More Trek Sequel Talk From Orci & Kurtzman + Transformers 2 Breaks Box Office Record

This week’s release of Transformers Revenge of the Fallen has kept Star Trek scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman very busy doing press. As we did with our Transformers interview with the pair, everyone seems to also want to talk Trek. Below we have more snippets from Bob and Alex about their next project, the Star Trek: Something Something sequel.

 
The great Trek sequel debate: something old or something new?
In an interview with SciFi Wire Bob and Alex again reiterated that they were reviewing the Trek catalog while also debating the balance between old and new in the next Star Trek:

Orci: That’s what we’re kind of debating right now. We’re kind of going through everything we know and love and making sure we don’t leave any unexplored gems. And then also simultaneously trying to think of new things completely. So we’ll see. The best idea wins, original or old.

Trek is next for Bob and Alex – breaking story – no title yet
As for timing, the pair also told SFW they would start on the Trek sequel when they are finished with the the script for Cowboys and Aliens, a comic book adaptation they are also co-producing (along with Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and others). But they SuperHero Hype they will get to Trek soon after Transformers 2 is released (which just happened) and are aiming for delivering Trek by Christmas of this year. They also told MovieLine that they are not joining joining JJ Abrams on the Mission Impossible 4 project, and want to focus on Trek, noting:

Orci: People have asked us about [MI4], but we’re not doing it yet. We’re not involved with it. We’re focused on the Trek sequel, and I think we have to make sure that gets done right.

And the pair told Mania that they have to ‘figure out’ what to call the sequel, and they are just starting to think about the story:

Kurtzman: We’re just beginning to break story [for Star Trek sequel]. I wish we had more, but we’re literally laying down the basics.

Trek humor: about characters not camp
The ‘boys of Summer’ talked to io9 about the differences in humor between Star Trek and Transformers:

Kurtzman: Well, our director has a very different sensibility as far as where he’s getting his humor from. The The Transformers are generating humor from the way they talk. And the humor in Star Trek is very much about the circumstances our characters find themselves in. It’s literally the difference between cracking jokes and being in a funny situation. They’re different franchises.

Bob and Alex also told Esquire that the were not tempted to play up the ‘campiness’ of Star Trek and Transformers:

Kurtzman: None. In fact, we came out of Hercules, one of our first jobs, and [director and producer] Sam Raimi taught us an enormous amount on that show. The first lesson we learned was even if the show is perceived as campy, you can never write it as camp.

Orci: Because you just don’t have fun. Unless camp is somehow inherently part of the original DNA of the project.

Transformers 2 is HUGE – Orci & Kurtzman all over top 10 movies
Transformers 2 opened yesterday and did over $60M, which is the biggest Wednesday box office debut in history and second biggest opening day behind The Dark Knight. This means right now Bob and Alex are connected with three movies in the top 10 domestic box office, as they are also executive producers on the Sandra Bullock romantic comedy The Proposal (currently in 2nd place) and of course writers for Star Trek, which was in 8th place on Wednesday (bringing in $701,273, which is actually a tiny big more than it made last Wednesday).

As for the critics, they have not been as kind to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Currently the film has a 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 38% on Metacritic. Look for the TrekMovie review of the film this weekend.

 
 

 

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I don’t care what the critics say….a movie can still be enjoyable regardless of informed opinion….

In fact, there are tons of movies out there, where my opinion and the critics opinions were very different.

Last year, There Will Be Blood, and No Country For Old Men were considered oscar worthy and super fantastic.

I thought they were horrible, didn’t make sense, and were just bad. So much for the critics…I’ll decide for myself what I like.

I dont really want a rehash or reimagining of old things. Its about exploration, not covering old ground.

I loved Revenge of the Fallen. Critics can eat it.

So JJ Abrams added all the campy elements himself? Interesting …

Who was the villain in the script as they wrote it, then?

I don’t care what the critics say or think about Revenge of the Fallen. I loved it. It was entertaining, exciting, funny, and action-packed.

It’s obvious that Trans2 has a huge worldwide base of viewers who simply love huge robots battling each other. According to BOM, Asia is in the multi-millions earnings-wise, and Russia/CIS did as much business in one day as Trek09 has done since launch. It’s a different level entirely.

Star Trek 2 ” the #2″

Star Trek 2: Something something

Star Trek 2011 “playing down the 2011 basically just calling it Star Trek again”

Funny how there’s a whole lotta talk about a whole lotta “nothing” regarding the trek sequel :P

Critics…….pfff. A Trailer is what sells me on a movie. Remember the The Matrix trailer?? (OMG it’s been 10 years already!)

I go to the movies for the experience! If I’ve been amazed, amused and thrilled, then that movie has earned my ten bucks.

The only thing I was overly critical about in a movie was how the new Trek wasn’t the 90’s Trek I knew, but am waayyyy passed that now :)

Critics look to films that provoke deep thought or somehow challenge….something. 90% of the moviegoing audience just wants a good time.

All that aside, while Transformers 2 has it’s problems, it’s still a more coherant picture than the Museum sequel…

I think they should keep the subtitle of “Something Something” for the next Trek. It has a nice ring to it.

Maybe just add to it a little bit:

“Star Trek: Something Strange, Something New.”

I love these guys…Star Trek 09 wouldn’t have worked without them, and I can’t wait to see Revenge of the Fallen. Keep up the good work, guys! I’m sure the Trek sequel will be awesome. It better be! :)

I wish Orci and Kurtzman would have more time do more franchises. I’d love to see their take on Masters of the Universe.

BTW: My 2 favorite jokes in the Transformers movie was when Wheelie kept on calling Megan Fox a “warrior goddess” and when Rainn Wilson said that he’s the “alpha and omega.” IDK, I found those hilarious.

My least favorite jokes were Skids and Mudflap. They are the Jar-Jar Binks of 2009.

With all due respect to Mr. Orci, who undoubtedly knocked it out of the park with Star Trek, I thought Revenge of the Fallen was abominable. It was a depressing experience for me…I found it to me everything people don’t like about modern summer movies and then some all rolled into one: no plot, no character development, juvenile humor, overly militaristic and completely Americacentric, and on top of that, RACIST… I had heard already about Mudflap and Skids but my jaw was on the floor when I saw them for real. Those two make Jar Jar Binks look like an NAACP Image Award winner.

I believe the difference between the Star Trek script and Transformers script is largely the effect of having a different director calling the shots. I think we can all agree that Michael Bay and JJ Abrams have completely different styles.

Didn’t Michael Bay contribute a lot of the script during the writer’s strike?

@ 14: You mean it was a typical Michael Bay film?

The next Trek, in my opinion, of course could introduce a new villain…BUT (huge but)…MUST (huge must)….include familiar elements, locales and secondary characters from trek history. Maybe a new Klingon villain?

Please, use the 40 years of established Trek history to its fullest.

A totally new everything would turn me off.

New and old combined…what a challenging and daunting task. Good luck, gentlemen….no pressure, though…(ha, ha)

Man, there is gold to be mined in any permutation of a TOS plot rewrite or revisiting characters whose fates have already been written. Yo, Bob – if you go fellas down that avenue to any degree, a subtle plotline mix-n-match ought to be in the cards. I, for one, wouldn’t mind seeing the planet killer pop in to throw a wrench into someone’s plans. Harry Mudd is definitely a fan fave, and is a buffoon who spans any generation. Since we’re in an alternate temporal reality, maybe Captain Garth isn’t bug-f**k looney after all. Richard Daystrom doesn’t cliff-dive off the edge of sanity. Khan is the same lovable warlord he always was, but does good this time. You get the idea.

Bob Orci…

Think “Mirror Universe”…

There’s a million stories there my brother!

…and I’m still open for the role of “female crewman number four’s underpants”

Better yet, make a live action Star Blazers!

Ugh, the fact that Transformers 2 made more money than Star Trek on opening night, and also set a record makes me want to vomit. This movie was pure garbage and I’m utterly shocked that Orci and Kurtzman were a part of it.

Of course, most of the blame falls on Michael Bay, doing his usual terrible job of making everything explode and not much else.

I’m all for a fun, entertaining movie that’s not very deep in terms of provoking the mind or being really intelligent (let’s be honest, Star Trek ’09 falls fairly snugly into that category and it’s a blast). Constant explosions and really stupid jokes to supplant real entertaining content however, doesn’t fly.

To further prove my point….

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/8-Spoilerific-Reasons-To-Avoid-Transformers-2-13688.html

Warning: As you might figure from the link, there are big spoileres.

Hmm. They really ought to just go with “Star Trek 2” for a title. It’s short and slick, and does further the “starting over” mindset of the franchise.

star trek would NOT exist if not for MICHAEL JACKSON.

sorry. don’t know what i was thinking when I said that.

(star trek: thriller)

sigh.

Roger Ebert: Transformer: Revenge of the Fallen “Dumber than a box of staples.”

Rolling Stone: “Probably the worst film of the decade.” (I’m paraphrasing here)

Not exactly comforting words to those of us wondering about the Trek Sequel…

But, of course, Star Trek 09 was a good movie, marred only by some sloppiness in plotting, and a lack of any coherent theme…but the sequel has so much potential to take what was good about its predecessor, and make it so much better. And it would really be a shame to see such potential wasted…

But I’m sure you guys know that… :)

#8- I quite like the idea of “Star Trek: To Boldly Go” or something that uses a uniquely ‘Trek phrase… “Star Trek: Where No One Has Gone Before” would also be a good title. Its a shame “The Final Frontier” has already been taken.

Nothing with ‘revenge’ or ‘wrath’ or ‘return’ in it though; “The Dark Knight” was perfect as it echoed the original Batman, while still keeping a damn good movie title. Something similar for ‘Trek 2 would be nice :) Oh, thinking about it:

“Star Trek 2 Boldly Go”

On second thoughts….

I don’t understand why Mr. Orci and Mr. Kurtzman are still thinking of doing a remake of an old episode. The fans are, based on the posts I read, overwhelmingly against it. Who is going to enjoy a remake then- the general public?
I just don’t want a rehash. It seems so lame, so unexciting. It feels to me like an admission that there is nowhere exciting left to go. Maybe a bit like the people in “All Our Yesterdays”- there is no future, so we must escape to our past. Or maybe even more like what Vina says in “The Cage” about how you give up living when you just stay behind, reliving old adventures in the “thought records.” How depressing.
GIve us something new.
A second point, and a lesser one, is with Spock Prime around to advise them on how to deactivate a Doomsday Machine, or any other threat from the past, it’s kind of thorny.
But my main complaint is that it’s boring and uninspiring.
You guys have shown you can do much better. Please do better. Thanks.

oh- just to be clear, by Spock prime being around to advise against past threats, I mean past in terms of TOS.

#15: “I believe the difference between the Star Trek script and Transformers script is largely the effect of having a different director calling the shots.”

For better or worse, the director really does make or break the movie.

Here are a list of names that I suggest not be used for a sequel to Star Trek:

A Star Trek
The Star Trek
Another Star Trek
Star Trek: Even Trekkier
Star Trek 2 Furious
Star Trek: Attack of Lense Flares
Star Trekked

I’m serious. These are terrible titles for a sequel.

@29 — Agreed. Nemesis could have been a better movie with a different director.

#30, your post reminds me of a curious phenomenon I’ve observed here from you, and from myself, and from several other posters.

Why is it that my fingers want to type “lense flares” instead of “lens flares?” What is it about that phrase that inspires that particular typo; it’s been pretty common around here (I’m pretty sure I’ve actually caught all of mine before posting, but I promise you, I’ve TYPED “lense” almost every time …)

I don’t get it. It’s like a strange little … keyboard equivalent of a tongue twister. Or something.

It’s the new “cannon!” (only, that’s not usually a typo)

It’s the new “definately!” (d’oh, same problem)

It’s so new it isn’t replacing anything!

I think they should do a full length version of Return of the Archons with Landru. Explore the world more fully. “You are not of the body. You must be absorbed.”

I don’t care what the critics say about Transformers 2…but on the other hand, I don’t disagree with them. TF2 is a real stinker.

The problem with Star Trek movies is that the fate of Earth or the Federation has to be on the line for the story to be worthy of a movie. Yet, from the Trek TV shows, some of my favorite episodes were NOT galaxy-spanning epics.

“The Trouble with Tribbles” is about a grain shipment (how mundane is that?), and they even redid it on DS9; I liked it both times. “The Menagerie” is a courtroom drama. From TNG, “The Inner Light” (perhaps my favorite Trek episode period) all takes place in Picard’s mind, with the help of an alien probe. My favorite Voyager episode, “Blink of an Eye,” is about a world where time speeds by at 1000+ times the normal rate, and the crew watches and becomes part of that world’s history.

So that’s my REAL challenge for the Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman team. Do a story where Kirk and Co. do not save the universe (yet again).

Señor Orci,

Transformers 2 no es muy bueno.

El queso esta podrido. Donde esta el sanitario?

Adios,
Señor Vulcano

To be honest I don’t see how Transformers can be anything other that Big and Goofy! C’mon, big robots that turn into little cars? huh? It ain’t Shakespeare is it? But then people don’t want Shakespeare any more. If kids and younger people enjoy Transformers then more power to them- but i’ll stick to Star Trek thanks very much.

At least Transformers 2 was better than The Watchmen….ugh….I went to a free preview and I still wanted my money back.

Fans some of them need to stop hating an start enjoying the movies they like thts all ratings dnt abt tht enjoy the movie transformers 2 rocks

Oh, about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen…

I think the writer’s did an excellent job of revising some of the back story to incorporate a modified version of the Transformers continuity. I loved the Transformers in ancient history stuff.

I liked the movie.

Has anyone tried watching the 1980’s Transformers: The Movie? I saw it for the first time a couple of years ago as an adult — I never watched it as a child. That movie is insane! I swear it gave me ADD.

I challenge Bob and Co to come up with something new. Give it some familiar points in terms of characters, but a new story. If people really want to see something old again, wouldn’t it be easier to just pull out the DVD and watch it?

@32

I’m crippled without spell check.

So Star Trek always has some mix of the following:

Philosophy
Science (and/or Pseudo-Science)
Adventure
Comedy
Action
Mystery

Mr. Orci: I like the ratios of these elements that were in Star Trek ’09. Especially since we never learned too much about Nero. I love what you’ve done with Star Trek ’09. I’m sure there will be plenty of Star Trek in the future as a result of this revival.

For example, it seems like The Voyage Home was leaned more towards adventure/comedy and The Undiscovered Country was more towards Mystery/Philosophy (it was kind of a “who-done-it” plot). I just wanted to say that, eventually, I’d love a good Star Trek story with a greater ratio of philosophy and mystery in it. I guess I’m eventually hoping for something with the mix that The Undiscovered Country had.

PS As long as there are no Giant Space Amoebas, I’m guaranteed to see the sequel.

40.

This is kind of embarassing, but I watch the old “Transformers: The Movie” (released in 1987 if memory serves me correctly) a few times a year. Mostly for nostalgia as I was Transformer OBSESSED as a young boy. They would actually show the movie on TV divided into three episodes.

Wow, so all those Money = Awesome, Box-office Watchers… what say you now?

Clearly Transformers is the best movie that’s ever opened on a Wednesday in the history of film! Yah! I knew it. The moment I saw that robot dog running on the ice in that trailer… I knew Transformers 2: Revenge of the Sith — er, Fallen would be the King of all Wednesday movies. It’s clearly the best. Money = Good Movie. Yay.

(note, sarcasm pls)

I wish fans would just trust these 2 guys to make the right choices on the next Trek movie. They have earned our trust! So I say stop complaining and let them write the movie.

To Mr. Bob Orci –

I really think that the infamous William Shatner cameo **can** happen in the sequel, and probably could have happened in ST09.

When Spock Prime caused his ‘incursion’ the new timeline was born. There’s nothing that causes us to believe that Kirk will be killed in a Nexus fight with Malcolm McDowell in the 24th Century. In fact, the odds are probably against it. The butterfly effect will have caused so many new things to have happened by the time the ‘new’ Kirk gets around to retiring that there may not even be a similar circumstance to cause Kirk to die. How interesting would it be to see older Spock prime meet new-older Kirk?

Also, since Trek fans have this holistic universe, I think an appearence by prime Picard, possibly to retrieve prime Spock would be great.

I’ve got a million of ’em.

#47 maybe you do- but have you got any good one’s? ;-)

#48. Nope! I leave it to the pro’s.

I love Star Trek, but Transformers is, well, uh, not for me. Megan Fox is for me. In fact, she has no idea how much she wants me. But I can’t see Transformers just for her. Sorry Megan.