This Week in Trek: December 23rd edition

This Week in Trek brings you news of new comics, Uhura’s skirt, an injury for Avery Brooks, new movies for the newest Trek actors, a special honor for a very special Wiki and much more

Star Trek (2008 film)

• After much speculation, TrekMovie.com has revealed the roles being played by House star Jennifer Morrison and Alias actress Rachel Nichols. Morrison will be playing Winona Kirk, mother to James T. Kirk, while Nichols will be donning green makeup for the role of an Orion. See our report for more information.
• TrekMovie also confirmed that The Fifth Element actress Sonita Henry has a role in the film, one that is "extremely important" to the Star Trek universe.
• Karl Urban (Leonard McCoy) assures us that his character "is the lovable, irascible humanist that he has always been" in an interview with TV Guide.
• Leonard Nimoy, having been filming for several days, remains impressed with the film’s production values and the talents of his fellow cast members, as stated in his guest blog at TrekMovie.com.
• Filming at the Long Beach City Hall wrapped on December 14th and the filmmakers invited city staffers to observe the last day of shooting, according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
• Roberto Orci says there may still be a chance that William Shatner will appear in the movie, and Damon Lindelof states they are still discussing ways to make it happen. But you know what?
• William Shatner still isn’t in the movie.

Trek Stuff

• Comics Continuum has posted previews of some of IDW Publishing’s upcoming releases, including cover images and synopses for the Star Trek: The Next Generation – Intelligence Gathering series and the first issue of the New Frontier mini-series.
• Writer Peter David confirmed and briefly discussed the Star Trek: New Frontier comic series on his blog.
• Wowio is offering several issues of the old Gold Key Star Trek comics online… for free!
• IDW Publishing released the fifth issue of Star Trek: Year Four this week. For more information (and to buy the book), see its entry at IDW’s online store.
• Bethesda Softwork’s announced it began shipping the PS2 version of Star Trek Conquest

Cover for New Frontier #1

Fan/Independent Productions

• After a much anticipation and many delays, the first part of the Tim
  Russ-directed independent mini-series Star Trek: Of Gods and Men debuted online yesterday at 5:01 EST. You can watch it now at the film’s official site.
  Also be sure to read TrekMovie.com’s
  review of part one.
• Also on OGaM, the Bill Kowninki’s Soul of Star Trek blog looks at the similarities between the plot of OGaM and the some of the rumored plot points for the new Star Trek movie
• CNN.com has a piece on the audio fan production Star Trek: The Continuing Mission and the impact of and reason for fan-made internet-based Trek productions in general. You can read it here.

Trek Auctions

• This week the official results from the Profiles in History Hollywood Auction #30 were released. The auction of various sci-fi props and wardrobe included 34 Trek-related items. The highest realized prices for Star Trek lots were:
  1. Jean Luc Picard’s “Enterprise E” command chair from the Star Trek films ($45,000)
  2. Nichelle Nichols “Lt. Uhura” duty uniform from Star Trek: The Original Series ($19,000)
  3. Geordi’s VISOR from Star Trek Generations ($15,000)
  4. Commander William Riker’s backlit control panel from Star Trek: The Next Generation ($8500)
  5. Worf’s hero metal bat-leth from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ($8500)

  The uniform of Lt. Uhura sold well above its estimate, and the VISOR sold at five times its high estimate. All the items from this auction are archived at the Star Trek Auction Listings Archive.


Uhura’s mini-skirt grabbed a cool $19,000

Trek on the Web

• The Star Trek wiki Memory Alpha (of which your’s truly is a proud member and administrator) was named the 11th most essential fan site in the latest countdown from Entertainment Weekly.
• TrekCore.com has an article thanking 10 Star Trek fans who have made a significant contribution to the Trek community. The list includes 60s’ campaigners Bjo and John Trimble, New Voyages’ James Cawley, fan club founder Dan Madsen, and many others…including a certain editor of a certain leading Star Trek news site.
• Is Google becoming like Star Trek‘s Borg or 1984‘s Big Brother? SearchEngineWatch.com asks (and tries to answer) that very question.
• National Treasure: Book of Secrets director Jon Turtletaub joked with MoviesOnline that the mysterious 47th page of the secret book of the movie’s US president — played by Bruce Greenwood, the new Christopher Pike — actually contains the plot of the new Star Trek movie.
• CNN.com is asking its readers to submit their ideas for Star Trek fan fiction, as well fan images, via an I-Report.
• PC World is letting its readers name their dream cast for the new Star Trek film for a chance to win a copy of Windows Live OneCare 2.0.
• On the ninth day of Christmas, Cinema Blend’s true love gave to them… a transporter.
• The Daily Herald has a piece on the USS Alioth Star Trek fan club of Utah and their efforts to raise money for families in need of assistance. You can read it here.

We’re number 11, baby!!!

Trek Celebrity News

• Two movies featuring actors from the new Star Trek movie opened this weekend: Charlie Wilson’s War features Rachel Nichols (unknown Orion female) as one of "Charlie’s Angels" which comprise the office staff of Tom Hanks’ title character, while National Treasure: Book of Secrets has Bruce Greenwood (Christopher Pike) once again playing the US President (as he did previously in Thirteen Days). For more information, see the official sites for Charlie Wilson’s War and National Treasure.
• Also opening this weekend is Tim Burton’s version of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, scripted by Star Trek Nemesis screenwriter John Logan. See the movie’s official site for more information.
• After being delayed for a week, Walter Koenig‘s (Pavel Chekov) new film, InAlienable, is now available via pay-per-view download by Renegade Studios.
• Koenig and Tim Russ (Tuvok) will be special guests at the Phoenix Comicon, which will be held at the Mesa Convention Center January 25-27, 2008. They will be discussing their latest projects (In Alienable and Of Gods and Men, respectively) and will also be signing autographs and hosting a Q&A session. See Phoenix Comicon’s press release and their official site for more information.
• Last week, it was reported that Avery Brooks (Benjamin Sisko) suffered an injury, preventing from performing in the play Tamburlaine for one night. Now it’s been reported that the injury Brooks sustained was the fracturing of three of his ribs, which has forced the cancellation of several performances. According to Playbill, performances have been cancelled through December 27th.
• USA has canceled The 4400 and The Dead Zone, both created by and featuring Star Trek veterans. Click here for the full report.
• The aforementioned Rachel Nichols has joined the cast for the live-action G.I. Joe movie coming in 2009, according to IGN. She will be playing the role of Master Sergeant Shana M. O’Hara, a.k.a. Scarlett.
• Chris Hemsworth, the Aussie actor who plays Kirk’s father in the upcoming Star Trek, is among the nominees to be named Man of the Year at the Australian Choicies… whatever those are.
• Three Star Trek alumni will serve as judges for the Manhattan Monologue Slam in Los Angeles on January 9th: Michael Dorn (Worf on TNG & DS9), Debra Wilson (Capt. Lisa Cusak in DS9’s "The Sound of Her Voice") and Andy Dick (the EMH Mark II in VOY’s "Message in a Bottle").
• William Shatner (James T. Kirk), discussing his narrating the direct-to-DVD movie Stalking Santa, told the Winston-Salem Journal that having Kirk meet an alien who looks like Santa Clause would have made “a great Christmas show for Star Trek."
• Jeri Ryan’s (Seven of Nine) wedding to Christophe Eme ranked #7 in LoveTripper.com’s Top 10 Outdoor Celebrity Weddings of 2007.
• Speaking of Jeri Ryan, an interview with the actress — in which she discusses family and parenthood — is up at ModernMom.
• George Takei (Hikaru Sulu) will be among the guests at An Audience with Celine Dion this Christmas.
• LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge) will be at the 9th Annual Family Television Awards on December 27th, according to The Boston Herald.

In Memoriam

• Actor John Berg, who played a Romulan senator in Star Trek Nemesis, was found dead at his Van Nuys home on December 16th. An autopsy revealed that Berg committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide from a hibachi grill in his bedroom. He was 58 years old.

YouTube Clip of the Week: Nimoy Sings (not Bilbo Baggins)

In honor of Mr. Nimoy’s latest guest blog for us…let’s listen to his dulcet tones

Special thanks to Bp, Jörg Hillebrand, John Tenuto, Sebastian Prooth, and Phoenix Comicon for their contributions to this week’s summary.

Lastly, I’d like to wish everyone (in the immortal words of Krusty the Clown) a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Kwazy Kwanzaa, a Tip Top Tet, and a solemn, dignified Ramadan. :)