Shatner

Shatner Talks ‘Star Trek’ Flap + Announces Free Vegas Trip Promotion

In the Last couple of weeks William Shatner’s comments about not yet being asked to be in the new Star Trek have been all over the news. Shatner called in to the Howard Stern show this morning [listen to audio below] and right off the bat Stern dug in, telling him he was “carrying on like a crazy man.” Shatner defended himself saying that he only answers questions when asked and that “they blow it up.” The original Captain Kirk went on to say he “doesn’t care” about not being in the movie, but again stated that asking Nimoy to be in the film without himself was a “stupid business decision.” When asked what he felt about new young actors taking over the roles, Shat seemed OK with it stating “time marches on.”



Shatner: No ‘Star Trek’ Cameo For Me

In case you were wondering, William Shatner is still not happy that he has not been asked to be in the new Star Trek film. When asked by MovieWeb if he had a cameo role he denied it, and went on to say: I would be reluctant to do something that had so little value as to be a cameo. I’m disappointed that the story that they chose to do does not include the character I play, having been in on the birth of Star Trek, I would love to have been in on the rebirth or the resuscitation of it. The fact that I’m not is a disappointing and I think a foolish business decision on their part. Somebody decided how to play their story and they’re knowledgeable people and wonderful entertainers so we’ll see what happens.


Shatner: Not Putting Me In Is Not Wise

It seems the ‘Shatner not in the new Star Trek movie’ story has worked its way into the mainstream media. The AP talked to The Shat today and he let it be known that he is not pleased that he has not been asked: I couldn’t believe it. I’m not in the movie at all. Leonard [Nimoy], God bless his heart, is in, but not me. I thought, what a decision to make, since it obviously is a decision not to make use of the popularity I have to ensure the movie has good box office. It didn’t seem to be a wise business decision





Emmys Elude Shatner + Sopranos Rub Out Lindelof and Moore

William Shatner was all over tonight’s Primetime Emmy Awards. He was nominated for his third Emmy for Boston Legal and his Comedy Central Roast was up for an award as well. The spotlight was on Shatner early in the show as host Ryan Seacrest commented on the former Captain Kirk’s "snazzy attire" and later in the show, the Shat co-presented an award with Debra Messing (pictured). The two joked that their planned musical number was canceled because Messing "refused to have his love child." Beyond that, however, this wasn’t Shatner’s night.


LiveVideo Cancels ShatnerVision

William Shatner’s video home on the web, the LiveVideo channel ShatnerVision, will ‘come to an end’ this Saturday after only 8 months in operation. The announcement was made on the forums of WilliamShatner.com. Details are sketchy, but apparently LiveVideo are changing strategy and moving away from many of the produced shows they were sponsoring. LiveVideo itself only launched last October and Shatnervision has been one of the more popular channels. The channel ranks second in LiveVideo subscribers (currently 2,712) and has over a million ‘views’ since launching in January. ShatnerVision has a new video almost every day and is a regular feature here on TrekMovie.com – as the source of some great nuggets of both news and just Shatnerrificness.


William Shatner: Still Not In New ‘Star Trek’ Movie

In case you were wondering if anything had changed since his website put up the ‘I am not in the movie‘ video last week…it hasn’t. In a new interview William Shatner tells the National Ledger he has not ‘been invited’ to join in on J.J. Abrams new Star Trek. Shatner seems resolved to his fate saying that he "will watch from the wings." The original captain Kirk says that he didn’t have any idea who the new young Kirk would be, but joked that his fictional alter ego Denny Crane would be a good choice. Shatner will still get his crack at the early years of Kirk and Spock with his novel "Star Trek: The Academy–Collision Course, " due out next month.   


Vegas Con Video: Shatner On Not Being In Movie & More

The fine folks at ShatnerVision have put up five videos from William Shatner’s appearance at the recent Creation Las Vegas Star Trek Convention (reported here earlier). In the first Shatner jokes around about not being in the new Star Trek movie and in other videos (below) he recounts some funny stories including a recent ‘roadrage’ incident.



NY Tabloid Distorting Shatner – Again

The New York tabloids want to get in on the fun that the Brit tabloids have been having with the new Star Trek movie. However, instead of fabricated casting news, they seem to want to focus on William Shatner and his (made up) anger at director J.J. Abrams (remember it was the NY Post that started the ‘Shatner is furious‘ story). Now the New York Daily News is taking Shatner’s appearance at the Las Vegas Star Trek convention (see TrekMovie.com Con report) and totally distorting it to fit with the Shatner/Abrams feud story.


Producer: Paramount Trying To Convince Shatner?

Since TrekMovie.com first announced Paramount (and MI3) veteran Stratton Leopold was going to be the unit production manager and one of the executive producers for the new Star Trek we have not heard anything from him. He did join the usual Abrams mafia (Orci, Kurtzman, Burk, and Lindelof) on stage at Comic-Con, but he didn’t say a word. Leopold is more of a behind the scenes kind of guy keeping the trains running on time, but he did give his local paper the (The Savannah Morning News) an interview where he dropped an interesting tidbit about Shatner: Leonard Nimoy will be back as Spock, said Leopold, and studio executives still hope to convince William Shatner to suit up as Captain Kirk one more time.


VegasCon 07 – Shatner Grills Nimoy On Star Trek Movie

As is the custom, when appearing at conventions together Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner each talk to the audience alone (one after the other) and then follow it up with a joint appearance. As Nimoy’s solo portion was winding down William Shatner came onto the stage and they had the following exchange Nimoy: How you been, Billy?Shatner: I’ve been pretty good – not as good as you, of  course!Nimoy: Been working a lot?Shatner: (remorsefully) No, no — I’ve been waiting for the call…I’m hanging by the telephone waiting for the callNimoy: I’ll call youShatner: It’s not the same as J.J. …and it got funnier from there….



Shatner On Tabloid Stories: Not Upset – Not Lobbying For Part

If you just cannot get enough of Shat talking about not being in the movie…here is more from Shatnervision. Shatner says he has ‘known for a while’ that he will not be in the new Star Trek, and that he called director J.J. Abrams after the recent rumors hit the tabloids to tell him he wasn’t upset. The original Captain Kirk did admit to being ‘disappointed.’


Nimoy Coy About Part In New ‘Star Trek’ – Shatner Says He Is Not In It [UPDATED]

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy appeared today at a Creation’s New Jersey Star Trek convention. TrekMovie.com received a con report from Ky-Malairn who reports that Nimoy was pestered for details regarding his participation in the new film, but would only repeat As of this time I don’t have a deal to be in the new Star Trek movie.


Kissing Goodbye To Shatner As Kirk?

In the last week we have learned that William Shatner is probably not going to be in the next Star Trek movie and a week from now we may very well know who the next Kirk will be. Regardless sometime soon Kirk will be embodied by a new actor and Shatner will be a bit like Sean Connery to the Bond franchise (beloved, but not the ‘current’ star). So for our Friday Night Movie it feels appropriate to give our favorite captain one last big kiss.


Shatner & Lindelof Nominated For Emmys

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the nominees for the 59th annual Emmy Awards and there are a few Trek connections. William Shatner (TOS: Kirk) was again nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Series (for Boston Legal). This is Shatner’s fourth year in a row being nominated (he now has a total of five nominations and two wins: 2004 & 2005). Shatner will be going up against Masi Oka who plays the Star Trek fan Hiro Nakamura on Heroes (Oku’s father is played by George Takei) as well as Lost’s Terry O’Quinn who had a guest spot on TNG. Heroes picked up a total of eight nominations(including Best Dramatic Series), but no nomations for Zachary Quinto (potential new Spock), George Takei (TOS: Sulu) or Greg Grunberg (J.J.Abrams best friend and almost certain Star Trek 2008 cameo). Although he is not nominated for it, the "The Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner" was nominated for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special.


Shatner To Host Talk Show [UPDATED]

William Shatner may not be in the new Star Trek movie, but he does have yet another job. A&E announced a revamping of their Biography Channel including a rebranding to simply ‘Bio.’ They are introducing a slate of original reality programming with ‘the centerpiece’ being a new talk show tentatively titled "William Shatner’s Raw Nerve" hosted by The Shat himself. A&E senior VP of nonfiction and alternative programming Rob Sharenow describes the show: "It’s not going to be your typical celebrity junket show — he’s going to get the most interesting, unusual celebrities and notable people.” No information on when the show will premiere. More info at Multichannel News. [UPDATED: Variety is reporting A&E have ordered 13 episodes and the show will premiere in 2008.] More Shat: New Shatner video on how he can’t say no to adventurous projects


Bring Back Kirk Campaign Reacts To Latest News

With all the recent news TrekMovie.com thought it would check in with the ‘Bring Back Kirk’ Campaign and see what they thought of JJ Abrams plans for bringing back Kirk (but maybe not William Shatner). The BBK campaign started in the aftermath of Star Trek Generarations in 1994 by some fans who were not happy with how the character of Kirk was uncerimonially killed off. The BBK claim over a million hits a year to their site, with growing trafic over recent months (for obvious reasons). Although they have never had any contact with Shatner or Parmount they have shown up in some documentaries as well as getting media coverage by various genre sites and mags as well as TV Guide. They may be best known for their elaborate CGI trailers trailers using audio clips from films, TV and audio books to weave together a story around Kirk’s return. Jason Turner (29, freelance web designer from the UK) spoke to TrekMovie.com on behalf of the BBK campign and gave their thoughts on the latest news. 



‘Star Trek’ Writers Talk Shatner, Kirk, Spock & Terrorism

In a new interview with MTV, ‘Star Trek’ writers (and executive producers) Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman respond to the recent rumors that William Shatner is upset that he will not appear in the film. "We were very surprised about that" said Kurtzman. Orci followed up saying "We’re certainly hoping to include him in the shoot, because we have nothing but reverence and awe for the man." If true and if ‘in the shoot’ means ‘in front of the camera,’ then it could be inferred that the final draft of the script has a part for Shatner (although that does not mean it would be playing Kirk necessarily). With regards to the casting of the new Kirk and if he should….speak….like…..Shatner, Orci replied: It’s tough, because so many of the people that portrayed the characters in ‘Star Trek’ were distinctive. A lot of the writing created Shakespearean-type characters, such that you could imagine it going both ways. You could imagine it being open to interpretation, or you can imagine it being really faithful. We’re trying to figure out how to do it.


Rumor: Shatner Jealous Over Nimoy?

There is a new rumor from the Gossip page of the NY Post stating that William Shatner is upset that Leonard Nimoy has been offered a cameo in the the new Star Trek film and he has not. Last week we reported on the Shatnervision segment where the Shat said he had not heard anything from Paramount and ‘it made him sad’. It is possible the NYP has convoluted that into Shatner being ‘furious.’ The report is denied by Shatner’s manager Larry Thompson and his office tells TrekMovie.com they have nothing else to say on it. No comment is available from Paramount either. The notion that Shatner has not been cast or even contacted but they are casting Nimoy cannot be confirmed. It is also worth noting that both actors have said they were not interested in unsubstantial ‘cameos.’ For now it is just another one of those rumors (remember the one about Tom Cruise playing Spock). If we hear anything more we will provide an update. 




Shatner and Nimoy: Still Interested In Trek XI – Still No Contact

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy appeared at Creations Star Trek Convention in Minneapolis on Sunday. TrekMovie has received a number of reports from attendees regarding how Shatner and Nimoy started out by saying they had no real news regarding Star Trek XI, with Shatner even joking he was "out of the loop." Both actors did express an openness to appearing in the film (especially Shatner). Nimoy was more subdued; noting (as he has done previously) that he would only be involved "if they had a meaningful role" for him  However, they said that they had not yet been contacted by the Trek XI team regarding appearing in the film. Shatner did talk up his upcoming novel Starfleet Academy: Collision Course, noting how it also tells the story of Kirk and Spock’s early years.


ART thou Shatner?

It has been called “funny and philosophical” by NPR’s Meredith Ochs. It has been utilized in the unique documentary William Shatner in Concert. College professors lecture regarding its lyrics and music to teach students about social issues. It was the focus of dance performed by the Milwaukee Ballet. Now, the William Shatner and Ben Folds musical collaboration of Has Been is the starting inspiration for an art exhibit featuring 76 talented illustrators and artists who represent the entire Shatner experience on canvas and other palettes. Has Been is now art in more than the musical variety.


Wheaton Comic, Who Companion, Trek Apartment, and more in a news roundup

Just some little Trek items to tie you over…. The new companion for Dr. Who has admitted that she is more of a Trekkie. The Sun reports Freema Agyeman is a big fan of Patrick Stewart and the Next Generation and has even attended Trek conventions. more at Sun Online… Will Wheaton (TNG’s Wesley Crusher) is getting ready to head back to Trek. Wheaton announced that he will write a story for the next volume in ‘Star Trek: The Manga’ from Tokyo Pop. The actor says he was reluctant when first approached, but then a voice in his head said "Dude, this would be so cool! Come on, man, let’s do this!". more at his blog…