Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman recently said they have more time to hand in their Star Trek sequel, so things are still in that deep thinking stage. In a new interview, producer JJ Abrams talked about what direction he sees the next Trek is going, and how he wants it to be ‘deeper’. JJ also talked about what to call the sequel. Details below plus photos of Abrams presenting an award to Zoe Saldana.
Going Deeper & Meaningful
As recently reported, the Star Trek team have more time now to work out the sequel to this year’s hit movie, with the script now to be done in eight months. So they are still at the ‘broad strokes’ stage. In a phone interview with MTV, JJ Abrams noted that the first film was to "bring the family together", and act as a "bridge between what came before and the star trek of now." Regarding the sequel, Abrams stated:
The second one has an obligation to go deeper and maintain the fun and adventure in the sense of optimism and scale that [‘Trek’ originator Gene] Roddenberry created. But I do think it has to evolve and not become some polemic over-the-top, on-the-nose allegory. It needs to be something that is not just about the characters meeting each other and having their first adventure; it needs to be about having their most meaningful one.
You can listen to Abrams below.
Not ‘Star Trek 2’
Although some in the media have started referring to the sequel as ‘Star Trek 2’, Abrams told MTV that is not the plan noting "I think we can’t really do that, right?". Of course there already has been Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, so that seems like a no-brainer. Back in June Abrams noted "it would have a subtitle instead of a number" which is why TrekMovie sometime refers to the sequel as Star Trek: Something Something. An alternative would be to not have Star Trek in the title at all (like ‘The Dark Knight‘).
JJ hands Zoe ELLE Award
In other JJ Star Trek news, on Monday Abrams presented Zoe Saldana (the new Uhura) with the Calvin Klein Collection Spotlight Award at the 16th Annual ELLE Women in Hollywood Tribute. Here are some pics from the event.
JJ presents his Uhura
Zoe gives her acceptance speech
By the way, Alec Baldwin hosted the event and EOnline reports the actor’s jokes led the "laugh-filled" event. When it came to Zoe, here is what Baldwin quipped:
In the movie she actually chooses Mr. Spock over Captain Kirk.
That’s probably the main reason,” he continued, “she was named woman of the year by the Society of Grown Men Who Still Live in Their Parents’ Basements
Zoe and Alec
JJ on Hemsworth
Finally, a separate article on MTV has comments from JJ Abrams on Chris Hemsworth, who played George Kirk Sr. in the dramatic opening sequence of Star Trek. The young Australian actor is now headed to the big time, starring in the upcoming Thor movie. Abrams talked about Hemsworth’s career and even his hair, noting:
He’s so crazy handsome and he’s so strapping with the classic leading man look. I sort of wish I had dirtied him up a little bit, messed his hair up a little bit.
Hemsworth in Star Trek
Photos: Wire Image
I like what J.J is thinking and if they can make it meaningfull it would be great. I also hope they can have Kirks mom on there a little more and maybe even see some flash backs of Kirks Dad as well. Chris would do a great job again as he did on Trek 2009
Im just waiting for the 6 months leading up to the new movies release when actual details start to come out
“He’s so crazy handsome and he’s so strapping with the classic leading man look. I sort of wish I had dirtied him up a little bit, messed his hair up a little bit.”
Why would he want to dirty him up? LOL
Wow. Zoe is so Beautifull. She is much hotter then Megan Fox. But that’s my opnion. Any one Concur with me on that. Oh and Alec. I do not live in my parents basement. I live in the Attic. Lol.
Zoe is hot, although she needs to eat a sandwich! I think I picked my teeth with her sister after lunch today…
And On Topic… Star Trek: Something Something definitely needs to be the penultimate adventure for the crew, really unite them as truly a family and not just a bunch of folks who wind up on a ship together! I enjoyed the first movie, but now lets see some bonding!
Oh, and lots more bones! Karl was great!
does everyone want more Bones? I added a poll for who you all want to get more screen time in the sequel, if anyone.
Verily, I say, Star Trek rocketh.
I loved the mix of this new Trek, and would love to see the same mix again, but with a little more Bones! He was greatly underused!
They tried not using the title Star Trek with the Enterprise series. That didn’t work out very well. I think Star Trek needs to be in the title. Can you imagine George Lucas creating a Star Wars movie and not using Star Wars in the title?
6,
Voted “McCoy” on the poll. He was definitely underused in this one. I didn’t like how he showed up on the bridge in the final scene and didn’t even have a line. Maybe a bit more Chekov or Sulu, too. Chekov was perhaps the most underused character in all television history.
Yes. We need more Bones and not just him. But the big 3. Kirk,Spock and Mccoy. Have all 3 as that’s what we had nin all the Movies and Series. keep Star Trek in the Tittle. Hey Anthony. Can you have another poll about keeping Star Trek in the main Tittle.
Gotta have Star Trek in the title, and gotta have more Bones.
I think we all have to take delight in how deep the bench is in this new generation of Trek cinematic stars. This takes nothing away from Shatner, Nimoy, or Stewart at their equivalent stage of development, but this group is the most telegenic, interesting and promising troupe of actors yet. And so young, to boot!
Can you imagine if they made Batman movie and didn’t put Batman in the title, that would be a disaster
oh wait
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=darkknight.htm
or how about a James Bond movie, surely you need to put James Bond in the title!
oh, right
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=jamesbond.htm
Here is how I look at it. The TOS movies had numbers, the TNG movies had subtitles, lets have the JJ era have its own form, with the first simply ‘star trek’ and the rest with ‘trekkian’ names, but no ‘star trek’
I might say that even Winona Ryder’s star was polished by association with this newest production. I’d like to see more involvement on her part as the years go on in flashbacks of Spock’s early life. It helps make the whole enterprise more dimensional.
Might I also say that the next movie should have more of a women’s presence overall. Trek is action and adventure, yes, but it is also about the full expanse of human experience, and what, after all, would that experience be without the distaff side?
Even TMP had its Ilia.
“The second one has an obligation to go deeper…”
Does it mean new screenwriters?
I still say the last one was 11. The next one will be 12. You can keep Star Trek in the title or not. But I like the consistency of following the numbers. Sort of like all the movies actually came from something of the same place.
Even though this new movie is Other Trek.
Definitely gotta have more Bones, including Bones and Spock arguing/teasing each other with Kirk caught in the middle..always loved those scenes.
Hemsworth was great in Star Trek. I was blown away by his performance. Dare I say, his was the most emotionally charged, gripping, intense and most memorable of the whole movie.
I agree with Hat Rick #15 – would love to see more Amanda/Winona in flash back scenes in the next movie.
Personally I’d prefer to keep Star Trek in the title. They’ve already tried keeping it out when Enterprise first arrived on the scene.
I definitely voted for more Bones, that was the lone complaint I had about the movie, not enough Bones! Star Trek for me wasn’t just the Kirk/Spock relationship, but all three.
BONES
NEED MORE BONES
19,
“Enterprise” failed for a variety of reasons, least of all being its name change from Star Trek: Enterprise to Enterprise. It was an already-dying show on a dying network. It also failed because of Trek Overload. There had been series after series after series, plus all the movies. People simply stopped caring.
The next movie should simply be named “Tranya.”
THANK YOU. Yes, please include brain chow, along with the eye candy.
As for a title, mine some Bard. But, wait until you have enough of a script to find what you need.
Title it whatever. Avoiding the number question seems reasonable to me.
And yes, give Bones some real story this time. While you’re at it, give Kirk some real story this time. While you’re at it, give Spock some real story this time, and the rest of the crew, too.
What’s he pointing at?
There should be *something* about Star Trek “XII” in the title. Then they can cash in on a possible 12/12/2012 release date.
More Bones!!!!! I want to see more of Kirk/Spock/Bones relationship!!!!
Uhura is plain beautiful…but she had her time in the first one….let Bones shine now!!
More Kirk/Spock/McCoy moments please!!!
How about Star Trek 2.1? You know, kind of like a firmware upgrade? (“reboot”?) LOL
I’ve said this all along: JJA can’t go wrong by emulating what Nolan did with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. First introduce the characters by way of a solid origin story. Then move on to a complex, deep tale making sure to market the hell out of the sequel. JJA is on the right track to creating a 4 star sequel to a 3+ star first film.
24. nonymoose – October 23, 2009
There should be *something* about Star Trek “XII” in the title. Then they can cash in on a possible 12/12/2012 release date.
Genius! I can hear it now:
See the history of the future on the 12th day of the 12th month of the 12th year in the 12th Star Trek film…before the world ends on 12/21/12.
Are you there Orci, it’s me Margaret.
Instead of Jack Black, how about SIgorney Weaver as a really cool adversary but not quite villain. No Xenomorphs or Voyager look alike aliens though.
I vote for “Star Trek 12: So Very, Very Tired”. Bring back the surviving cast members and fast forward to the end of the crew’s tenure. Then we can have Kirk say “Again with the Klingons…” and so forth.
On naming the sequel:
I think they should just call it Star Trek and then tag the year and month of release on the end as a play on the stardate theme so, for instance if it came out in July of 2012 it would be:
Star Trek 2012.7
Keep Trek in the title! Love Bones ( Karl Urban ) stole the show, but so did De Kelley in the Original Series! Give nice moments to all the characters or why bother including them at all? I always loved the special Sulu, Uhura, Chekov, Scotty moments in the series and movies : Sulu in trek 3 “And don’t call me Tiny!” . Uhura in Trek 3 “You want adventure, get in the closet!”. Chekov in Trek 4 “Can you tell me where to find the Nuclear wessels!” or Scotty in Trek 3 “Aye, and if your Grandma had wheels she be a wagon” & “Up your shaft! ” to the excelsior computer! It’s not just about the big 3, Gene had always intended Original Trek to be more of an ensemble show like its progeny/spin-off shows! The Trinity is great @ the core, but more varied & meaningful relationships are needed to sustain something long term, for instance the Spock/Uhura romance for starters! I’d also like to see Rand, Chapel, and a tie in to animated trek with Cool alien characters M’Ress and Arex ( with prosthetics and CGI today, the sky’s the limit on this stuff!!!) It would be a nice homage to animated Trek to solidify its place in Trek canon once and for all!
What I want to see the most is more McCoy screentime. My only real problem with this first one is that it seemed to focus primarily on Kirk, Spock and Uhura and not so much the real Trek trinity of Kirk, Spock and Bones.
Thought to myself what story would I do for Star Trek XII.
* Backstory on the aftermath of the Nero attack on the Klingons
New crazy brutal Klingons (frenzied from the Nero attack) Blood lust for the Federation. Highly charged catastrophic emotional stakes Klingons pillaging federation planet (possibly klingons suicidal on the federation fleet inflicting massive damage) caused tons of personal vendetta Kirk has to hates Klingons. etc etc (god I can picture it now)
Cant think of anything else :) so much interest in the new Klingons
I don’t mind a new star trek movie without the words star trek.
I can see them just calling it, 2259: Where no one(man) has gone before.
i hate to say this but they could put these guys right into a tv series start trek the chemistry was there!!! And karl hit bones on the nose he was perfect for the character!
“He’s so crazy handsome and he’s so strapping with the classic leading man look. I sort of wish I had dirtied him up a little bit, messed his hair up a little bit.”
Gay.
Three years will have passed -our time- and they’re just having their first adventure after the last film? Call it “Did Ja’ Miss Us?”
What’s wrong with the title “Star Trek: Guardian of Forever”?
I say the go with the title ” TO BOLDLY GO” . Any time you say that people instantly think Trek
The film should a title, “STAR TREK” and a subtitle.
The actual film should open with a teaser, the bit at the begining of every episode of the original and then the title card. Wait…just like the new movie!!! But then as the main title card fades out and as the movie fades in, the subtitle or “episode title” should come on the screen.
John
That should have read “The film should HAVE a title…”. Sorry. Going to bed.
John
So Megan Fox just won another “sexiest woman” award or something. Meh. We’ve got Zoe! :)
Uhura and McCoy need bigger roles in the next film. And I want one or two cameos, something like Adm. Archer & T’Pol!! I want! I want! I want! ;)
#3
I suppose it would have made him more…organic. :))
I’d also like to see Hemsworth back. There would be so much potential in getting him and Jim together. But how do you do that? Organically I guess?! lol
It is hard for me to believe Spock is so emotional, Now look more Romulan like than Vulcan. OK, his homeworld got destroyed, his mother died in the incident, but, it’s not inate for him to be like that.
Kirk turned out great. Rest of the crew was litttle bit in background…
It would be nice to give them chance to be more upfront.
I will have to agree with John Cooley: The 12th “Star Trek” motion picture should include “Star Trek” in the film’s title as well as the subtitle for the 12th “Star Trek” motion picture.
@37: And the award for most immature post in this thread goes to…..
Star Trek XII: So Very, Very Tired
“39. John from Cincinnati – October 23, 2009
What’s wrong with the title “Star Trek: Guardian of Forever”?”
The fact that Harlan Ellison would start to sue the shit out of everyone involved in the production, including the cable puller and his two nephews.