It looks like JJ Abrams can add ‘graphic artist’ to his growing list of credits for Star Trek XI. Recently our intrepid ‘VegasCon Correspondent’ DavidofLondon picked up an anonymous tip that the Star Trek XI teaser poster was designed by Abrams himself. Today the Trek Movie Report contacted David’s source as well as an additional studio insider who both confirmed this tidbit. One of the insiders pointed out that it is not surprising since Abrams is an experienced designer and even did some of the design work on his debut film Mission Impossible III. It is surprising when you consider that in July Abrams was co-writing Star Trek XI, signed two Hollywood megadeals, co-wrote a script for Lost, and put the finishing touches on the MI:3 DVDs. This shows a serious hands on approch for Abrams. The possible hints he embedded in his design truly make it live up to the description of ‘teaser’.
Penetrating the Trek XI Cone of Silence
The reason Abrams took the time to do the poster himself may be that ‘circle of trust’ regarding Star Trek XI is truly quite small. This all has added significance because to date Abrams (and the team) have remained very tightlipped about any Trek XI plot details. Our poster source says that there are good reasons for this, pointing out that the first draft is not yet complete (something we have confirmed with another source within Paramount). Why all these anonymous sources?…that is the power of the Abrams cloak of secrecy, but we are assured that in coming months there will be far more openness. In the recent message we recieved from producer Bryan Burk we were told that they just aren’t ready to talk, but that when they are ready the will have a nice long chat with The Trek Movie Report…stay tuned.
Star Trek XI Story Meeting
Speculating Boldly
When asked about the secrecy by TV Guide last month, Abrams said: “It’s way premature. Anything I say, people will read into it and make assumptions”. But of course that hasn’t stopped people from speculating and reading the tea leaves, or reading the poster pixels in this case. Although Abrams will not say anything specific about the plot and setting on the record, it now appears that he is talking directly (albeit through the poster). So the question is…what is he saying?
Related: Trek XI Poster Inspiring Speculation, Imitation, Parody…and a Hoax (8/2)
UPDATE: This isn’t the only JJ Abrams production that has a poster going under the Microscope. Check out – TV Squad: Can you find any clues in the Lost Season 3 Poster
When you say, “the possible hints embedded in this poster truly make it live up to the description of teaser,” do you mean the obvious blue / gold allusion to the original series generation, or do you mean that there is something else that we are all missing? I’m intrigued by this. To me, this says that Mr. Abrams is going to be very involved in the development of this new movie / launch. You wouldn’t hold out on us, would you, Tony? *Wink* Thanks again for the AMAZING new site. I’m very impressed and can be considered a regular staple around here…
hold out??? never.
The ‘cloak of secrecy’ is really quite powerful around STXI, but as I point out that is because it is very very very very early.
making it ever so hard for the Trek Movie Report to keep up our 1-2 stories a day average!
Of that, I’ve no doubt. You must have some serious conncections just to enable the sorts of stories that you’ve already been able to publish. I’m envious! I’m just a mortgage broker. I sit in a monkey suit and have meetings with bankers all day. I’d *much* rather lead the exciting life of cloak and dagger Star Trek gossip and Hollywood rumors! How exciting!
Give ’em hell, buddy…
reading the poster, it means:
setting: the time before TNG, (the emblem is before 2270) and:
that is not what i want to see… i would prefer the times after Nemesis
acters: one scientist & one officer (captain)
may be the young kirk & spock, may be not – both alternatives are not interesting in those “past” years…
One film i won´t visit…
It’s too bad you feel that way, Robby. I’ve discussed this topic ad nauseam with fellow Trek friends and family members alike and though we certainly will never agree on one subject that should be explored rather than another, the consensus as been that Some Trek is better than No Trek at all. With that being said, I would also like to throw in that until the movie is finished it’s writing stage, been accepted, actors contracted, filming locations determined, scenes set and the film is in the can and on the silver screen, I have decided that I am not going to judge the film until I’ve seen it. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mr. Abrams and his work thus far. Only time will tell if this incarnation is a bomb or a blockbuster, I have no way of knowing until I’ve seen it… and I will see it.
I frankly am infinately GLAD the powers that be are finally getting away from the stale, turgid, anal retentive 24th century era imitation Trek , and getting back to TRUE Star Trek- warts and all.
Star Trek to the masses isn’t Janeway, or Sisko, or Archer, or really even Picard.
It is James T Kirk, Spock, and the crew of the starship Enterprise. That’s Star Trek. That’s the icon. The 5 year mission. That’s the era people seem to be missing, myself included, and ironically that is the era Paramount repeatedly goes BACK to when Trek gets in trouble, or to boost ratings- which every spinoff series did.
The 15 years of Berman Trek is what almost killed Star Trek.
I don’t ever want to see the 24th century again on Star Trek, talk about uninspired.
I am all for any Star Trek movie. I don’t care if it is a pre-quel. The onlly problem is they have to be careful as to not change continuity, unless it is a time travel episode and at the end it goes back towhere they started.
I definitely would love to see more after Nemesis, perhaps even 24th Century era. I do think Star Trek does include Janeway, Sisko and Archer. Specially Janeway. I find it hard to believe that they had so few female captains in the 24th century; so I believe we still need a couple more of those. I would also love to see another TV series. I can’t believe it is over for the TV franchise. There has always been a Star Trek tv series somewhere – not talking about cartoons -.
My guess as to the hidden meaning is the division of the colors behind the arrowhead. One segment it gold, two segments are blue. Seems to suggests a certain Captain, a Vulcan Science Officer and a crusty Southern doctor to me. The central three characters in Star Trek XI…
bring back startrek i miss it do not let it die the words of spock live long and
prosper let it live there is still litter of the starship to come
Star Trek: Dagger
It could possibly work IF they follow Trek history, and maybe mention the true chain of captains of the Enterprise, somehow. The Trek series “Enterprise” had a captain never before mentioned in the logs of the Enterprise. Robert April was the first captain, with Kirk’s dad as his second in command. Then came Chris Pike. THEN Jim Kirk. Get back to the history of Trek and avoid continuity flaws, as Lucas did with his Star Wars series.
Wikipedia offers this reasoning for Capt. Archer:
“Captain Jonathan Archer commands Star Trek: Enterprise’s titular ship one hundred years before Captains Pike and James T. Kirk command a starship of the same name.
The Animated Series states that Captain Robert April preceded Pike as commander of the Enterprise. However, while April’s tenure as commander of the Enterprise is generally accepted by fans, Star Trek’s producers have never made this canon.[1]”
Yet in 1989 the Trek novel “Final Frontier” was published. As I understand it, the Great Bird had a large say in what went into these books, not allowing certain things that would change the history of the Trek universe.
Here’s Amazon.com’s description of the book:
“Commander George Samuel Kirk was aboard the Enterprise under the command of Captain Robert April before his famous son was born. Starfleet has just been founded and the Enterprise has just been built, and is sent on its first mission. The mission takes the Enterprise into the heart of hostile Romulan territory, where cosmopolitical machinations and advanced weapons technology will decide the fate of a hundred innocent worlds. ”
How could Archer be the Captain 100 yrs before Kirk, when the ship, let alone the Federation, wasn’t around? How is this continuity flaw explained away by the “producers”?
This is what a prequel must avoid to keep the diehard fans….