One of the last pieces of the multimedia rollout for the new Star Trek movie has finally been revealed. Today Pocket Books confirmed with TrekMovie that veteran sci-fi novelist Alan Dean Foster is writing the adaptation for the new Trek feature. See below for exclusive details on this exciting development, along with comments from Star Trek screenwriter Roberto Orci.
Star Trek – The book – via Alan Dean Foster
All ten previous Star Trek movies had novel adaptations, as do most ‘tentpole’ films, so it should come as no surprise that there is one for the new JJ Abrams Star Trek. However, with the heightened secrecy and lack of any announcement, some fans started to wonder what was going on with the book. The first word actually came this week on Alan Dean Foster’s website, in his monthly update for February. Foster wrote:
This month’s update is going to be very brief. I had to fly into Los Angeles a week ago to, among other things, see the new STAR TREK movie at Paramount. Which in my opinion is, by the way, really, really good. And as I’m writing the book version, and as said book version must be completed really, really soon, I am going to be really, really busy for the next month.
Really.
TrekMovie checked in with Pocket Books and a spokesperson confirmed that Foster is writing the book and that it should be released around the same date as the film…either the same date (May 8th) or within a few days after. The Star Trek adaptation will be in a large sized ‘trade paperback’ format and will retail for around $16.00 (the price has not yet been finalized). No word yet on if there will be a young adult or audio version.
Orci on the Foster collaboration
TrekMovie checked in with Star Trek co-writer Roberto Orci to see what he and his writing partner Alex Kurtzman thought of Foster adaptation their screenplay, and he said "we feel great about it since we recommended him." He went on to say of Foster:
If you are a fan of novelizations as we were as kids, then you have known his name for a long time and aside from that he has written some incredible sci-fi of his own. You are lucky to get him to do something based on your work and it was an honor to have this chance. And of course we were huge fans of his Transformer novelization.
Orci said that he and Alex are working closely with Foster on the adaptation and that starting from their first meeting Foster came to them with "tons of questions and comments," including "some of the same great debates that fans have been coming up with on the site [TrekMovie.com]." Orci hopes that, like other past movie adaptations, the one for Star Trek will go into that extra detail and "explain things and answer some questions in a way that can’t be done in a script." Orci also noted that he is hoping the Star Trek book will include some scenes that did not make it in to the final cut of the Star Trek movie, which is common with film adaptations.
Foster is the perfect choice
With Alan Dean Foster, Simon and Schuster and Paramount could not have picked a better person to adapt Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman’s script. The prolific best-selling author has written some of the finest and most popular licensed tie-in books in history, including ghost-writing the adaptation for the first Star Wars movie ("Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker") and writing the ‘sequel’ to Star Wars "Splinter of a Mind’s Eye," both in 1976. In 2002 Foster returned to Star Wars with "The Approaching Storm" a prequel book to Star Wars: Episode II. Foster also wrote adaptations for the first three Alien movies, The Thing, Alien Nation, The Chronicles of Riddick and many other films, including 2007’s Transformers, also based on a script from Orci & Kurtzman.
Foster – master of licensed tie-ins for decades
Alan Dean Foster also has some serious Star Trek cred. From 1974-1978 Foster wrote the series of ten "Star Trek Logs" adaptations of Star Trek The Animates Series. During the 70s he also wrote all but one of the Peter Pan Star Trek Record Story books. Foster’s greatest contribution to Trek is probably his draft of the Star Trek Phase II script "In Thy Image" which became the story basis for Harold Livingston’s script for Star Trek The Motion Picture in 1979.
Alan Dean Foster – first Trek works from the 70s
In addition to all of his licensed tie-in work, Foster also has written dozens of original science fiction and fantasy novels, and is probably best known for the popular ‘Commonwealth’ and ‘Flinx’ novels.
Foster has his own popular sci-fi with the ‘Commonwealth’ series
More on Alan Dean Foster at: Official Site | Wikipedia | Memory Alpha
the circle is complete
Super news.
And I used to own that “Trek” LP.
I think it would be cool if they included some things possibly from the Countdown comics to lead up to it, though, it would probably be redundant and not necessary. But still..
This is awesome news though. Thanks Anthony Pascale.
I’ll enjoy the adaptation in print – no visual destractions from the new designs, may well be able to sink into the story more…?
I remember reading his Alien book because I was too young to see the film.
This is great news.
Cool! I still have first editions of the Log series. Great to have him on board new Trek. First?
I’m ecited about the novel in addition to the movie! Mr. Foster is a perfect choice for the book however I in a way wish that the novel would be release a week before the film to give me a chance to read though that way I’m good a preped to see the finished product on screen. That’s only a part of me however… the other half wants to stay spoiler free! Bring on May 8th!
Who all here has his/her Trek uniform that they’re wearing to the premiere?
Well. I think that this will be great. I am so looking forward to the movie and Then Ill read the book for more explanation and then see the movie again. So this is an exciting time for Trek and they have a damn good writer for the novel.
“Orci also noted that he is hoping the Star Trek book will include some scenes that did not make it in to the final cut of the Star Trek movie, which is common with film adaptations. ”
*ahem*…Shatner scene?
btw im pretty sure i read somewhere that ADF ghost wrote TMP novel? (with Roddenberry being credited)
also he did a novel for ‘The Thing?’… have to track that one down
#5 (M-BETA): Same here. Had to read ALIEN because I couldn’t see the film at first. Also liked his Star Wars “Splinter of the Mind’s Eye”—and of course the other Alien novels.
Very good news indeed!
ALAN DEAN FOSTER!!!
Excellent choice, JJ and Co!
Just…PLEASE don’t publish the book until AFTER the movie comes out….
I just want to say that I could not be happier about this news
ADF is just the right choice
by the way kids…this isn’t the only big movie news we have for today….stay tuned
Just as long as George Lucas doesn’t put his name on it :)
Finally, the rumors of ADF writing a Trek movie adaptation will become true.
For those who don’t know, it was rumored (falsely) for a long time that he ghostwrote the TMP novelization.
Yes, he did. He ghost wrote the TMP novel, and the first SW movie novel.
Sweet. I remember the first book of his I ever read- the Splinter in the Minds eye.
Great news indeed. Loved the log series back in the seventies.
“by the way kids…this isn’t the only big movie news we have for today….stay tuned”
Cant wait Anthony!
“by the way kids…this isn’t the only big movie news we have for today….stay tuned”
I KNEW IT!! Its The Shat!!!
gotta be *crosses fingers*
14. Chris Basken,
I have the TMP novelization stashed away somewhere after finding it on eBay. I have yet to finish it, and I’ve owned it for about two years. i just didn’t like it as much as I thought I would.
Anthony, I await the other Big News(tm)
Man I remember, waiting for the novelizations to come into my local Barnes & Nobles when I was teenager in High School. God I would read those things over night. And then the next day talk to my friends about the new bits of info I found out. God those were the days lol. I also remember from Generations and First Contact, the behind the scenes section at the end of the book. And also the exclusive 8 pages of photos. Its good to have someone different doing the novelization I liked J. M. Dillard, but its nice to have Alan Dean Foster do it.
At least it isn’t Peter David.
This is truly great news!
“Anthony, I await the other Big News(tm)”
me too…im excited!!!…its gotta be quite big to be deemed ‘big news’ at this late stage…
my guesses:
Shatner…in da movie! (one can hope right?)
Release date brought foward (doubt it but ye never know)
new trailer description
big name cameo(s) revealed
I read Splinter of the Mind’s Eye in 1977 (I think) and just KNEW it was going to be the sequel to Star Wars. “How could I be so lucky to read the book for the new Star Wars movie?” my 12 yr. old self thought. I imagined how they would portray this strange foresty jungle planet (maybe inspirations for Dagobah and Endor?) on the big screen. What I got was Empire Strikes back instead. Still a great movie but Splinter would have been neat. It explained what happened to Vader after his TIE fighter got smacked into and his base (Deathstar) got obliterated. I always wondered where he was going to go. A great read for a kid in the late 70’s.
Great news that he is doing the adaptation of the new Trek movie.
that lucky bastard saw the movie O_o
If it’s only released after the movie, I think they shouldn’t rush Foster to finish it. In my experience rushed work in general doesn’t yield lasting results.
I’ve always loved ADF’s work.. and with him writing the book.. it stays true that they are paying homage to classic Trek by choosing him. He definitely has enough Trek cred for sure! I look forward to reading it. the last Trek novel I read was from Shatner.. I also enjoyed all of Shatner’s Trek books.
Great news!
I love that guy. I learned english by reading his books.
I like Alan Dean Fosters work. Great author!
He’d even been rumored to have ghost-written the TMP novelization ;-)
Are the “Log” books still available?
@33…
here, AJ…
http://tinyurl.com/bx5rho
No matter how I feel about James SIBERIUS Kirk, I do think this is great news for the movie! I have always loved his film novelizations and Star Trek Logs 1-10 were a key part of my childhood.
For the record, Foster did NOT write the TMP novelization. And I’m amazed that anyone who is at all familiar with Foster’s writing style would ever think such a thing after reading it. The prose in the TMP novelization is rather clunky, and scenes are written as if they’re ready to be blocked out for a stage performance… which makes sense when you consider Roddenberry’s background as a scriptwriter.
However, Foster DID ghostwrite the Star Wars novelization for George Lucas, which is how this crazy rumor got started in the first place.
ADF, the hardest working man in sci-fi! What a career!
I see it doesn’t mention his Star Wars novel from prior to “Attack of the Clones” that deals with Anakin and Obi-Wan.
What was that called again?
Hmm.
Nevermind.
Seriously, I’ve enjoyed the stuff of his that I’ve read. I just may have to pick this one up.
I was going to say, “Why not James Blish?”. Turns out he died 34 years ago. : (
A noveliztion is fine. But what about a making – of book???
I am weirdly much more interested in reading Foster’s adaptation of the movie than in seeing the actual movie.
#7: “Who all here has his/her Trek uniform that they’re wearing to the premiere?”
I do.
Oh, and Shatner can kiss my you-know-what…
Loved him in “Repo Man”, but I am interested to see the dynamic he brings without Emilio Estevez. Let’s hope he can succeed where Richard Dreyfuss failed…
THE WOMEN!!
=h=
Good.
RTF!
42:
Hitch, I actually laughed out load at that one. Immediately made me think of “MacGyver” as well.
The more you drive, the less intelligent you are.
This is fabulous news. I loved Mr. Foster’s adaptation of “The Chronicles of Riddick”, such an amazing companion to the movie.
Excellent choice. I loved ADF’s ST:TAS adaptations when I was a kid.
David Gerrold would have been interesting.
Does “really really good” sound like faint praise to anyone else? That worries me a bit. It’s so restrained.
im guessing movie novels have seen a real down turn in sales since dvd coming so soon after the cin release…plus free online scripts etc
maybe thats why they started releasing the novels before the movies release to get sales from all the spoiler junkies..(i dont recall the novel coming out before the movie years ago?)
49 – whats wrong with saying its really really good??
if hed said – it was ok….roughly on a par with Generations – then id be worried