Yesterday we reported that Paramount shuffled around their 2011 production schedule, but was still sticking to their plan to release the Star Trek sequel in the Summer of 2012. Some have wondered if this release date is realistic, but producer (and possible director) JJ Abrams said today there are no plans to change the date. More below
Abrams: No Plans To Change Star Trek Sequel Release Date – Still Working On Script
JJ Abrams was in Las Vegas this week the CinemaCon exhibitor convention, helping Paramount promote his summer movie Super 8. While there ComingSoon asked the producer/director if he thought the June 29, 2012 release date for the Star Trek sequel was "realistic", Abrams replied:
"We’re working on the story. That’s probably more important than the release date at this point, but at the moment, we’re not going to change anything."
Here is video of Abrams comment:
A quick not on “story” vs. “script”. Before you get too worried, we have already reported here at TrekMovie that Abrams had signed off on the story for the sequel back in the fall of 2010, so in this case Abrams is talking more about the script itself. [UPDATE: Bob Orci notes in the comments below “In our worlds they are interchangeable”].
Countdown: 15 months to go
The Star Trek sequel is set to be released exactly 15 months from today. In that time Abrams will have to finish up post-production for Super 8 (due in theaters in June), and go through script approval/green-light/budget, pre-production, production and post-production on the Star Trek sequel…all on top of his other projects. With this kind of workload, it is understandable why some are wondering about the release date, especially with other big summer (and even some winter) 2012 projects already in pre-production or production.
However, it appears that the Abrams team and Paramount are not worried. TrekMovie sources all indicate that the studio is sticking to its plan, and yesterday’s report in Deadline (and Abrams comment today) all seem to back this up.
That being said, things can always change in Hollywood. We saw that yesterday with Moscow (Paramount’s other Chris Pine movie) and of course with the Abrams’ first Star Trek, which was moved from a Christmas 2008 release to May 2009. So stay tuned to TrekMovie for all the latest.
Producer/director J.J. Abrams attends the opening night gala during CinemaCon 2011 at The Colosseum of Caesars Palace on March 28, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (WireImage)
FULL SPEED AHEAD!
What is worrisome is that JJ says that they are still working on the STORY, not the script. To me that implies that there are major issues with the story itself, and I suspect it is the case the the script may be in complex flux until the basic storyline gets fixed.
I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Reminds me of when the TNG films were pushed through quick back in the 90’s. They went from script to screen in like nine months.
2. In our worlds,, they r interchangeable.
It is possible that when JJ Abrams says “story”, it is meant to be synonymous with “script”. A script is still the story. It might have something to do with, eg the design of the engineering section of the Enterprise (not much script there, I would think, but still very much part of the story).
Scotty and Bones are holding out on them. If they make too many changes, where could Scotty enjoy his real (not that synthenol stuff) scotch whiskey and play the bagpipes…:)? If he is learning to play “Amazing Grace”, hopefully it won’t be for the funeral of one of our beloved. Bones needs a place to stash his Saurian brandy away from sickbay. Kirk (just quietly) likes a beer or two.
Whatever the wait or how long it takes, it’s worth it. :)
@4 Thanks Bob for clarifying that — this provides me some relief that you guys may still make the schedule — COOL !!!!!
Well, he finished up the 2009 Star Trek months before release, so maybe now he’s planning to finish the 2012 Star Trek months after its scheduled release. That way it all averages out to be on schedule.
I’m not in the movie business, but I’m sure that’s how things work.
@6. No, 4 years between movies would SUCK
:-)
Bob
here’s an easy one to answer…..which is tougher for you from a writing standpoint……coming up with the first rough draft or the final version to be handed in for ultimate scrutiny?
@10 I would assume the first draft would be tougher. After all, how often is the final version of the script actually identical to the movie that audiences see?
Hey Bob Orci. A couple of days ago you reported you were 75% done. Where do you stand now. Don’t worry Bob. No more threghts of the Agoniser Booth.
I do hope that J.J Directs. I also don’t mind Lens flares. Trek2 also had Lens Flares.
I remember we all here complained about Trek 09 moving from dec to May. But in the end it was all worth it. But. There will be plenty of people on here ready and willing to complain. Just like a Ferengi.
Love the man’s work, but JJ Abrams still looks like a Weyoun clone to me!
So cool they are on Schedual
I think being patient here is the only thing we can do and keep tuning into Trekmovie for new news :)
Thank goodness they are on schedule so warp speed gentlemen no pressure:)
JJ is one of the more savvy guys working in Hollywood right now.
I gues, it will be winter 2012. If the 2012-prohphets are wrong, it will be a “treking star trek time”. great!
but summer 2012.even abrams is no superman, only a human being! ;)
Nov-Dec 2012. Less competition and more time to get it done. Trek right now is sandwhiched between Spidey and Batman, which doesn’t give it much time to have as long legs as the other flick had when it was released at the start of what turned out to be a very weak May.
Early Nov 2012 ala Potter-flicks. Capital idea, I say!
Erm, not quite sandwhiched between Spidey and Batman, but y’know what I mean, those two powerhouse franchise flicks are pretty close to Trek.
@20. Less competition??? There is actually more competition with the Hobbit Part 1 and Superman: Man of Steel coming out. Summer 2012 is actually a better situation, with the weak looking Spiderman reboot coming out, and Trek will have a 3-week release before Batman 3.
I fear Trek might be left as a sideline against The Hobbit Part 1 and the Superman Reboot.
@21. The Spdierman movie is not getting good buzz and they are going cheap on the budget for it. Plus, I don’t see allot of people getting excited about them already rebooting Spiderman. I see Trek owning the box office for 3 weeks until Batman 3 kicks off.
Let me see if I got this straight. The story was approved in fall of 2010. And according to Bob, scirpt and story are interchangeable. So if the script is completed this month; what was approved in 2010? Was it a treatment? And so what Damon and Bob did at the hotel, was to add McCoy’s funny one liners? :-) I wondered if the guys listened to the group of us that wanted more McCoy. I know that might interfere with the Spock-Uhura-Twilight demographic. I keeed.
Hey Bob Orci, ( @ 4) I forgot to ask this question. If you know a film you are writing is going to be released in 3D, does it affect the creation of the screenplay? For example, would you write scenes specifically for the 3D visual?
@25. BB, are you referring to “Ender’s Game?”
The big question is how do you out do the introductory scene that was done in the first film. Kirks entrance to the universe via the sacrificial death of his father was such powerful cinema.
@ 26 MJ
MJ, it’s a general question, though it’s more related to Star Trek. I’m assuming that Star Trek will be released in 3D. And I hope they expand the budget to allow it to be filmed in 3D. I’m guessing that no one can talk about Star Trek being released in 3D at this time. So if Bob has any ideas on how 3D might effect the writing process, I’d be curious to know.
Great news! I really hope JJ returns to direct.
28. Basement
I think that’s a fair question (and I’m no expert by any stretch), but I wonder to what degree a writer would write specific bits related to the visual aspects of the film. I might venture a guess that a script could say something like, “the villain begins flinging shuriken-like objects at Kirk’s head,” and then the director and the visual dept. would determine what that would look like in 3d. So, I’m thinking the writers would just write their story the way they have to write it. On the other hand — and just for the sake of the conversation — if we concluded that the script-writing was taking longer than it typically would, perhaps the writers did have to back-step a bit to take the 3d aspect into account.
On a personal note, I was hoping Trek would not go the way of 3d. It probably will, but I have found 3d to be a bit of a distraction. And if it’s not filmed in 3d, it’s even worse cos I’m too busy noticing things I don’t like about “fake” 3d. Just my 2c.
Bob Orci — This is all fine and well, but throw us a bone. Klingons? Chicks for Kirk? Any double red alerts?? Something, pleeeeease. I can’t wait 15 months….
Peeps, relax.
Abramorci’s references to story/script are a good sign, not worrisome at all.
It’s the scripts that DON’T pay close attention to story that well and truly suck in the end.
Good screenwriters don’t simply come up with a plot and then follow it blindly to the polished final draft; they tweak and trim and adjust as they go along.
I told Bob to use celtx! But noooo Final Draft all the way! Now look.
They could pump this movie out in 5 months if they had too. No problem.
=A=
lol, these threads. :) I love them.
*fast forward three days from now*
Headline: 78% Done With the Script, Bob Orci Says
Taking ……tooo…. LOOOONG!!!
We need a tv show in the meantime! (USS KELVIN- prequel.)
If Trek XII is anywhere near as good as the first, I will go see it a fistful of times at the theatre. Then, when TDKR is released, I’ll do the same with that. When I like a movie that is best seen on the big screen, I’ll go see it several times before it leaves the theatres. I’ve done that with every Trek and good Batman film. I even saw NEM a few times hoping my opinion would improve but it took longer. Now I appreciate a few of the bright spots in an over all disappointing film – the one that killed TNG. Damn you, Baird!!
It will be Christmas 2012…and it should be – with the exception of 2009’s Star Trek and Star Trek: Insurrection, Trek movies have always faired better at Christmas than in the summer. The only problem with that winter date would be competing against Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.
As cool as a 12/12/12 release would be, I’m hoping the June date stands because this long wait is a killer.
@38. Trek 09, a summer movie, was the highest grossing Trek movie of all time.
@40 She did point that out – “with the exception of 2009’s Star Trek…”
I’ve been curious for the longest if it’s as hard as I think it is to write McCoy and Uhura into the action because of their “boring” specialties.
23-24: I would say that Spidey is such a big brand that regardless of if it’s been too soon since the last flick it’s still a giant juggernaut hand-over-fist franchise. Anyway, I always see a huge disconnect between Internet buzz and actual honest-to-God real people reactions. As for the “reboot” aspect, I just hope the filmmakers keep it quick, like a credits scene, but I have no idea how that’ll be handled. But I highly doubt it’ll be as much screentime as the original Spidey flick. Personally speaking, I think the assembled talent for this movie: Director Marc Webb, and fantastic leads like Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, makes it a big one I’m looking forward to.
All that being said and regardless that the idea to make the flick was inspired by dollars and cents (which is fine by me, I’m a huge Spidey geek and they should keep making them for years ala Bond franchise), I think Spider-Man has more box office pull than Trek, esp. if you compare the overseas grosses of their respective movies.
Which leads back to the late 2012 idea. I’m practically certain that Supes and Hobbit are dec. 2012 releases. But films released in Nov. do perfectly fine, check out the last few Potter flicks that were Nov films and they were powerhoses. Put Trek out, like, the first week of Nov to kick off the winter-blockbuster season, and it’ll have free reign for basically a month (it may slug it out with Bond a bit, but that’s cool).
Damnit, rvp, I’m a doctor, not a kirk fu martial artist!
I said… wasn’t it? … LOL and +LOL!
:-) :-)
I’m relaxed … as a cup cake! … +LOL!
:-) :-)
Exactly, Daoud. His catchphrase is basically “I’m a doctor, not whatever professional could be really useful right now!”
At least they can show him running about trying to save people in a random emergency (even though he mostly just like to stand on the bridge, where he’s no use at all). Must be harder to write for Uhura. TRANSLATING THINGS FURIOUSLY!!
I think it is great that they are still working on the story! This way there is still time to include Shatner and Nimoy as Prime Kirk and Spock into the plot :)
#47
Keep dreaming.
@#14- Weyoun clone, LOL!
I got a really stupid yet fun idea for ya Bob, how about for the fun of it, you film yourselves continuing to write the script, and at the end of filming that, you edit the video where it speeds up through the whole process of writing the script with the Benny Hill theme playing. Might be something worthwhile to pass the time. Then again, it DOES sound like a stupid thing to do…. ah well.