On thing that seems to be a consensus with fans is that they want to see more of Karl Urban’s McCoy in the Star Trek sequel, currently being written. In a new interview promoting his upcoming film RED, Urban talked about his thoughts on the Star Trek sequel, and also if he would consider doing more than just three Star Trek films. Excerpts below.
Karl Urban on the Star Trek sequel and beyond
Regarding the Star Trek sequel, Karl Urban told Collider that he hasn’t seen a script and he has "no idea" what is going to happen to his character of McCoy, but noted:
I just know it is going to be good. I am really looking forward to getting onboard that one. And I feel now that we have introduced all these great characters and it is just going to be really interesting to see where we can take it.
Urban also demurs on making requests to the film makers on what he wants for his character, noting
I kind of think…you know, I kind of think they are geniuses. We should just let them do what they do. Officially bestow a genius label on them and just let them do it. You know, I’ve just got full faith that whatever they come up with is going to equal and surpass the first installment.
Regarding the future of Trek he confirmed that he is signed on for two sequels and then talked about if he would consider doing more after that:
Well, I mean that is entirely dependent, I guess, on…You know, like anything, whether you are in a long running TV show or a play, if you are running out of new territory or new gold to mine, then sure, that could potentially stagnate. But the thing, specifically, about Trek is you can have a look at who is involved. I mean, you know, J.J., and Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman are all incredibly creative. So I’ve got faith in them. If it goes beyond three, then, you know, I’d go for it.
Urban happy to leave fate of McCoy in hands of Abrams and the writers
There is much more from Karl on his new role in RED and more, so read the rest of the Collider Interview
RED opens October 15th, and if you missed it, here is the first trailer.
POLL: Who should get the most screen time (after Kirk and Spock)?
It should be expected that like the first Star Trek movie, Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) will get the most screen time in the sequel. So of the remaining cast of characters, who do you think should get the most screen time?
[poll=603]
sounds good to me
Awww Karl wasnt in the commercial that much except towards the end.
I loved Urban in Star Trek he was super I am looking forward to seeing where they take his McCoy in the sequel
i really admire Karl. He’s a very good actor. Sadly his character was HUGELY under-used in trek 09′.
Karl Urban sounds like a team player, an intelligent fellow and all-around nice guy!
He was GREAT as McCoy!
Karl was great. I would love to see him get the chance to play the other side of McCoy as well, the slightly more laid back McCoy we got to see at times, with the sly smile and wit, relishing in all that is ‘human’.
Pissed off McCoy is great, but there is more to him than that :)
I hope they have his daughter, Joanna in this next one to show another side of McCoy. Give him more good scenes like in the shuttlecraft when he’s introduced for the first time. Of course I want to see more McCoy as Kirk’s moral compass in the next one too…
more Bones and Scotty, less Kirk and Spock
What #8 said, but underlined, boldfaced, italicized, with little cartoon arrows pointing towards it, some squiggly lines radiating from it that might represent … I dunno, like energy or something psychic or made of confetti, or psychic confetti … and a distracted doodle of a rocketship off to the side.
The writers should make Scotty a bit more mature in the next film. In TOS he was the number 3 on the Enterprise and always proofed to be comfortable with command, calm and insightful in moments of crisis (with the one exception of the tribbles). He seemed to be the go to guy for the juniors of the ship. The new Scotty needs to show those same qualities.
He was the best because he was the closest to the original. He evoked De Kelley
I agree with Eric #8 (shocking that one Eric would agree with another, I know). I thought Scotty in Strek Trek (2009) was too much like comic relief. Scotty in TOS was good for some laughs now and then, but not like he was in the new movie.
Mature is a good word. You wouldn’t have seen Scotty on TOS laughing and cheering when he beamed Kirk, Pike, and Spock aboard. Just tone down the character a bit.
It’s funny how cool he sounds because he’s played some serious bad asses on film. ACTING!
12 – Well, Scotty had “never beamed two targets to one pad before”. Or something like that. grin
I agree, Scotty could dish it out in the original and he wasn’t so wired up. I think they need to give Scotty/Pegg big challenges he has to overcome. Some of original Scotty’s challenges lasted the entire episode.
Urban needs more screen time to evolve McCoy even further. I want to see some of that banter that the triad had.
Following Kirk & Spock, who should get the most screen time in Star Trek sequel?
McCoy of course! He, Kirk and Spock are for me the three main characters with the most interesting personalities. The other characters are supporting characters and should have a smaller role with less screen time.
Yes more McCoy and also, with lots of hints and nods to elements from the original series please!!!!
Urban’s McCoy and Greenwood’s Pike were the standout performances of Star Trek 09.
Film is not the best medium for Star Trek IMO. For one, a series has time to develop characters and stories. Even though TOS only lasted 79 episodes, that’s 79 hours devoted to stories and character development. There is no way they (the writers) can sufficiently show enough screen time even for the big three (Kirk, Spock, McCoy) to do them justice.
18- Yeah I would love to see this Trek crew get a new TV series. Don’t see why it’s not possible- that’s JJ’s strong medium.
It will go past three, Karl. So get your signing pen ready!
Oh man. I can’t choose between Bones and Scotty in that poll.
I absolutely loved the new Trek. I have zero doubt in my mind that whatever they concoct it’s going to live up to the bar the first one set. I can’t wait for it!
The word concoct looks funny.
Karl Urban was a class act in every minute of the new movie.
How about a TV series or miniseries of the Frontier Doctor comics starring Mr. Urban as McCoy? Heck, any new Trek on TV would be better than nothing. Live-action, animated, ANYTHING!!! C’mon, Paramount, we’re starving for new Trek here!
I like to learn more about Bones McCoy before Star fleet ,and Let’s the rest of the cast shine too.
I really did like Urban as McCoy. I do agree with others that he should have an increased presence in the next movie.
A thought about Scotty: consider how long he was stuck (exiled?) to that outpost. His exuberance could be a consequence of his suddenly being thrust into an incredible situation. It could all be summed up in his line:
“I like this ship! I mean, it’s exciting!”
That said, I would like to see Scotty have a little more serious streak. Someone who could keep his cool in a tense situation, and could take over the center seat if needed.
Whilst I am very much wanting to see much more of mcCoy in place of Uhura, I think the complaints about “how Scotty acted in TOS” to be rather curious.
Fact is these characters aren’t the TOS characters. They are alternate versions of those characters. Since we are all the sum of our experiences why does Pegg’s Scotty have to be indentical to Doohan’s? By the time Pine Kirk is in mid thirties he’ll be somewhat different to Shatner Kirk.
I tend to look at the new Trek universe as sufficiently divergent that while the characters have similar parentage, they don’t have to be the exact same people. All it takes is for a different sperm to fertilise an egg to create a different person. So maybe (to reference Red Dwarf) the characters in the new Trek universe are sperms-in-law of the originals!
I think Stephen Hawking said travel into the past is only possible if you go to the past of a different universe. That’s how I approach ST09: Spock and the Narada fell through the black hole into a different universe with a lot of superficial similarities to the original Star Trek one.
Hence Karl Urban gives us a wonderful evocation of the original actor, while taking the character in his own direction. Non-Trek fans, in particular, often obsess about the Kirk-Spock dynamic, but completely fail to see that the true dynamic is three ways. McCoy might not have been intended to be part of a trio, but thanks in part to to Deforest Kelley’s beautifully unselfish portrayal, he became possibly the key character in the original show.
Indeed, I disagree with a post above saying that Star Trek isn’t suited to the cinema. The original characters are so strong and well drawn that they can instantly establish themselves without need for origin stories and endless backstory exposition. Kirk, Spock and McCoy are pretty much there and in tune with their future characterisation from the start of The Corbomite Maneuver. TNG and it’s spinoffs didn’t have that quality, which isn’t a criticism, but simply an acceptance that they’re different conceptually and don’t belong anywhere near the cinema.
adding my voice to umptin-thousand already on here….
I to think that Karl was underused. He is a terrific actor, and did justice to McCoy. I am waiting with baited breath to see if they give him more screen time in number 12. (By the way…sorry about my baited breath, it kinda reeks doesn’t it)
and for #28….I’m with ya brother, keep the movies coming
#27, please don’t take my comments of Pegg/Scotty as criticism, i really enjoyed his character and continue to be overjoyed by how these actors were able to take on those iconic roles. That being said, i only hope that Scotty isn’t simply going to be used for comic relief. “Oh we need a joke, enter Pegg.” The fact is even in an alternate universe these actors are still carrying on the mantle, the spirit of the originals. It is understandable that Scotty would have some youthful exuberance in the first movie, all i am saying is i hope the writers evolve his character into a more mature character that will invoke Doohan’s presence in being a reliable, stable element when a crisis erupts. The TOS Scotty always reminded me on a WWII seasoned old company sergeant that kept the men inline.
Karl Urban should get MORE screen time than Pine / Quinto!! He KICKS ASS!!
I am encouraged by the poll results. Kirk, Spock, and MCCOY. Duh!
From the marketing of the first movie, it seemed to me to be Kirk Spock and Uhura. That’s all well and good for demographic purposes, but Big Three please.
Karl Urban portrayed McCoy with excellence. He did Deforest Kelley without copying Deforest Kelley.
Karl Urban’s McCoy was spot-on, without being a cheap impression of DeForest Kelley. A real tightrope of a challenge, and he walked it gracefully. I think Kelley would be proud.
Here’s hoping we see more of Bones in the next movie. There were times during the new movie when I heard him and Pine or Quinto and their exchanges and it felt like 1966 all over again!
Talk about time travel…
I don’t want to see Kirk, Spock , or McCoy emphasized above the others. it has gotten stale and boring as hell. Emphasis on ALL characters working in tandem to achieve whatever mission would be nice for THIS universe. Why are people so stuck on doing the same things over and over again? These new actors, while great performers, just don’t have the same chemistry as the old crew did. Has anyone ever thought that these interactions between these new people may come out looking ingenuine or forced, and that maybe it’s time for some new dynamics to emerge? Something tells me that the sequel is going to jump right back in with the same tired bullsh*t; complete with a re-make of an old TOS episode. Talk about unoriginal
@18
Totally agree. There’s only so much you can do with characters in a two hour movie that comes out once every two or three years. You can do some overt things, but it simply takes more hours (e.g., a TV series) to develop the subtleties.
I echo the comments that Bones and Pike (and Faran Tahir as Cap. Robau–he rocked!) gave some very strong performances. A credit to JJ for coaxing out good performances and to the actors for their craft.
As I’ve said many times in my posts, while I wish Trek would come back to TV, I’ll take any Trek Paramount will hand out, however miserly that might be!
the first film did focus on the love triangle not the big three…
Karl Urban has the chance to be as good as DeForrest Kelley, the original McCoy. All the other actors are great in their roles, but none can evoke the memories of the original like Urban did. Its almost like a part of DeForrest Kelley’s ‘acting katra’ found its way into Karl Urban.
More McCoy in the sequel please!
#28: “The original characters are so strong and well drawn that they can instantly establish themselves without need for origin stories and endless backstory exposition.”
In TOS, we learned the characters through their challenges, choices, conflicts and interactions, not “origin stories and endless backstory exposition.”
My mantra for the new film has been (and will continue to be): if you do just one thing new this time, please challenge the characters, challenge them as people. Even just a tiny bit would make such a huge difference.
when harve bennett made TWOK he went back and watched all of TOS and discovered the triad that existed. it was this triad that made the series.
mccoy represented the human emotional side while spock was obviously the logical side. kirk was the balance between the two and he drew on the strengths of these individuals equally.
equal parts for kirk spock and mccoy please. just like it should be.
Urban was the best of the lot in the latest movie! I’m sure Mr. Orci has noticed the poll :)
Karl Urban is a great actor, but I want more Uhura. :)
“Hey Jim, I am a doctor, and … it’s a First Contact situation, not a hospital!”
Heck, it just registered with my lame brain that Karl spells his name with a K instead of a C after what, 3 years? No matter, loved his work in the first JJ Trek and hope to see more of him in the next ST’s for sure.
Looks like he did more good work in his latest film (RED) so good on him.
He seems like a real nice guy and was a fan before getting the role if you believe the PR hype. Good luck to KU.
39 love that about De’s Katra..spot on!
I am excited for Star Trek XII but I have to admit each I hear a Khan redo sounding more likely I have to admit a little of my enthusiam does go away.
I know it will be a good film but must they put the next one in the shadow of such a great movie?
I must be the only person, who although likes the new movie, is not a fan of JJ Abrams.
#27–The writers of Star Trek (2009) have noted that while this may be a new universe, the characters at their core are the same as those in the prime universe. I agree that they can do some different things with the characters and maybe change some of the attitudes. But deep down, their personalities would be the same. I agree with #31. It really would be a waste of an actor and character if Pegg were relegated to simple comic relief who occassionally fixes something. He can be funny, a genius who can create antimatter from cardboard, and tough as nails at the same time.
Karl Urban was definetely the best of the actors to play one of the original characters. Really, all the actors did very well, and I noticed even many critics of the film acknowlege the actors took to their roles. But Urban definetly was able to harness the strengths of DeForest Kelley without being mocking. That differs from Yelchin, who’s forced Russian accent seemed to mock Walter Koenig (Yelchin is another actor who could use a little development in the next film, and maybe tone down the accent a notch or two). I also agree that Greenwood as Pike did an excellent job.
Many have said it before, and I won’t belabor it. The Kirk-Spock-McCoy friendship/family is critical in any Star Trek universe. They are the core.
#36
Some of us will never consider interactions among characters that are meant to represent archtypal aspects of humanity (logic/emotion/bridge between) to be “boring as hell”. Those three characters made an impact and still do because of the genius behind their conception. Emphasis on ensemble casts always have trouble giving all characters adequate screentime to develop depth. It is hard to balance in a television show, let alone a two hour movie. If they try to develop all these characters completely, we will leave the theater feeling we know none of them. Give the supporting characters a few juicy scenes, but keep the emphasis on the big three Kirk.Spock and McCoy. There is a reason they decided to reboot TOS…and I doubt it was because it was “stale and boring as hell.”
Do I have to say it?
Get Trek back on TV.