William Shatner Reveals More Details On “Captains” Documentary + Talks Star Trek V

shat-london10Star Trek’s original Kirk attended the London Comic Con over the weekend and in between autograph signings yesterday he did a Q&A to a group of around 500 enthusiastic fans. His talked included some interesting details on his new "The Captain" documentary as well as some discussion of Star Trek V. Details below.

 

Shatner talks "Captains" doc and Star Trek V at London Comic Con

Con Report submitted by Mike Thompson

Topics for William Shatner’s London Comic Con Q&A ranged from his current projects, to Boston Legal to The Twilight Zone, and of course Star Trek. Early on Shatner spoke about his new "The Captains" documentary which he is directing and has him sitting down doing interviews with each of Star Trek’s captains. Shatner confirmed that he just recently shot the interviews with Sir Patrick Stewart and with Avery Brooks (which completes the set of Star Trek captains as he had previously done his interviews with Scott Bakula and Kate Mulgrew).

Shatner described Brooks as “the most intelligent captain”, describing his visit to Brooks’ home and how he was surprised to learn that Avery is a Jazz musician and teacher. Because of this, Shatner asked Brooks if he would provide background piano jazz music for documentary and Brooks agreed.

A fan asked if Leonard Nimoy would be involved in the "Captains" documentary and after joking "Leonard? There is no money in it?", Shatner said he hoped to do something with Leonard at the Las Vegas Star Trek convention in August.

When asked who is favorite captain was, he said they were all "wonderful" and then said that Patrick Stewart was "the classiest", Avery Brooks (in addition to being the "most intelligent") was "kind of strange", but then joked that since Kate Mulgrew was the only woman, she was his favorite.


William Shatner at London Comic Con 2010 (Elaine F11 TwitPic)

The subject of Shatner’s Star Trek directing of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier came up as well. A fan asked if Star Trek V was his favorite Trek movie. Shatner actually laughed and admitted it "wasn’t too good" which he attributed to outside pressure and how he was forced to compromise his original story. He also talked about how the ending didn’t work because the "rock monsters" got cut to do budget, noting that he didn’t handle the budget well and the whole experience was a "difficult time" for him personally.

Unfortunately the topics of Free Enterprise 2 and the new JJ Abrams Star Trek movie didn’t com up but there was a fun moment when a fan asked him to do his famous Star Trek II "KHAAAAAN!" yell. Shatner laughed and asked "Oh, no – can’t I do a ‘Denny Crane’?", after which he did the softest, gentlest, "Khaaaaaaaaan… where are you, Khaaan?"


William Shatner at London Comic Con 2010 (Elaine F11 TwitPic)

 

 

POLL: Should “Captains” doc include Pine?

So Shatner has revealed that his new “The Captains” documentary will include talks with Star Trek’s TV captains Patrick Stewart (TNG), Avery Brooks (DS9), Kate Mulgrew (Voyager) and Scott Bakula (Enterprise). And apparently he is going to also include Leonard Nimoy, who was a captain in the Star Trek movies. But what about Star Trek’s newest captain, Chris Pine? Is this doc incomplete without the new Captain Kirk being interviewed by the original Captain Kirk?

[poll=605]

 

 

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TFF remastered, please!!!!

Will Shat ever sit down & watch an episode of TNG, DS9, VOY or ENT now that he’s directing a film about these Captains? I have a hunch he’ll find a way out of it. . . .

Yay for choosing Kate (even if it’s a joke)! :-D

Did he interview Chris Pine, too?

I think he should have interviewed Chris Pine as well. Would be interesting to see the two of them sitting down and chatting about Shatner’s Kirk compared to Pine’s Kirk.

Yeah, I think it would’ve been very interesting if he interviewed Chris Pine. In fact, he really SHOULD!

He should interview Chris, and Nimoy I suppose, maybe even Sulu????

If Shat’s molecules move any more, there’ll be two of him.

#4

As much as I enjoyed the Star Trek 2009 movie & Chris Pine’s performance, there is no way I would consider that movie cannon so why interview Pine? No offense to Pine at all. It was a great action flick I’ve seen 5 times at the movies, but to not stress the point that they are indeed in an alternate universe (again) as opposed to an “alternate reality” as mentioned in the movie doesn’t cut it for me. Also to boot he only commanded the enterprise the last half of the movie & officially 5 minutes before the ending credits. The only alternate universe I recognize is the infamous “Mirror universe” as recognized by TOS, DS9 & ENT. I think the Shat recognizes this as well & I’m in full agreement with him. As far as I’m concerned all that was cannon in that movie was that Romulus exploded & Spock & some mining ship got sucked into a black hole. That’s all. Sorry.

Agreed. The documentary is incomplete unless he interviews Pine.

Can’t wait to see what he will do Leonard at the Vegas con in two weeks.

Anyone else here going?

Can’t wait to see this documentary.

Why do people attack this man and make him sound like the worlds worst person? Clearly he is not. Nimoy is out because there is no money in it?!!! Figures. Nimoy is only interested in trek if it comes in a paycheck. How sad!

Chris Pine does NOT belong on this project. Not interested in seeing the pretty boy, more interested in seeing real “Trek”.

You just got an interview with the real Captain Kirk.

As for Star Trek V, let it go people. I can’t believe how people have made this an anchor around Shatners neck for over 20+ years. Let it go! Not ever Trek movie is going to be great. You get a few duds (INS, NEM, ST(2009) and STIII are not that great.

Whenever I see Shatner doing an interview there has to be one clown that brings up STV. It is amazing Shatner still does conventions etc with such hostility.

Wasn’t Bill in the UK just a couple of weeks back to interview Sir Patrick? And here he is back again. Does he ever find time to sleep?
Amazing stamina he must have and it sounds like he was good value for the attending fans.

#12

Well Said Roger!

There was nothing to say about “Free Enterprise II” because it’s not happening……

Since people want to talk about it…i added poll on Chris Pine in CAPTAINS doc

12

The movie is real Trek. Get over yourself.

I think he actually mentioned he’s trying to get Chris Pine for the Captain’s project as well if I understood correctly. Can somebody who was also there confirm that?

LOL i tried voting Yes on the poll and it keeps putting a popup saying ‘Please choose a valid poll answer’

Shatner is the man.

No way Pine should be on that. Nothing against the guy and he did a good job but he’s been in one film and only worked for what? A few months on it and then some pr for the release? He’s not experienced much of Trek at all whereas the others all have varying years and decades for The Shat and Patrick Stewart of working on the shows and films along with cons, appearances and experiences of fan interactions and what the show means to so many that they totally get and appreciate that end of things.

If he does a few more films and experiences more of Trek, not just on the soundstage, fire away but after one film? Not for me. Out of the new cast I think Pegg, Quinto and Urban are the only ones who know how much it means. Thats not a dig on the new cast now mind, no doubt they will over time, but it’s way too soon after one film.

Off course he should interview Chris I don’t see any problem with that

@ 19: Yup, I was there too and he said he was going to interview Chris Pine, so case closed.

I’d LOVE to see Shatner and Pine sit down and talk. From what I’ve seen of Pine’s interviews, I think it would be a fascinating interview . . .

#19 Yes, I was there too and he did say Chris Pine will be interviewed when he gets back to the states. I loved the talk!!!

Love all the Captains, but Avery Brooks still one of my favorite. Great actor, great musician. Can’t wait for “The Captains” Documentary.

The length of time Pine has spent as Kirk should have nothing to do with his qualifications for an interview. He’s a Trek captain after all, and that’s who Shatner is interviewing. It could be the most interesting interview of them all, since they both played the same character. Wanting him excluded is just petty.

hmm, it could just be the photograph and/or the clothes he is wearing, but it seems to me Shatner has lost some weight.

I wonder if that means he is trying to shed a few pounds in expectation for a little role in the next movie.

I don’t think Pine should be in it either, because I’m also a big, fat crybaby.

Sounds like Shatner has taken a pretty philosophic attitude about ST V. I still think it’s a better film than many people give it credit. It’s good that Shatner can keep a sense of humor about his losses as well as his successes.

Hopefully Shatner does get Pine. Aside from a very brief hello at Shatner’s charity horse show last year, the two men have not been seen together. But remember, Shatner also did not know Patrick Stewart (aside from brief greetings) until after TNG ended! They’ve been friends ever since, and I suspect the same will be true of Shatner and Pine, once they actually sit down and talk.

No objections to Pine being in it but Pine has only ever appeared in 2 hours of Star Trek, the rest have appeared in 80 hours, and four years work at the very least.

I don’t think he should. His rank was captain for 5 minuets in the movie. Also, there is very little material available about the Prime Kirk, and Chris probably does not have a lot of experience being Kirk.

Re: pine

I am trying to confirm if he is in doc. Hopefully have update soon

Hey, if they let Robert Wise finish THE MOTION PICTURE maybe they should let Shatner finish THE FINAL FRONTIER. It can’t get worse, can it?

It’s pretty much a guarantee that the interviews will be focused on the actors who played Captains, not the fictional Captains themselves. Therefore, Pine, who certainly has had his life changed by the experience of playing Captain Kirk, is just as eligible as the rest.

…And would he do James Cawley, if given the chance? The Phase II/New Voyages Captain Kirk? I think he should – the man’s earned at least that.

It would be nice to have Bruce Greenwood. He did take on the role of ‘the first captain’ – sadly Jeffrey Hunter isn’t around to be interviewed…

He may only have been in the latest movie, and not had much screen time, but Bruce brought a nice gravitas and sense of authority to the role. You could really *feel* he was a good captain.

First I didn’t see any reason to interview Pine. We already had Captain Kirk represented. But after reading some posts here and thinking about it, I believe it would be interesting indeed, to compare their approaches and takes. Pine may give us some insight on his character and Shatner could possibly give him some and we could learn something about both. This is the last time I let any of you change my mind. But then again…

Pine should be interviewed because he’s accorded the status of adult-age main character Trek captain — regardless of how long he’s on screen as such. The reason is that, from now on, it is the intention of the Trek franchise to treat him as the successor actor in the role of Captain Kirk. That’s CAPTAIN KIRK, and not just any captain. You can’t get any larger Trek captain than that. (Note that he plays the adult Captain Kirk, unlike the actor who played Kirk as a child, or, where there would be interviews with actor who played Trek first officers, actors who played Spock, for example, solely as an infant or child, who wouldn’t be included in such interviews.)

Dissing Pine, therefore, would in a way be dissing Kirk.

For all the complaints about the Final Frontier, it’s good to see that even Shatner knows the problems with it, and his direction. It’s just a shame Paramount have no interest in letting him make amends/a director’s cut with the film.

It’s a bigger shame that the fans won’t let go.

I also want to praise Mr. Shatner for his insights about the various Trek captains, and particularly about Sisko.

I want to comment on this from the perspective of the actor. I’ve always felt that Avery Brooks’ portrayal of Captain Sisko was possibly the most nuanced of any, even though Brooks, like Shatner, can overact at times. Brooks “evolved” his character throughout the series effectively and believably. Compare, for example, the Captain Sisko of the first episode with the Sisko of “For the Uniform” and “In the Pale Moonlight.” Sisko is almost unrecognizable, even though he’s clearly the same character, because Brooks transformed his portrayal to correspond with the events that occurred to him.

In like manner, Bakula’s Archer also changed, although I think that for whatever reason, Archer changed too abruptly for my taste.

Part of the reason that Sisko appears to be the most intelligent captain, or at least one of the most, is that Brooks portrayed him so credibly.

I think that Shatner’s comments demonstrate that he, himself, is quite intelligent in understanding the characters in Trek, much to his credit.

# 22 Colonel West

Why does the “amount” of time he’s been working in Trek have any relevance to the fact that he *is* a Capt.? That’s Bill’s title “The Captains.” Just curious.

My 1st thought was “Wait a sec. Chris – and Bill – *are* Capt. Kirk! And while I LOVE Chris Pine and would love to see him in it – Isn’t that rather redundant??

BUT…

# 19 stef, # 24 John Pearse, & # 26 TK

WooHoo!! Thanks for that info. that Bill is indeed going to interview Chris! I too would LOVE to see an interview between the two. They both have a lot of similar characteristics!

I was a little disappointed in the clip where Chris walked up and met Bill for the 1st time. It almost seemed like Bill didn’t know who he was or something strange. But it was a short clip too so not the whole pic. there.

I’m just upset that it’s only being released in Canada. =( Any northern friends need a US pen pal? *gRiN* =D

Cheers! And Happy Trekking! =)

Seriously, why can’t CBS-D spend a little money on Star Trek V to sell more DVDs and Blue-rays?

He has a psychological block about ST09. He doesn’t want anyone else to be Kirk. That’s why he’s snubbed the film and Pine. He’s admitted before that he’s afraid of dying. ST09 represents the end of his portrayal of Kirk. That must hurt.

I’d love to see the Pine interview, the fact that he’s new to it all and that it is Shatner interviewing him makes it the most appealing to me. I’m also looking forward to the Brooks interview as well as I’ve rarely seen him talk about Star Trek.

I think the reason Spock didn’t fight to correct the timeline after he arrived is because he recognized right away that it was not his own past, but the past of an alternate universe. So he stayed and tried to make sure it developed along as natural a course (and similar to his own) as it could after the incursion from his own future. Obviously the older Spock could not be the same Spock as the younger since things are happening differently as well. All indicators point to a completely different universe and not just an alternate timeline.

If going with movie captains and including Nimoy, then what about Takei?

The real Kirk making the movie, why would we need Captain DressedasKirkforhaloween.