TrekMovie.com has already reported that February is the point where Trek XI could move from ‘development’ to getting a green light (or not) and going into pre-production. In the last few weeks we have been getting various reports from sources around the studio that things are progressing and preperations are already being made to start some preliminary work the coming weeks. Now comes this from today’s Hollywood Reporter:
Over at Paramount Pictures, for example, there is now a question whether J.J. Abrams will direct "Star Trek XI." …Although Paramount is hopeful that Abrams will captain the Starship Enterprise, sources said the director likely will make his decision later this week.
It has been the working assumption in the trades (and even at Paramount) that Abrams would direct the film, but Abrams has been coy about this decision. In November J.J. told TrekMovie.com he wouldn’t decide until he had a script and was sure he was the right person for the film. This decision for Abrams to direct or not would be one of the last items in finalizing the plans for the film to move into pre-production. Of course if Abrams chooses not to direct, then (if he doesn’t have one set already) the search for a director could be a bit of a delay. However unless the process were prolonged it is unlikely to change the planned 2008 release.
SHOTGUN 1ST POST lets hope it’s either Abrams, Frakes or Meyer hey?
meyer please
lukas i completley agree with your list… however im pulling more for frakes or meyer being that im not too familiar with abrams.
I would just like everyone to say a small prayer to whom ever your god may be that this film gets the green light, and that we love the final product
J Frakes for me. Some of his films (eg Insurrection and Thunderbirds) were missed opportunities but I think well directed. In both those cases he managed to squeeze the best out of the rubbish story he was saddled with. He would certainly bring passion and skill to the job if he got it, and it would just be really damn nice if it was him!
JJ Abrams or Nicholas Meyer for me.
It hurts in a way to say this, but Frakes is, at best, a mediochre director who got a pooch that couldn’t be screwed in First Contact. That is all.
What they need is a director who isn’t a Trek fan, though I think that probably doesn’t hurt Abrams too much. That’s why Meyer’s Treks were the best… He wasn’t interested in making a good Star Trek film inasmuch as making a good film, period.
If JJ Abrams doesn’t direct (which I hope he does!) then I would go for either Frakes or Meyer, if either are available.
I honestly feel that the director needs to be at least somewhat familiar, if not an actual fan, of Star Trek. Stuart Baird wasn’t at all familiar, and look what that got us!
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well bear in mind that the writers and producers are all mega fans, so I think the film would be safe with a talented director who wasnt. And if not Abrams then I think it is a safe bet that who ever it is will be a Trek newcomer
Frakes and Meyer will never direct a Trek picture again, espcially Meyer who has stated many times that he is done with the Trek universe. Abrams will direct the movie with pressure from Paramount, this also keeps Trek in the news with him being coy and Shatner Bla, Bla Blaing about being in the movie……..
Darth “I’ll direct the F*$king thing” Ballz
I’d say it is probably a safe bet to say that simply having Abrams associated with the film in any way at all will certainly help bring in fans and non-fans alike. (Not to mention that having the Shat involved doen’t hurt, either!)
So many other factors play into the success of a movie as well, such as holidays, and compitition from other movies at the same time, etc. I’m hoping that a little more forethought goes into it this time around.
So certainly a different perspective from a different director won’t hurt, as long as it isn’t dark and dismal, a la Nemesis.
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If this movie fixes Generations, I don’t care if Garrett Wang directs it.
if not jj then i think bryan singer should do it…i think i remember him saying something about wanting to do that if possible…not sure if it had anything to do with his cameo in nemesis or not…it would be interesting…
Singer is a big fan, but won’t direct is he can’t have a little of the creative control Abrams now has. Abrams would be great but I fear he has his hands in too many cookie jars to have the time to produce and direct, so he’ll just produce. Meyer, too, probably won’t jump in either, unless he can participate in the script writing. Frakes would do it in a second, but I think he’d be a B-list choice at this point.
Leonard Nimoy is the wildcard here. He might just come out of retirement and direct this and Abrams would come off looking like a genius!
Methinks the only answer is that they should ask Stuart Baird.
Nimoy would be a huge coup. You know with Nimoy, he’d either make a good movie, or walk away from the project.
After Superman Returns, I’m not so confident in Singer.
But no way would I want anyone who was ever associated with the abominal TNG films to be involved in the creative process of anything to do with Kirk and crew. These idiots killed Kirk in the first place.
As for Baird, the guy directed the biggest flop in Trek history. Frakes directed the second biggest flop. Neither one are right. The last thing you want in restarting the franchise is to bring in some of the people that screwed it up.
Nimoy or Meyer…..or……SHATNER!
Nimoy would be an awesome replacement
Nimoy is too old to deal with the rigours of such a large project.
JJ is a hardcore TOS fan. For such a fan, this would be the gig of a lifetime…he’ll direct it.
Hey, while we’re at it, why don’t we see if Avery Brooks, or Patrick Stewart want to direct it? Maybe Levar Burton or Gates McFadden will step up to the plate. C’mon guys, there is a world of talented directors out there.
Stop the inbreeding.
If Abrams doesn’t direct, lets hope they look DEEP into the talent pool and find someone who makes good story and character driven movies work!
I want some depth. -d
(ps i’m ripped – my dvr missed the first five minutes of journey to babel… and ostensibly the coolest shot in the show. why NBC why?? 3:05 on a Monday morning… who came up with that time slot for NYC?)
Christopher Nolan…
Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige…
Solid storyteller… Great visual sensibilities… More than a capable director…
Somebody new who understands what’s come before but isn’t afraid to re-invent.
Cool
Honestly, and forgetting that Leonard Nimoy has talked about “retirement”, but it was both he and Meyer who brought us the best movies in the original cast movies, so throw Nimoy’s hat into the ring for directing as well. In a sense, having someone directing from the “old school” mixed in with new actors portraying the original cast characters is far far better than just having an old cast member show up in the movie. Nimoy for director! Let’s hear an amen!
In case of doubt as somebody didn’t get it, my suggestion of Stuart Baird was meant to be a joke!
The joke didn’t come through in text, but good to know you are sane. As for Nimoy, as pointed out, he has a very good track record. Saying he’s too old is laughable. Age is a number. If the man believes he can do it, he can. There is absolutely no reason to believe he can’t direct. To prove my point, there’s a guy out there named Eastwood who is a year older than Nimoy. He’s only nominated for Best Director currently.
Let’s petition Uncle George Lucas to direct, “faster, quicker, more intense.”
There’s a reason the SHAT sang to George during the Lucas suckfest recently,
Star Trek : Episode XI – The Shat hits the fans
I’m wondering why nobody has remembered that Vulcans have a longer lifespan than us humans.
Christopher Nolan wouldn’t be my top choice for this. As good as batman Begins was, and as much as I’m looking forward to The Dark Knight, he isn’t that great of an action director. Some of the action scenes in BB were really, really choppy. This movie needs a director that can find the perfect balance between character and action, and based on the Lost pilot episode and MI:3, Abrams is the man for the job.
Mark my words, Abrams will direct this film, and he’s known it all along.
It should be a director who’s never been involved in ST before, else the likelyhood is that it’ll be back to the same old tired routine and style.
Stuart Baird is the best working editor in the world today. He is among the greatest ever editors. As a director, he is rubbish, unfortunately.
Christopher Nolan is a big name now, and I’m not entirely sure why. He manages to take a great idea, and without fail, to a one, he turns it boring. He knows how to make a movie, has a great technical staff, and can talk it up for days on end… Problem is, the end result is invariably glacially paced and sleep-inducing.
Nimoy is too old, and not really that good of a director. By a huge margin, his biggest hit was a pretty awful comedy where, in the words of the immortal Chili Palmer, “…three grown-up guys get left with a baby, and so they act like three grown-up assholes, acting all cute…”
J.J. Abrams will direct, I’m sure, because that’s just what he does. If he doesn’t, I can’t even think of who would be a good choice. The person who mentioned drawing directing talent from within the Trek gene pool as being akin to inbreeding is totally right; If they hire a Trek actor to direct this, I won’t even go see it, I swear to Christ.
LEONARD NIMOY!!!!!!
If it’s not Abrams then it ought to be someone *else* who’s never had a thing to do with “Star Trek” in the past.
One more stylistic re-run is a lousy way to revive a franchise, no matter how much some folks like macaroni and cheese.
Of course I want JJ or Meyer but how bout Speilberg or Cameron???
Who should direct, if J.J. Abrams doesn’t?
Stuart Baird? No. Whether you admire is work behind the camera or not, that is a book that needs to be shelved.
Nicholas Meyer? No. We need to stop pestering a man, who, despite his successful contributions to the franchise, no longer wants to be involved in it.
Leonard Nimoy? No. Again, despite his successful contributions, here is someone who may be very cautious about jumping into the deep end. He turned down a role in “Star Trek Generations” because he felt that there was no real reason to have his character involved. (Smart move, Mr. Nimoy.) If the whole reason for directing “Trek XI” is as some sort gimmick to put the hard core original series fans in the theater, then I think there may be risk of backfire. I would trust that Mr. Nimoy would consider that if he were even approached. He will be involved as an actor, if the script is good, but I wouldn’t expect to see him in the director’s chair.
Christopher Nolan? No. A fine director. An A-list director. But, the big question here is availability. If “Trek XI” is schedule for a 2008 release, would that still be possible when “The Dark Knight” is also scheduled for 2008?
Bryan Singer? No. Another fine, A-list director. He helped reinvigorate the superhero genre on-screen with “X-Men” and “X2: X-Men United” but, slipped up a bit with a hum-drum “Superman Returns.” He is a “Trek” fan, but he has his next few projects already moving ahead. He, too will be tied up for the next couple years.
Jonathan Frakes? No. I think that he did fine work on “Star Trek: First Contact” and “Star Trek: Insurrection,” but I would say that there is a real need to reinvigorate the franchise as Singer, Nolan and Sam Raimi (who is rumored to be a candidate for the adaptation of “The Hobbit” that New Line is wanting to amke) have done. Even James Bond has gotten new life recently and, after all, isn’t that the reason Abrams was brought in to begin with?
To get an A-list director it seems that someone should have been seeking them out before this point. They don’t just sit around waiting for a knock on the door after all.
To get a relatively unknown director would mean that they (Paramount and Abrams) would have to have complete faith in that person. In turn, that person would have to be ready for the scrutiny of the 40 years that has come before them.
All this leads me to believe that the director of “Trek XI” will be Abrams. Good or bad, I don’t know, for I have not seen anything that he has been involved in.
Again, Nimoy is YOUNGER than Clint Eastwood, who is currently nominated for Best Director. Nimoy understands Trek as well as anyone, and would insist on making that story good. Story over explosions.
I expect Abrams will direct, but I would be thrilled if Nimoy took the gig.
Let’s come back to the real world first up Bryan Singer won’t have the time as he’s about to start development of the next Superman movie so he can’t do it (which is a shame) Chris Nolan is a couple of weeks away from shooting on The Dark Knight so he can’t do it, Nimoy is retired and has said that he doesn’t want to direct again. I think JJ Abrams should direct it’s his baby he should follow through with directing it other then him I can’t think of anyone other then the people who have been mentioned.
Gore Verbinski?? lol
I’m a huge Spielberg fan, and while it would be interesting to see a Spielberg or Cameron take on Trek, I just don’t think their style fits, it wouldn’t feel like Star Trek. I would rather see Spielberg do a Bond movie with Daniel Craig and Cameron do Alien 5.
In fact, with Tom Cruise as the head of UA now, the possiblity of Spielberg doing Bond 23 is very good, since he’ll be done with Indiana Jones 4 by then. And after Munich I have no doubt that he could fit with the new Bond style.
As far as directors for Trek XI, there really isn’t anyone I could think of that I want to see do it other than Abrams. If I had to see a JJ Abrams produced, somebody else directed Star Trek movie, I would be interested to see what Robert Zemeckis would do with it, especially the Kirk/Spock/McCoy relationship. Laugh if you must, but IMO Zemeckis has the style to fit Trek, understands character dynamics and is always pushing forward technologically. Plus he always seems to find the right balance of drama and humor and knows how to pace a film.
I’m not too thrilled with Abrams as a director- I’m pretty psyched that he’s producing and writing, but the only movie he’s directed is MI:III, and that’s not particularly promising from a Trek perspective. Also, I think he’s got way too many oars in the water to devote a full year of his life to a single movie, which is what being a director requires.
I agree with those who say that it shouldn’t be someone who’s directed Trek before. LeVar Burton or Roxanne Dawson would be kind of cool, but I think what the movie needs is a new sensibility, and the old hands might be locked into the old one.
I expect that the director will be a relative unknown. It’s more important that he or she be able to handle story and actors than action or FX.
My dark horse: John Carpenter. Give it the ol’ ‘Escape From New York’ or ‘Assault On Precinct 13’ treatment.
Not really on topic but kind of funny ~ Star Trek meets Monty Python…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luVjkTEIoJc
#11
Fix Generations?! How about a good story and we don’t worry about “fixing” anything?
Definitely not Frakes. Let’s not cheap out, here. Should be an A-list-esque (or even B-list-esque) director.
As much as I enjoyed the Meyer films, I don’t want Meyer. We need a fresh approach. Same with Nimoy.
And please, please, please do not hire someone who is a “fan.” That’s just death.
Get a solid, talented director. Someone with experience; someone who’s done more than crap. Action experience is useful, but that doesn’t mean we want McG or anything like that. *shudder*
Hey, here’s a thought…didn’t Joss Whedon just leave the Wonder Woman project? That might be interesting…
Joss left Wonder Woman? When? Is that movie history now? I hope not, even though I’lll have a heck of a time not having Lynda Carter BE Wonder Woman. But, Whedon is an intriguing choice, just not sure if for all the right reasons.
#38. SithMenace
Great friggin’ idea, Sithy! Really great… heads up ball, Sithy. Can I call ya’ Sithy?
Totally forgot about ol’ Bob Zemeckis… There’s a guy… terrific writer… great producing sensibilities… and man, can he ever direct. Comedy… Drama… Thriller… The guys does it all and usually in the most superb fashion.
And if it turns out to be a time travel story… Old Kirk meets Young Kirk… the guy’s got that ground covered from here to Virginia City circa 1885.
You definitely win the prize for most inspired choice of director!
You’ve got to be very careful when reinventing a franchise. The choice of Director is critical when it comes to the pace, tone and flavour of a film. For example, as good as Casino Royale was in terms of Craig as Bond and the cinematography being well presented, the pacing and rhythm of it was like watching wet paint dry. Martin Campbell, a former Bond director, should NOT have been chosen to head up this rebooting of Bond. As to Star Trek, that’s why Nimoy should not be in the running. He’s prone to flat direction and, my GAWD, he came up with the whaleshit storyline! Puhlease!! Sometimes actors should stick to just that, ACTING.
Abrams would be preferred with his snappy and flashy editing style. As much as I detest Tom Cruise (the man can NOT act!), MI:III was actually an enjoyable flick. See what a great director can do; turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse! Just off the cuff, you know who would be a brilliant choice, but he’d never be available? Oliver Stone. The man is the best in the business when it comes to providing an edgy style to even pedestrian material. He’d be the kind of director who would give ST:XI both the weight and tone for drama that it needs and deserves! An impossibility to get him, of course, since he would never be given creative control, which he would insist on, and would be required, for him to do his best work.
re 43…
hmmm…, I like the Joss Whedon idea. He understands character, subtelty and humor, as well as an ability to deliver some good action. Not a bad choice. (love his astonishing x-men and firely… never saw buffy tho)
Honestly, I think Abrams will direct it, and I liked his MI III. (the only one I liked btw) I think it was the most true of the 3 films, to the spirit of the original series. That is a big chunk of what I’m looking for!
d
#32
I LIKE macaroni and cheese!
Oh, one more thing. Let’s sign a petition so that Bryan Singer does not direct ST:XI This guy was given the opportunity to helm the new Superman franchise and he absolutely f#%*ed it up! The man couldn’t direct traffic!
Bryan Singer is a fine director. I am not going to bash him just because Superman Returns didn’t have the character bashing up robots and stuff. It had its flaws, but it was alot better then what we could have got if Burton or McG directed it. I appreciated its emotional moments, and Brandon Routh was a great Superman. I expect the sequel will be a home run.
As for Singer directing Trek…. personally, if TNG ever gets another movie (and I think it might.. call me crazy), I would want Singer to direct that film. He is friend’s with Stewart, and as was mentioned, is a Trek fan. If it where to be the final TNG movie and his schedule was clear, I think he would direct it.