The members of the Star Trek ‘Supreme Court’ continue to show their Hollywood power. Today it was revealed that Trek scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are producing a new airport thrill (and they also just cast Harrison Ford in another film they are producing). Plus Time Magazine is preparing their Top 100 issue, and JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof are climbing up the online poll.
Lindelof and Abrams ranking on Time Top 100 poll + Abrams pick MI4 director
Time has a poll with 200 "leaders, artists, innovators and icons" and you can rank each one on a 1-100 of least to most influential. Current poll results show two Star Trek producers getting into the top 100. Click here to see full list. The results will be revealed on April 29.
Here are the two entries, first up JJ Abrams
JJ Abrams (current rank: 87, avg rating 78)
Age: 43
Occupation: Writer, producer, filmmaker
Previous TIME 100 Appearances: 1 (2006 Top 100)Not only was Abrams the original mastermind behind Lost — still the most urgently discussed series on TV — but in 2009 he successfully reinvented the 40-year-old Star Trek franchise with an outer-space thriller that was youthful, funny, and somehow mainstream.
And Abrams co-producer on Star Trek is also on the list (along with Carlton Cuse) as ‘The Lost Creators’ (It’s worth noting that JJ Abrams co-created Lost with Damon Lindelof).
The Lost Creators – Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof (current rank: 48 avg rating 83)
Ages: 51 and 36, respectively
Occupations: TV producers
Previous TIME 100 Appearances: 0 Few non-politicians have excited such passion and driven so many people crazy on TV as the puppet masters behind TV’s most addictive mystery, Lost. As their sci-fi series–philosophical mind game closes in on its May finale, all eyes are on the men who have all the answers. (Or at least we hope they do.)
And in more Abrams news, The New York Magazine Vulture Blog is reporting that Abrams and Paramount are in final negotiations with Brad Bird to direct Mission: Impossible IV. Bird has previously directed the Pixar hits Ratatouille and The Incredibles, but this will be his first live action feature.
Orci & Kurtzman to produce airport thriller + nab Harrison Ford
And Lindelof and Abrams aren’t the only Star Trek ‘Supreme Court’ members having influence in Hollywood. Just this morning The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the Star Trek scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are producing an untitled "airport thriller" written by Jeremy Slater, a young writer with a couple of other thriller scripts in development at Paramount and CBS. Could it be that Bob and Alex are feeling nostalgic for the 70’s era Airport movies?
And in other Bob/Alex news, last week director Jon Favreau revealed that Harrison Ford had joined the cast of Cowboys and Aliens, written and produced by Orci and Kurtzman. Cowboys and Aliens begins shooting soon in New Mexico.
The Abrams posse (Cuse, Orci, Burk, Abrams, Lindelof & Kurtzman)
(from 2009 GQ men of the year issue)
Looking forward to Cowboys & Aliens. With all their projects do these guys have time to breath?!
“thriller”??? hope a good moive or planes, and the b747-8 is the star??? and Mr. Ford of course.¿hey Bob you are fan of trilogy of “Airport”?
With Ford signed on, does that mean these aliens are the Indy IV aliens now? ;-)
I am looking forward to their reinvention of the Klingons in the next ST film.
You guyz should open an entertainment production company.
Team Darlton definitely gets my vote! :D
Perhaps, if the success continues, they will soon be able to afford to get a proper office each. ;-)
I’m actually more interested in Star Trek than whatever these guys are doing outside of Trek.
If they decide to pull their snouts out of the trough (Airport!) long enough, hopefully they’ll find the next (or current) Martin Brest to direct, bury their names in the credits with 28 un-named writers, make their 2 bits, and then settle in to do a good Trek movie.
Just as the music industry has had plenty of “one-hit wonders,” so too does the film/tv industry. These guys are no “one-hit wonders.” They’ve shown plenty of stamina, versatility and they know how to grab an audience. And they show no sign of slowing down. All the power to them!
next up – Ford to play a starfleet Admiral or Commodore Decker in Trek 2….and watch the overseas BO climb and climb…
Yeah, Ford in the next Trek! Admiral Solo, anyone?
Yes! I love the Airport trilogy. The Concorde Airport 79 is the best! Mr Alain Delon was fantastic!
So…..you guys finished that STXII script yet? *crickets*
How about a basic outline? *Car screeches away*.
Do these guys have time to STAR TREK????
14. Dee – April 13, 2010
Yes.
Star Trek is like dessert: There’s always room for it! :-)
At the same time, I’m very glad to see boborci confirm that!
Isn’t it said: When you want something done, give it to someone who has no time… and I’m sure all this activity keeps the guys out of trouble!
Any updates on sequel story status? Is it outlined yet?
Yes, their influential. But do they use it for any progress ? Nope. Thats why hollywood is still the most scariest place for most ordinary people to go to. As Kramer says at the end of the LA story arc in Seinfeld “L.A. is a cold place even in the middle of the summer”
So yea, having influence is one thing, but actually using that potential for something is completely different.
Should be called ‘The most Influential People who do nothing with it Poll’
I gotta stop bashing Time Magazine Polls or most articles that are written in that magazine.
bob-O! where ya been?
I like brad bird live directing mi3–cool–his pixar films are great
Why is Abrams so popular?
Yes he did a good job with Trek XI but his shows aren’t that remarkable.
Then again I must be the only peron who hates LOST.
Trek XI is a good movie but there is more Trek out there.
Bob Orci when are you and Alex going to work on Trek XII the patience is getting rather thin
24. We’re working on working on it:)
That picture makes them look like some kind of Indie boy band…haha, that’s acually a really funny though…..
the more I think about it the harder I laugh.
boborci why is it taking forever have both of you come up with the script or are you still working on it just wondering because after Trek XI I can’t wait for more the cast did a brilliant job in my opinion.
startrekkie – dude lay of The Orci! writing a star trek movie will take time to get right – coming up with ideas, thinking, trying to figure out to use Khan or not etc etc…. its VERY important they get the sequel right otherwise it could kill the series
Bob and Alex are going to have to come up with one of those truly GREAT sequels like Wrath of Khan, Empire, T2, Aliens, Superman II, Dark Knight etc…
you dont want to be going to see the next Star Trek V come summer 2012 do ya?
#28
Agreed! Even if the sequel gets pushed back til summer ’13 (which I think will end up happening because of various other projects many of the cast and crew want to do) it’ll be worth it if the script and story are great.
Better to take an extra year or two rather than rush out a half-assed piece of shit movie just because a few “Trekkies” demand it.
Star Trek is no longer being made just for Trekkies. Its being made for the general audience. It is the general audience that the sequel has to aim for. Because it is the general audience that determines whether a movie is a success(at least financially) or not.
It is the way things are being done from now on. There are no fixed timetables anymore. The cast and crew have the right to film the sequel when it suits their schedules, not ours. The days of having a Trek movie come out every two years are long gone. The days of studios pandering to the fans are over. Bob, J.J and Alex are not obligated in any way to writing and directing anymore sequels. They are doing it because they want to. And they have the right to do so on their own schedule.
At the end of the day, everyone has to accept the fact that a high quality sequel will take a lot of time and energy. Once everyone realizes this, we will all be better off.
# 29. While I agree that these guys should enjoy the attention their getting because they deserve it IMO (I mean be honest, if any of us were in their shoes wouldnt we be doing the same), 2013 simply would not be acceptable by any stretch. But I have a feeling that the SC already have some ideas that they are in agreement with as far as the sequel goes and if not, they will soon Im sure. And I also dont think asking Bob if he and Alex are done with the script and if so, give us a little teaser is going to go far for obvious reasons (he cant spill the beans).
# 29″The days of having a Trek movie come out every two years are long gone. The days of studios pandering to the fans are over.”
The hollywood studios will always pander to the fans if they think it will make a buck. But my answer to that and to long periods of time between Star Trek films is for the fans to take matters into their own hands, in other words make your own films, or stories, or whatever. You dont have to wait for anyone to entertain you or your friends. People like Bob and Alex and JJ are PRO’s, they know what their doing and they do it very well, but whos to say that the average fan cant learn the same skills?
Bob:
The music for the sequel will be a potent part of the mix in creating what I hope will be an emotionally impactful sequel.
Be interesting to hear Uhura sing a few lines of “Beyond Antares,” or better yet, make up some decent lyrics to the Star Trek theme and give us a brief situation where she sings a few lines of the theme…
(Gene Roddenberry actually did write lyrics for the Alexander Courage theme, although Courage criticized the tempo of the lyrics as ill matching what he wrote).
I loved the importation of modern music into the Star Trek universe in ST.09, and would welcome more of the same at every opportunity. Recall also the scene in Starship Troopers where Johnny Rico and Zander brawl over Carmen while Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” plays hauntingly in the background. Loved the feel of that scene.
no I don’t want the sequel to be the next Star Trek V
am I not allowed to find out the progress of the sequel philpot
32. dmduncan I think that would a good idea
beginning to wonder if JJ Abrams is too powerful?
36. neill
If he is, maybe he can do something about saving the world…
Does any writer ever just sit down at the keyboard and spontaneously bang out a masterpiece? We just have to be patient and “… have faith that the universe will unfold as it should…” The Supreme Court knows what it’s doing. How could anyone think otherwise?
39
Hopefully number 12 will have a stronger plot
39. Why did you think Star Trek didn’t have a stronger plot maybe they could throw in the klingons and Khan what do you think
Defintely no Khan, it would feel like a rehash which is becoming common ground even more so in Hollywood these days.
Don’t get me wrong I loved Star Trek XI but I felt it was a weaker story in comparsion to other movies. Nero was a weak villain but Eric Bana was good with what he had. But to me Khan and First Contact are stronger films.
It works a great fun movie and I am glad it is making Star Trek popular once again and I am pleased it is developing new fans who can go back and watch the Trek we love.
If Khan is done then I will feel that we are now rebooted just so we can do all the great stuff again rather than not worry about canon.
aren’t they in charge of what will happen in trek XII?
You don’t want the new Trek movies to feellike a cover band doing a greatest hits album anyway Boborci take your time guys.
@ 41 I think that star trek was about showing the crew coming together and the nero storyline was the b plot line
off course it was about the crew coming all together I liked the scene when Spock came onto the bridge at the end of the movie and asked Kirk to accept him as his first officer, what did you think of that scene? I hope to see more of the character moments in the sequel. Boborci I want the trio relationship fleshed out like in TOS and the banter between Bones and Spock and a great story hope you read this
Boborci, The franchise is in excellent hands! Please keep it original, no old crap. One question, why did you make Spock such an a&$hole in this film? The dead father card? I’m a huge quinto fan and I felt like I had to defend Spock after I took my youth group to see the movie.
#41
I don’t think using Khan in the next movie automatically means it would be a remake. Sure, Khan and his men would still be floating in space in the Botany Bay, but it isn’t neccessarily going to be the Enterprise that discovers him. And Khan won’t be the vengeful madman we saw in “Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan”. I get the sense that it will be Khan and/or Klingons in the sequel.
And besides, they’ve already recast the original characters, why can’t they do the same for Khan?
because some don’t want Khan in the sequel also who would fill the shoes of the late great Ricardo Montalban who was superb in the Space Seed episode and Wrath of Khan.
#49
No one was going to truly fill the shoes of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Yet new actors were hired to play the characters of Kirk, Spock and the others. The idea was to update the characters while staying true to their essence. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto will never own the roles like Shatner and Nimoy did, but they will bring new facets to their characters. The can be said with Khan. No one will replace Ricardo Montalban, but the right actor can do the character justice.