star Trek tidbit from that interview on their GeekHeeb Blog. Kurtzman says that for their new Star Trek they drew inspiration and hoped to replicate the experience the classic Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
For the “Trek” script a lot of it was what “Trek” meant to us as kids. We’ve been enormous fans of “Trek” since we were little kids. And what it felt like to be in the theater and watch “Wrath of Khan” for the first time was what we wanted people to experience … [want to recapture] that kind of an emotional ride. An incredibly great bad guy against an incredibly high-stakes story that’s just emotional. “Trek” for us is about family and friendship.
Orci & Kurtzman: Balancing geekery and nongeekery June 24, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Orci/Kurtzman, STXI Plot , 52 commentsYes…even more on Orci and Kurtzman. Today the pair of Star Trek (2008) writers are profiled in the New York Times in an article titled ‘Character-Driven Films (but Keep the Kaboom).’ The piece covers their biography and discusses how they are just a couple of fanboys who made it big (interesting fact…Orci had a phone shaped like the USS Enterprise). Orci talks about what it is like balancing fandom with business:
You can never be just a fanboy in the eyes of other fanboys, because you’re also, in a way, the establishment. You’re like, ‘No, but I’m you.’ But you’re accountable for all your decisions, and inevitably you can’t please everybody.
JJ Abrams Confirms Kirk In Star Trek XI April 18, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Abrams, STXI Plot , 164 comments
In the new issue of Star Trek Magazine, JJ Abrams finally breaks his silence….a tiny bit. Trek XI’s producer/director tells the official Trek mag "James T Kirk appears in the movie." Although this has been the rumor and essentially working assumption, it is actually the first time that anyone associated with the film has officially disclosed any plot detail about the film. Still no word on who will actually play Kirk in the film or any other official details from Paramount, but Abrams did offer this…
Orci & Kurtzman: Trek XI To Be ‘Reimagined’ Starship Adventure Titled ‘Star Trek’ March 8, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Orci/Kurtzman, STXI Plot , 334 comments
MTV have a great interview with Trek XI screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. In it they still play things close to the vest about plot details and casting, but do reveal quite a bit. MTV is also reporting the film is not a prequel, but a ‘reimagining of the franchise,’ quoting Orci:
We’re not going to start totally from scratch…We want it to feel like it’s updated and of the now. That’s actually the discussions we’re having now: how to keep the look of the universe yet have it not look like nothing’s new. It’s tricky.
Trek XI Still Has No Name – Still Not An ‘Academy Movie’ March 2, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: STXI Plot , 211 comments
One thing is fairly certain, it is unlikely that Star Trek XI will actually be titled "Star Trek XI" when it hits theaters on Christmas Day 2008. Some have speculated that Paramount have already picked the simple name "Star Trek", which is how the film is listed at Box Office Mojo. TrekMovie.com has confirmed this is not the title and that no title has been selected. "That will be a big decision that will go through a lot of debate," said a studio source. The suggestion of the simple "Star Trek" however does seem to be picking up more and more support amongst fans. One issue is how Paramount plan on marketing the film as a new and different kind of Trek film. Perhaps Paramount may take a page from Bond and Batman (the next film to be titled "The Dark Knight") and not even us "Star Trek" in the title at all. It is certainly something to debate.
Shatner Talks More About Being In Star Trek XI February 1, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: ST09 Cast, STXI Plot, Shatner , 38 commentsIn the latest ‘ShatnerVision’, the original Captain Kirk again talks about the dilemma of the how to make Star Trek XI work with two captains Kirk. He also reiterates the point that he and Leonard Nimoy should be in the film to ensure its success.
IESB Reports Same Info As TrekMovie.com January 11, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: STXI Plot, STXI Status , 27 comments
In a new article, IESB is reporting that they have ‘new’ rumors about Star Trek XI. Apparently they are hearing the some of the same things that TrekMovie.com is hearing (and published over a week ago in our latest Trek XI Update). Specifically that a draft is complete, Abrams has held auditions, the film includes Scotty & Pike, and the story jumps around in time. Hopefully IESB’s ‘close source to the film’ wasn’t just reporting what he read on TrekMovie.com, but is actually confirming our report. If you missed it, make sure to read our latest Trek XI Update for even more details on Star Trek XI.
Shatner Talks More About Being In Star Trek XI
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: ST09 Cast, STXI Plot, Shatner , 110 comments
Although JJ Abrams and Paramount aren’t confirming that Star Trek XI takes place before the Original Series and features a young James Kirk, William Shatner has no problem talking about it. In a brief interview with SciFi Wire, William Shatner repeated previous comments that he and producer JJ Abrams have met and that Abrams wants him in Star Trek XI. The Shat also told SciFi Wire "Yes, we know the story is based on young Kirk." The original Captain Kirk still seems fixated on how this will all work, but in this case he implies that he expects to be interacting with the young Kirk:
They need to figure out how to put the dead captain in with the young captain…It’s a very complex, technical problem of how to write the character in, and I’m not sure how they will solve it.
Star Trek XI Update January 3, 2007
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Rumor, ST09 Cast, STXI Plot, STXI Status, Star Trek (2009 film) , 71 commentsFor Star Trek XI news, 2006 was both exciting and frustrating. In April and May we first learned about the project and got some public statements from producer JJ Abrams and his cohorts, then the cone of silence descended and it became almost impossible to learn anything about the film. This is actually quite normal for a film this far out. Paramount know that Trek is an important franchise and that there is really no upside to talking a lot about a film at this very early stage. For 2007, some of that will change…and it promises to be a big year for Trek XI. This article is to summarize where we are now (Much of the following has been reported before, but some is new)
Bennett Sees Parallels With His Star Trek VI and Star Trek XI November 23, 2006
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Feature Films (TMP-NEM), STXI Plot , 22 comments
Harve Bennett was the producer for the golden age of Star Trek films back in the 1980s. After the lackluster performance of Star Trek V in 1989, Bennett (along with writer David Laurie) developed a script called ‘Star Trek: The Academy Years’ which was to reboot the franchise with younger actors playing Kirk and Spock at Starfleet Academy. In the end the studio decided to give the original cast one more go and Bennett left the franchise. Earlier this year when Variety broke the first news about Trek XI and used the word ‘Academy’ in their brief plot outline many thought that Bennett’s script was back. Even after J.J. Abrams called the Variety article ‘not entirely accurate’ many still speculated there was some link, including Mr. Bennett himself.
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