CNN have put up an article including 3 video clips of an interview with Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner. It appears the interview was done a few weeks ago at the time of the TV Land Launch. One of the questions was about younger audiences accepting the original effects, to which Shatner said that ST audiences “ignore the primitive effects” and Nimoy quipped “the audience is in it for the stories and we had good stories.” Ironically, just yesterday the President of CBS Paramount Television said that it was ‘imperative’ to update the ‘primitive effects’ for the younger audiences. For the most part it seemed hard for the interviewer to get a straight answer out of the pair, but the subject of Star Trek XI did come up. When asked if Paramount should just ‘declare victory’ and stop making new Star Trek, the actors mocked the question saying sarcastically “so you want Paramount to say we’ve made enough money?”. On the notion of Paramount recasting their characters, Nimoy said “I think they should” and again Shatner responded with a joke saying “I on the other hand, resent it totally.” When asked specifically about Star Trek XI producer JJ Abrams, Nimoy commented “he is very talented,” going on to say “We will help anyway we can.” Shatner added “as long as they can meet Leonard’s price.”
Again it is worth noting that Shatner and Nimoy continue to talk up Trek XI and take it as a given that their original characters will be recast. They also had some good anecdotes about the animated series and even John Wayne. Check out CNN for the article, partial transcript and links to video.
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Hmm, two faces. it seems Nimoy and Shatner aren’t as contended with STXI and the remastered TOS as we have thought.
bear in mind that this interview was done before the TOS remastered was announced. and they seem very content with STXI…Shatner jokes about it but has also said all sorts of glowing things about abrams and says he wants to be in it.
Yes, but he said, “Abrams is very talented” and continues with “we will help him as wie can”. That’s pure ironic! He also “resents the recast totally” and I believe him, because these words fit to all we know about his personality. I suppose they both are hired by Paramount now to support the project and get paid for clear and non-critical statements. Maybe this deal contains some kind of participation in STXI.
Ok….not to be disrespectful to these two actors but IF all they can do is clown around (as they say it) and they wonder if they can meet Leonards price they does the Star Trek World as we know it and need it now really need them? I mean….come on….they must of made boatloads of cash in the various installments – films and promotional guest appearances that their set for life.
They talk of a of flashback….wouldn’t that be a flash forward? This sounds like a half baked idea at best. Unless they have very strong storyline and tie in to the current script then they should be
left where we all last seen them – in the films of the 90’s after all how many times can you go to the same two characters and hope for something new or relevant? Give it up Bill and Leonard – Ok?
@Duane Boda
That’s not the problem. Read the Shatnerverse and see some character development.
i suggest you watch the video. the stuff about resenting being recast and meeting Leonard\’s price was in jest. Shatner was being very silly during the whole thing.
To date Shatner has made it clear he wants to be in the film and thinks that Abrams can revive the franchise.