Shatner Hopes Abrams’ Trek Movie Will Save His Trek Novels

AOL Movies has a new interview with William Shatner covering the new Boston Legal episodes (where he reveals Denny Crane will be running for president) his upcoming autobiography (which he says will have you “laughing out loud”) and of course Trek. Shat talks about how he feels about not being in the new JJ Abrams Star Trek film, but how he hopes the movie will give new life to his Trek novels.

From the interview

AOL: What’s your involvement with J.J. Abrams’ ‘Star Trek’ movie?
Shatner: Everybody knows more about it than I. I don’t even know whether they finished shooting or not. I’ve actually had nothing to do with it. It’s a shame, and I would have liked to have been a part of it, but the people doing it, for some reason or other, thought otherwise, and so I’m not.

AOL: Your most recent ‘Star Trek’ novel, ‘Collision Course,’ has a young James T. Kirk storyline. Will you be writing more ‘Trek’ novels?
Shatner: I don’t think so. The publishing company was very negligent on this last novel. I think they may have given up on it, so I would think that would be the last novel from me. Whether J.J. Abrams is capable of reigniting the franchise remains to be seen, and if he does, then perchance it won’t be the last.

Goto to AOL for the other 6 questions covering his famous SNL ‘Get a Life’ skit, his new autobiography and chat show and more.

Bill’s Live Chat to be available online
Many people were frustrated with the ‘live chat’ from ShatnerVision last week. There were a number of issues with the audio and so it really wasn’t possible to hear what Bill was saying. But don’t worry you will still be able to see and hear the chat. The people at ShatnerVision tell TrekMovie.com that the show will available in its entirety (split into segments) later this week.

Until then…enjoy this strange clip of Bill shooting his recent World of Warcraft commercial

If you haven’t seen the final Shatner WoW commercial…here it is:

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No more Shatnerverse?! The Totality series actually wasn’t that bad. At least in THAT universe Janeway survives! Thank you Peter David…..

Of course, Shatner is worried about himself….;)

I’ve always enjoyed the Shatner written Trek novels. I especially liked the one where he had a life with Carol Marcus. It was very enjoyable and cathartic for me to read.

“Hey Shatner, how do I hurl bolts of lightning” Classic :-)

zzzap!
;)

despite everything they say abou Shatner being arrogant and things like that…I feel bad for not seeing him on Abrams’ Star Trek. Okay….It would ruin the canonicity, of course…..but seeing Shatner and Nimoy together again in the silver screen would be just amazing…..a real Trek celebration.

13 months and 1 day yet………..long time….

]]

I hope its not the last! I feel that the Shatner and his writing team have a better feel for the characters of Trek than many other Star Trek writers. I very much enjoy the Shatnerverse novels, and I’ve read all of them but Ashes of Eden.

I’ve read a lot of Trek books and felt that stories such as “Engines of Destiny” and “The Good That Men Do” just didn’t have a firm grasp on the characters.
Also, the Shatnerverse novels have this way of wrapping up loose ends in the Trek universe.

KEEP WRITING, BILL!!!

Still Captain Kirk as far as I’m concerned….

I, more or less, like the Shatnerverse novels; “The Return” being a personal favorite, esp. making the V’ger/Borg/Spock connection. My issues with his Mirror universe novels were that they are basically a series of escapes and rescues, with not much in between. Good moments here and there, but reading the same escapes and last minute rescues gets a little tiresome. He’s best writing Kirk as a man in his twilight years; that is when the novels really find their voice. His settling down with T’Lani; good stuff there. Started reading the Academy book and it was possibly his worst ever. Kirk and Spock do not read or feel like Kirk or Spock! Kirk calling Spock, “Slim?” But those aside, I still love the “Has Been” CD and his Star Trek Memories books (although they are more Chris Kreski than Shatner prose). And of course as Kirk, he was and always will be….THE MAN!

On a side note, we get a new “Boston Legal” tonight! Yay!

Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|

And I almost forgot, “Free Enterprise” is one of the best movies on fandom EVER made; and it gave Shatner another career to excel at; comedian! It was almost an on camera audition for “Boston Legal.” For a man of 77, he shows no signs of slowing down. Good for him!

Mr Shatner Rules!

Good on yaa mate

Come to New Zealand one day, we dont have Star Trek Cons,,*sigh*
Gees I would love a chat with you
Cheers

“I would have liked to have been a part of it, but the people doing it, for some reason or other, thought otherwise, and so I’m not.”

Cause you let your character die 4 movies ago.

I know its not his fault that he keeps getting asked these questions, but come on. Just say “I would have liked to have been a part of it, but I killed my character 14 years ago.”

“I would have liked to have been a part of it, but the people doing it, for some reason or other, thought otherwise, and so I’m not.”

Which probably really means:

“I told them that I’d only be in it if they make me the star with more lines than anyone else, and that the whole story revolves around me… but for some reason, they thought otherwise.”

#6 Gustavo

Well said.

It would have been fun to see Shatner in this film. I wish the creative team nothing but the best, but they really dropped the ball on this one.

Shatner + Nimoy back as Kirk and Spock would have been Star Trek history. Instead we get half of what could have been a great reunion.

I also don’t want to hear all the Kirk is dead excuses. So was Spock and every other major Star Trek character at one point or another. If tptb truly wanted Shatner they would have found a way.

“The film would be better with William Shatner in it”

– Leonard Nimoy.

#14

If you are correct I would be the first to tell Shatner to go to hell.

Here we go again

Kirk himself said in STVI it was time for a new generation to continue their legacy (I’m paraphrasing). Anyway, time to let it go. Bring on the new team.

Perhaps they’ll fit Shatner into the NEXT one. Lord knows he’ll be willing and able.

I thought the plan was to give the Shatner stories a rest for awhile? Guess it’s not my call…

Not going to be sucked any further into this one. I’m tired of the “bad decision-it’s a shame-don’t need him- JJ screwed up” bashing back and forth.

Sorry Voodoo but I’m going to disagree. The entire second movie was all about Spock’s return. Bringing Kirk back was not the story they wanted to tell.

I also would have loved to see him in the film but he cashed his Generations check and now it has bounced. It is too bad but these guys have a right to tell the story they want to tell and I give them the credit that they are trying to stay within canon whether they like the events or not.

I look at it this way…

The story is rumored to revolve around something happening to a young Captain Kirk, something that results in older Spock having to travel back in time to correct this wrongdoing. Because of this, older Spock becomes an integral part of the story along with younger Kirk.

Continuity issues aside (i.e. ST: Generations), to place Shatner in the film would only serve as a parody of “his” Kirk. I believe #14 hit the nail on the head, except rather than infer Shatner’s ego, I believe it is an issue of quality. I have to admit, seeing Shatner basically playing a cameo next to Nimoy’s integral Spock would be disheartening and awkward.

So in this case, I agree with JJ when he says shoving Shatner in for the sake of fanboys like me would be a big disaster- and look forced at the same time.

The only practical way to put Shatner in the new film would have been to devote it entirely to explaining that Kirk is not dead. Remember, it took an entire film to resurrect Spock. I, for one, do not want to watch that movie.

Shat’s novels should be canon, his rousing penned adventures on Kirk’s return have been breathing fresh life into the otherwise dark void that has been Trek for the past 14 years.

Shat is Trek’s greatest author this side of DC Fontana!!

He spent all that time with laughs for the commercial and they just decided ‘To hell with the laughs’ when they were done. That tickles me.

Not that it matters and of course it’s not going to be done.

But if there is various time travel moments or flashbacks involved in this film,
how hard would it have been to film a sequence from a time frame prior to Kirks death ? it doesnt mean bringing back Kirk from the dead or having to take an entire movie to explain him being around either.

if the older Spock is indeed retrospecting or reminencing about moments in the past, just a flashback or a time sequence with him and Kirk (before The Enterprise B accident ) would not have been so difficult to create . no one ever said that Kirk had to be brought back to life. LOL :-)

His novel ashes of Eden was not bad, the return I just could not get into.

Ashes of Eden was really good. The Return was very good, too. Then it got really weird and bizarre and convoluted with characters. Then they got into the Mirror Universe, and I don’t know where they are now? But remember, when the first few novels came out, over 10 years ago, many of us were itching for any kind of TOS story, especially a return of Kirk.

Not having Shatner won’t do much either way for the younger fans, or potential new fans. However, for loyalists like me, I have to tell you, I’m really not all that pumped for this one. Particularly having to wait another 13 months from now. I am just not a fan of prequels, and have never seen one work to my satisfaction…..ever. This could be the exception, we’ll see, I think my main problem will be every time I see something that goes against canon or doesn’t jive with the TOS, I will get annoyed, and it will ruin the movie for me. That’s just the way I am. I would much rather if they’d used completely new characters, or admittedly thrown canon somewhat out the window.

NON CANON!!! In 2218.2 Kirk was too young to be a cadet this totally ruins the timeline and me & my bridge crew will totally boycott this movie!!!

Wow, is the internet big enough to hold Shatners ego?

Why not a star trek tv movie explaining how captan kirk was revived by the borg after Generations. Also instead of a new Star Trek series, have monthly 2hr specials revealing different new stories from the various incarnations of Trek .

I really like the shatnerverse books. I hope he keeps writing. The Academy book was interesting.

Agree with Theo – I have advocated an anthology “Tales of Starfleet” TV show as a good way to save the series. Do you know what kind of guest stars would line up to play a starship captain, without having to commit to a series?

Shatner throwing punches on Boston Legal tonight like a man half his age, Like hmmmmm a certain greatest Trek Captain hmmmmmm. Brings a tear to my eye seeing him throw punches.

Kirk can’t live forever even in book form, they say in fiction that no one really dies, but thats not the truth, all things fade away in time. I wonder if trek will fade away as well? I am trying to set off any arguments it’s just a thought that’s all.

28. TREK_OFFICIAL – April 8, 2008
“NON CANON!!! In 2218.2 Kirk was too young to be a cadet this totally ruins the timeline and me & my bridge crew will totally boycott this movie!!!”

Your “non-canon” pronouncements are still old, but at least you finally learned to spell canon.

#34: It’s true that most things do fade away, but every now and then something seems to latch on to something very long-lived. People are still writing (and presumably purchasing) new adventures of Sherlock Holmes, for example, and a large stable of superheroes who are older than Trek is … I think if anything has a shot of at least surviving a century or two, Star Trek does. It may fade in and out now again; these things are often cyclical and generational.

Foggy stuff, the future. I just hope there’s velour and miniskirts.

Shatner was great on Boston Legal again tonight, demonstrating his versatility by switching from the usual comedic schtick (the “tear machine” bit had me LOL) to a moment of real pathos when Denny began breaking down in his office. I wish the writers of BL would give him more dramatic moments like that, so that those who mistakenly think he can “only do comedy now” would realize just how wrong they are. The man is an old-school, classically trained, consummate ACTOR.

– It’s a shame… –

That sums it up perfectly.

– Is retirement out of the question? –
– I don’t know what to retire to. –

Priceless.

34. Garovorkin: S. John Ross speaks true. Kirk and Spock and the Enterprise have entered Americana long ago. They reside shoulder to shoulder with Tarzan, Holmes, Superman, Batman and the like. They will not be doing any fading away.

A question: Can someone explain to me why the Borg had even a remote interest in reanimating a rotten corpse? I read one of Shatner’s novels but after suffering through the mistreatment of every character not Kirk or originated by Shatner (Sarek’s portrayal upset me the most), that was my first and last attempt at what has obviously become a parallel universe in Star Trek novels. I’m serious in asking this question, since everyone else on this board seems to know the reanimation story. Please enlighten me what it’s all about.

#40
Exactly. And because Shatner’s portrayal of Kirk and Nimoy’s portrayal of Spock made sure that those characters went up into that league and became archetypes, the actors’ relevance won’t fade away either.

The Borg re-animating Kirk is simply ridiculous. What’s the point?

There are so many “Trek” ways to do so. I’d rather have Q snap his fingers. It would take one second, and we wouldn’t have the Borg as a silly subplot.

Or simply have old Spock tell young Spock to plant a suggestion in Kirk’s mind to avoid the ENT-B’s shakedown.

The problem is that Kirk died in a half-assed way in a mediocre movie. For JJ to reference “Generations” gives that film it far more cred than it deserves.

I still don’t understand the reason, why Shatner can’t be in the movie.
JJ Abrams said that the only reason Shatner is not in the movie is, because Kirk died in Generations.
This means that the movie is set after those events, in the TNG-era. But Kirk would be dead in this era nonetheless, even if the events in Generations never happened. He would have died by old age long ago. So the reason JJ Abrams states for Shatner not being in the movie cannot be the true reason. There is something else behing all this.

#45–There is no reason Shatner can’t be in the movie. Just a weak excuse that holds no water except to people that would buy anything Abrams says anyway.

Kirk died in Generations and that’s pretty much reason enough. I know there are still some trek fans out there who just can’t accept that Shatner is not going to be in the movie, well he isn’t and that it. I’ve heard some say that he should be there to pass the torch, and my answer to that is , that he did that in Generations. Abams is not making this film soley to please a few trek fans.

#25:

>>”how hard would it have been to film a sequence from a time frame prior to Kirks death ?”

Not hard at all, assuming a reason existed for such a scene.

The problem is this: Shatner is beyond the point of being able to play a credible Kirk. (Unless Kirk fans want to see their hero played as a paunchy elderly retirement village resident.) Nimoy is able to play a credible Spock because he has not gained weight and because his character developed and aged over the years, more or less in keeping with Nimoy’s own aging. For whatver reason, the character of Kirk was not allowed to do this in any serious fashion.

Frankly, my own guess is that Kirk is not in the film because Shatner’s demands, financial and otherwise, couldn’t be met.

Also, most importantly, because a movie involving Kirk’s resurrection could not relaunch the franchise. You can’t do sequels with a new Kirk, et al, when the original one is running around alive.

Dave # 25

Is 100% correct. If this film is about time travel, flashbacks and alternate universes there was only one reason why Shatner was not in this film. That reason is that they simply didn’t want him.

Jake #14

You bring up an interesting point. Perhaps they did offer him a cameo and he turned it down. If (and if it’s a big if) Shatner turned that cameo down I would not feel as sorry for him as I do now.

I do think that Shatner not being in the film is a mistake on the film makers part. What reason would they have to not include him in a film that deals in time travel/alt universes?

#47–Kirk’s death in Generations is NOT reason enough. This is Star Trek, where anything can happen, and from what we know of the plot, there is time travel involved. Generations happened in 1994. Abrams knew about it years before he took on the project. Yet he was allegedly trying to get him into the movie, and when it was botched, he used that movie as a weak excuse. Generations has nothing to do with it. The whole movie seems to be about time travelling to save Kirk’s life. If that’s the case, then there is no excuse not to ensure Kirk survives to have at least one Shatner/Nimoy scene.

#49 is right–they didn’t want him. But instead of simply saying that from the beginning, they gave Shatner fans a false hope when they never had any intention of even negotiating with him. Shatner has never even seen the script. He was never offered anything. Hell, Shatner wasn’t even given the courtesy of a phonecall by Abrams telling him he wasn’t in the movie. Nimoy had to tell him.

All Abrams accomplished by the mishandling of the Shatner situation was to cause a bitterness in ,many Shatner fans that were actually looking forward to this movie as a chance to finally get some justice for a character that Berman butchered.