There are yet a couple more Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen interviews with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman which delve into the world of the Star Trek: Something Something sequel. And in one case, a name pops up again as a possible new Khan.
The great debate continues
An interview with Canada’s Sun Media, discusses the great debate vexing Orci and Kurtzman regarding the Star Trek sequel.
At issue: do they create a fresh plot with never-before-seen characters and scenarios or — because young Kirk and Spock are now part of an alternate timeline where the past has been altered — do they introduce 2.0 versions of such popular villains as the Klingons or Khan? Orci recognizes each approach has its own merits.
Rebooting familiar elements appeals instantly to fans and attracts the attention of "the media-sphere," as he calls it.
Meaning that if you cast, say, Javier Bardem as the new Khan opposite Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, you’ve automatically excited fans and attracted the attention of the moviegoing public.
"But on the other hand," he adds, "who doesn’t love an original story?"
Taking a break and listening to the fans
In an interview from last week with our friend Jordan Hoffman of UGO, Bob and Alex talked a little bit of the next Trek, including the input of the fans.
Jordan Hoffman: Okay, so sequel to Star Trek. You haven’t even begun the script, yes?
Roberto Orci: Little vacation in July then we hit the ground running.
Jordan Hoffman: And everyone is giving you their two cents on what they want to see in the movie. Have you ever experienced this, where people have so many opinions on a script you haven’t even written yet?
Alex Kurtzman: That is unique to Star Trek. That’s what is so remarkable out it – the fans. The fan fiction, the community, the familiarity with the material.
More at UGO, including discussing if Michael Bay is a Romulan or a Cardassian.
Bardem as Khan?
This is not the first time the name of Academy Award-winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) has been suggested for Khan. In fact Orci first brought up the name in a comments section here at TrekMovie in January. In May Orci and Star Trek producer Damon Lindelof talked to ComingSoon about the possibility
CS: I’m on a one-man mission to plant the seed now. If you decide to revisit the character of Khan, two words: Javier Bardem.
Kurtzman: Oh my God!
Orci: Did you know we’ve actually mentioned that out loud as a possibility? What a great idea.
Lindelof: Come on. That’s a no-brainer. That would be the most amazing thing ever. Who would even what to see these [new] guys then? That’s the problem. You would just watch them for scenery.
If they do choose to go with a new Khan, the ‘who will be the new Khan?’ buzz will certainly be a hot topic for the geek and entertainment press, something that could only help the movie.
Ricardo Montalban in TOS "Space Seed" and Bardem in "No Country for Old Men"
Transformers passes Star Trek
In other Transformers/Trek news, Bob and Alex’s new Transformers movie continues to make money at astounding rates. As predicted in our last ST09 Tidbits, Star Trek has dropped to 11th place in the domestic box office since two movies opened up on July 1st (Ice Age 3 & Public Enemies). But Transformers has returned to the number 1 spot and on Thursday and Friday Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen passed Star Trek and then Up to become the top grossing film of the year domestically (with $268.7M). Transformers 2 was already the top performer globally, having earned a total of over $508M so far. Although Star Trek is out of the top 10, it should still finish the weekend by crossing the $250M domestic and $375M global marks (if not by Sunday, then by Monday).
Ugh… Let there be no fire for this smoke.
First? Also in before raging at me saying ‘first.’
No Khan please. Original story.
Why do I feel like I’m witnessing the Star Trek version of certain American political debates going on right now? (And I’m not trolling for political commentary)
The majority og the populace is agin’ it and the PTB just keep talking it up!
How do you use Khan without either retelling “Space Seed” (Kirk & Co. find Khan) or “Wrath of Khan” (Khan vs. Kirk after some other ship picks Khan up.)?
Just use an original story with Bardem as the villain. We don’t need to revisit Khan.
no matter what they decide, to bring back khan, borg or whatever, i trust them. i enjoyed the first movie, and it left me wanting more. i think these guys know what they’re doing. even if they do khan, i’m sure this new movie franchise will be running long enough for us to see completely new characters and stories.
Wow… Bardem really DOES have a striking resemblance to Khan. Should they go with that route (and I hope they don’t) let him be the one to play Khan. Though, don’t just go off of looks, please. I do NOT want someone like Bana coming back. He worked for Nero simply because he had so few lines. Does everyone remember that work of art called “The Incredible Hulk” from a few years back??
I just felt the need to say my part on behalf of the overwhelming majority– original story, please!
While I’m not sure that Khan is the way to go for the sequel, I’m even more dubious of this notion of Javier Bardem. Yes, Bardem is a great actor. And yes, Ricardo Montalban made a great villain. But he was a Hispanic actor and Khan was supposed to be of Indian origin. I would hope for a little more creativity and authenticity than just recycling a villain and then using an actor of the same ethnic background as the original just because that’s what they did back in 1966.
Don’t worry the MEDIA is going to force a Khan movie or a cameo in the next movie. O & K need to put it too rest! Otherwise Paramount will start to demand it!
I will skip this movie if Khan is in it! I’m getting so sick of retreads, re-do’s etc. I guess there are no original ideas out there. But there are, but the Media loves to harp on this type of thing. An open universe & we could end up with Khan, ugh!
New Universe, New Stories….PLEASE!!!!!!!
I have to say….. Javier Bardem as new Khan is a very interesting idea !
I’m sorry but thats like sacrilage…. their is no Khan without Montalban, it would be like having an older spock or kirk played by someone else besides Nimoy or Shatner, just shouldnt be done… i for one will probably boycott if its done!!
Well no. I don’t want to see Khan again. I mean they can’t really change the premise of Khan being on the Botany Bay. So either the E finds them again and it turns out roughly the same way on a larger scale – Khan’s intentions won’t have changed – or someone else finds them. In the first case: *yawn* Another angry villain bent on revenge against those, who cast him out. In the second case you take away a bit of the connection with Kirk – the key element, that made the character so successful.
On the other hand in this “alternate”, Khan does not have to be a villain. Maybe this time he’ll show remorse for what he’s done and die in some heroic struggle on the “good” side – like Eddington did. Maybe the E is on the way to investigate whatever (where the villain will meet them) and they run into the Botany Bay by accident. The question is would elder Spock have told them about him and would that be a factor – maybe the deciding factor to turn Khan ? This is a solution I could live with. A nod to the past, but an original story. Another Khan vs Kirk – no, been there, done that.
How about an original story….with Khan?
Oh, here we go again. Anything to keep us interested in the sequel.
Did you guys (TPTB) even bother to look at the results of the voting poll here?
Two-thirds voted no Khan. New story please.
As much as I can’t be bothered to see your first film a second time, I won’t bother with a first time for your sequel if you just rehash plots and characters we’ve seen in TOS episodes and films.
New Story please. Leave Khan right where it is (was).
As mentioned before, how about a story focusing on why the Federation is not allowed to develop cloaking technology
@ 12. But wasn’t it sacrilage a few years ago to have anyone play young kirk and spock ?
Rules or superstition or ideas are meant to be broken.
How about a new story….with Khan?
Why is everyone asking for an original story? I don’t think it means what many here think it means. It’s like if anyone mentions Khan than it’s labeled as an unoriginal story. If that’s the case, why doesn’t anyone ask for an original crew and an original ship? I don’t see anyone here saying “Leave Kirk and crew where they were. Original story.” No, I’m seeing just Khan.
Why?
We don’t know the story! Who even says that if Khan is going to be in the movie that he will be the villian?
I can watch ‘No Country for Old Men’ over and over and over again and I pick up something new from Bardem [and the whole movie, for that matter] every time I watch it.
If they have to do Khan, the writing needs to have layers upon layers for Bardem to work with- the only actor who could pull off the role.
Don’t even try to do Khan without him.
SORRY – please no Khan guys! Please!
6. That One Guy… “I do NOT want someone like Bana coming back. He worked for Nero simply because he had so few lines. Does everyone remember that work of art called “The Incredible Hulk” from a few years back??”
Mr. Bana was excellent in “Munich”, though. He didn’t really get a lot to do in Trek 11, no scene where he could really sell the character like Montalban did in “TWOK”. Montalban got that great scene with Chekov and Terrell, Bana’s scene with Greenwood wasn’t nearly as powerfully written.
I think a female villain would be interesting, i’m not going for the Khan idea very much. He would be a pretty weak villain without going back to space seed and even if they did it wouldn’t be as fun to watch because the story has already been done.
Original story please. Maybe an original story with Khan (as a cameo perhaps) would be better than remaking TWoK, but make it original nonetheless.
Ignore the fanboys, Mr. Orci: go get Bardem as Khan!
An ORIGINAL story and villain please!!!
And no more breweries…BUILD THE DAMN ENGINEERING SET!!!
I would prefer an original story but if they have to do Khan, Bardem is definately the way to go.
#16 – I think it’s a matter of principles. The cloaking device is used when you want to behind enemy line or do a sneak attack. The Federation doesn’t approve such a thing.
Well… Most of it if we don’t count with Section 31.
Bardem is a great choice. Another great possibility is Nestor Carbonell, of Lost and Dark Knight fame. He would be terrific.
Bardem would be utterly FANTASTIC as Khan, but please don’t.
Please, we all know IF they do Khan most Fanboys wants Bardem. Thats a given! Now lets convince K&O we want a new ST movie with an original story.
Don’t waste a movie on Kahn. If you turned this last movie into a a TV show then wasting one episode to re-tell a story that doesn’t need to be retold wouldn’t be as much of a waste. But since there is no TV show that means we need an original story to get us by.
I think it’s a good compromise. Most fans don’t want a Khan sequel but if it must it must be Bardem.
i would like to see him fight not only Kirk but the rest of the crew as Khan. but i dont if i want Khan in the next movie.
I’m really not liking all this Khan talk, please do something ORIGINAL. I’m begging you!
Could Javier be as verbose as Montalban was as Khan, or as wonderfully bombastic?
I was in on the January forums when Mr. Orci posted his interest in Bardem taking on the role. I just hope that the sparkle in that writer’s eye about Bardem as Khan isn’t clouding out other possibilities.
Khan seems to be gaining some early momentum with the press, and JJ has expressed sme enthusiasm. Is it a done deal?
I’ve set it before, I trust these guys.
But I really really don’t have any interest in having them re-visit the Khan character.
I don’t want a re-telling of Space Seed, and I absolutely don’t want another revenge story.
If they want to revisit another TOS character/plot, feel free, but please not Khan.
ANTONIO BANDERAS.
If any man was made to take over the mantle of Khan, it’s him.
As much as I would love to see another Trek movie with Khan in it, I just don’t think you could get anyone to play Khan as well as Ricardo Montalban. Not to mention Mr. Montalban recently passed away, it just seems too soon to replace him as that character.
Please do something original.
Please no Khan. Montalban did a great job and his story was well finished – there is nothing to be gained by revisting it and risking telling an inferior story compared to the original.
Besides, Old Spock would simply tell the alternate Kirk/Spock about Khan and remove the entire element of surprise. Khan would wake up on a prison facility and spend the rest of his life writing his memoirs.
Somehow Khan seems a bit small to be the main focus. This last movie had themes involving alternate timelines, rips in time and the fabric of reality being altered. As an encore to that, Khan’s story seems a little low-key.
The new movie should probably continue with something along those ‘fabric of reality’ lines. The Guardian of Forever and the Mirror Universe seem obvious but maybe they can do something with Apollo or something where they investigate why all these planets are imitating Earth cultures.
Maybe Khan could be the personal antagonist but he just doesn’t seem grand enough just by himself to follow this Star Trek.
I am against Khan being in the next film, EXCEPT for one VERY important story telling method in which I imagine it could go down in great fashion.
Think about it. The next film doesn’t have to be so standalone-ish. It can lead into the third one. So you could indeed have Khan, in dynamic and frightening fashion, if they introduce Khan not as the primary threat in the new film. But more like a by-product of events in the film.
The new film could have an original plot with original baddies and such, but why can’t it tie into meeting Khan? Of course, the timeline is different, so who is to say Khan isn’t already free and running some colony somewhere or something?
But whatever, I think the Bob and Alex could include Khan in an original framework. I personally think that including Khan doesn’t make it un-original. I think on HOW they present Khan will determine originality.
When I think of the ways they can introduce Khan, it gives me chills. You can make him a creepy, freaky villain, especially if he comes from left field, such as not being the initial primary adversary but a product of it.
But hey, whatever happens, I trust this creative team. They proved themselves. They deserve our trust.
I have to say, at least the percentage of people who don’t mind the idea of Khan has increased since the name Javier Bardem was brought into the mix. I’ve been in favor of the idea since first mention and think it’s one of the best ways to go.
For all those who cry “new villian” and “new story”, well, there’s a reason why TMP, TFF, GEN, and INS are considered the worst of the bunch….. because of new villians and new ideas. There was nothing to reference. Paramount knows they have droves of new fans of Star Trek, and they are going to draw them and more in with the next story. The best way to do that is give them a reference from old Trek. Khan is the best way to go.
JJ Abrams was able to bring to Trek what Michael Bay couldn’t do as a whole with Transformers 2….. Great action, SPFX, and…… a good story. I want the next movie to consist of just as good a story as ST09 had, with more depth and circumstance. Khan can do that. Make the next movie Darker, give it the The Dark Knight treatment.
I’d like to see a klingon story. I want to see where they go with them. Will they show them as the TOS version or the Motion Picture version? Or one of the Qs. They’re supposed to be omnipotent aren’t they? So maybe they notice the change in the timeline and they come in contact with humans earlier on.
NO KHAN YOU IDIOTS!!!
NO KHAN!!!
Well if Khan is in the thing, it’ll entirely blow my enthusiasm.
Please, this isn’t a comic book movie. It’s not an “adaption” of another media with the obligation to include the well known things from that “primary” incarnation. Batman, the Joker. That’s because Batman is a comic book and the movies are adaptions of that comic book, not original works in their own right.
This is Trek. It’s a continuation. It doesn’t need to pull people across from another medium. it’s already on screen.
If this trilogy (or series, whatever) devolves into previous Trek’s greatest hits, it’ll be an enormous missed opportunity and will run of steam for the same reason adaption franchises do- once you’ve seen the greatest hits, the classic supervillains, you get into diminishing returns and the “who in the next movie? Egghead? King Tut?” syndrome.
Like many old Trek fans I was open-minded about the rebooty thing and was rewarded with a great film. Trek was exciting again, a whole new vista to explore. Please don’t ruin that. TWOK was a great movie. It’s history. Let’s have something new, please.
i agree no khan, it just couldn’t live it up to the original, it would just be a rehash of treaded ground, and as big a slap in the face as indiana jones 4.
Okay, this is what they said:
” Meaning that if you cast, say, Javier Bardem as the new Khan opposite Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, you’ve automatically excited fans and attracted the attention of the moviegoing public.”
First of all, which fans are going to get excited, since the VAST majority appear to NOT want a story on Khan, which makes me wonder if they really are reading these forums at all.
Second, the reasoning used regarding “exciting fans” and attracting the attention of the public seems to indicate they are leaning in the direction of a Khan story.
Third, again the mention of another Hispanic actor, Bardem, as Khan, shows both a lack of originality and a play it safe attitude which again makes me think they are leaning towards a Khan story.
They think Khan will be a sure thing.
So, that’s my prediction, folks. We’re getting a Khan story.
This would be a very atypical role for Bardem, and since he didn’t want to play the bad guy in No Country, he may not be interested, particularly without a compelling director attached to the project. I guess it depends on how much Paramount would be willing to lay out for him, and how interesting a role Bob and Alex can make it.
Need new story – plenty of universe out there to explore…
Javier Bardem as Khan: called it, a few months ago. He would be perfect. However, I would prefer the writers go a different route other than bringing back Khan. But if Khan is to be included, Bardem is your man.
Please make an original story. You guys did a great job of it on XI, and I know you can do it again!
They are looking at making the most successful movie possible next, and they think Khan will enable them to do that.
They are going to make a Khan movie, so brace yourselves for impact.