This week the official TrekMovie podcast focuses the latest in Trek happenings since the big Star Trek Las Vegas convention. Join Brian, Jared, and Matt as they discuss.
Shuttle Pod 57: ‘Disco’ Spock and a Chris Crisis
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Spock in Discovery
Probably the biggest news in the last few weeks was that Ethan Peck was announced as Spock in Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery. We discuss our thoughts on the casting, and just how much we’ll actually see Spock this season.
A Chris crisis
The next big piece of news is “The Chris Crisis,” Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth are threatening to walk away from the next Kelvin universe movie. Paramount wants to renegotiate their salaries to help control costs for the fourth film. We discuss what that might mean and the options Paramount has to try and handle the situation.
Plus a few other smaller news items discussed on Shuttle Pod 57:
CBS All Access finally gets surround sound support on select devices:
- Apple TV Gen. 4 + 4K (tvOS)
- Apple TV Gen. 3 (Legacy)
- Roku
- Chromecast
- Fire TV (Gen. 2+)
- Android TV
Back in January CBS partnered with Amazon to let Prime users subscribe directly to All Access via Amazon Prime Video. Initially, the only version you could subscribe to was the $9.99/month tier without any advertisements. They promised that eventually the less expensive $5.99/month tier that includes some advertisements would be made available for Prime Video users. The new lower-priced tier launched on Monday.
Also, be sure to check out Star Trek: Lost Scenes from Titan Books, it’s an excellent book looking at TOS production, deleted scenes, alternate takes, and more. It’s packed with hundreds of never-before-seen restored photos. From the team behind StarTrekHistory.com. We highly recommend it for Original Series fans and fans of Trek history.
Glad to see that CBSAA finally joined the 21st century with streaming surround sound. Oh wait, they don’t do it for consoles yet. . . Glad to see CBSAA streams in 4k HDR oh wait they don’t. You’d think they would have fixed these problems by now. It’s been out since 2015.
@Snugglepuffxiz — there’s no need for 4K since Trek is shot and completed in 1080p. So far there’s no other series on CBSAA that would benefit from 4K either. It’s a lot of bandwidth to juggle for a startup streaming network, and could potentially provide a worse experience for those just signing up for it, depending on their internet bandwidth. I agree about HDR, as both Netflix and Apple support it on 1080p. That would make a huge difference on a show this dark, but again, the number of subscribers with an HDR, much less DV, capable TV is minor compared to the bandwidth required to stream it. Netflix charges more to get 4K HDR service, so it makes perfect sense for CBSAA not to offer it themselves at this point as they try to attract subscribers, more than two tiers of pricing might get confusing. Netflix offers it in HDR so I really hope Amazon will offer it in HDR this Fall. So far they offer none of their content in HDR for 1080p streams — talk about being behind the times, and Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world …
It’s great listening to my fellow Trekkers discussing Star Trek news, etc.
I wish I could respond, or give my own feedback. Being the Trek Historian/encyclopedia/accused know-it-all that I am I have to say; for the most part- you guys know your Trek, but I think the only thing your missing in the podcast is: ME. I can bring you all an additional level of entertaining expertise that won’t geek you out, but will complete your circle.
Thanks for your news, and the heads up on the website startrekhistory.com
LOL! I’m sure lots of people around here think the same thing about themselves. Instead of posting a funny comment about how Trek-smart and entertaining you are, you should have posted a comment that demonstrated either Trek smarts or entertainment.
If you want to respond or give feedback, do so. Right here. In the comment section that exists for that EXACT purpose.
Sadly startrekhistory is flash based, so no-go for me. The book sounds great though.
They resorted to Flash some years ago to protect the restorations from being scraped. Not sure why that’s a no-go. Use Chrome and selectively enable Flash for their website. It’s a single, safe, website with no adverts.
Jared, I totally agree with you about Star Trek III! Yes, it is the most influential movie on Star Trek, and what I feel is the most under rated! I’m looking forward to that podcast! Oh, and this one was good, too.
Will there be a second season on Netflix too…?
Yes, Netflix has the international rights to Discovery and the related mini-episodes called Short Treks.
I am sad. I so wanted Quinto to make an appearance on DISCOVERY. It is not like reading the novels. We know his face. I love the Kelvin series and got into Discovery; accepting Sarek somewhat grudgingly as there have been like 4 of them. But it’s too soon to add a new face to Spock. Especially as we wait for the 4th installment. I don’t understand the need to throw Hemsworth back in the mix. We saw him die. Budget him out. Give Pine the cash. If you writer is having Daddy issues, let him go to therapy. There has bee enough of bringing people back from the dead. It’s a worn out premise and plot point.
“If your writer is having Daddy issues, let him go to therapy.”
Ha! Nice.
And I agree, it’s way too soon to add a new face to Spock. We hardly even know the crew of Discovery yet.
FWIW FORBES just listed Hemsworth as number 4 in the top 5 best paid actors.
Yeah, I don’t see him taking a pay cut. Recast the guy, and move on.
I don’t see why recasting is a non starter. I like Pine as Kirk, but he has six hours on screen as the character. That’s kinda like suggesting that after Daniel Craig, Bond is no more. Hemsworth had ten minutes. Both these guys could be recast without damaging the franchise.
Sorry, but a 2020 release is a no go at this point. How long a recast/rewrite takes is making 2021 looking a bit iffy, too.
QT can do a Trek movie for 80MM. However, it won’t look anything like Trek we know.
i certainly agree with this! recast kirk, i think they could find somebody better than Pine to play Kirk. Pine did ok, but he never felt like kirk to me
If history is any guide, my guess is that the salary issues will eventually be resolved and the actors signed. Personally, having little love for the Kelvinverse I’m frankly indifferent as to whether any films set in it get made going forward, but I also understand that many feel differently, and sincerely wish the involved parties luck in working it all out.
(Fans should probably refrain from judging Chris Pine too harshly for this, btw. Shatner and Nimoy both famously threatened to walk on more than one occasion if their salary demands weren’t met, and their lives and careers were far more connected to the Trek franchise than Pine’s will ever be.)
Between the two, I’d imagine the effort will be put into bringing Pine back on board. Hemsworth’s contribution to the franchise was ten minutes worth of screen time, that can easily be recast.
Yep. And seeing that Hemsworth’s apparently wayyy too expensive, it’d be a better investment to have Pine.
“Chris Crisis” LOL
True—but he’s since become a major box office draw, which is Paramount’s primary concern.
The thing is, Chris Hemsworth hasn’t been a huge draw outside of the Marvel films. Some of his non-Marvel films has been outright flops, while some of the better performing ones, at best, broke even or did a little better than even.
Michael Hall,
It does seem odd that Paramount had Hemsworth, Pine and Saldana from the beginning and yet, never managed a way to incorporate all 3 into a Trek project announcement that their marketing could capitalize upon?
Not exactly a secret that Paramount hasn’t conducted its business well of late. :-)
The problem I see for Paramount in these contract negotiations is how are they are they going to make publicity hay about hiring a woman director, give Pine what they promised him, and then short the salaries of Saldana and the other important woman actors they announced hiring?
And if Quinto/Pine have negotiated a “favored nations” clause in their BEYOND contracts, which seems common:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43330356
it only gets worse for Paramount’s apparent goal of holding the budget line on actors’ pay. Doesn’t it?
Michael Hall,
People forget that both Pine and Quinto used the CA contract statute of limitations as an excuse to renegotiate their contracts for BEYOND and that those contracts were what amended their 3 picture deals to include more. Hemsworth didn’t come along until shortly before BEYOND was released and I’m fairly sure his original picture options ended when Paramount did not pick him up for STID.
THR says Paramount was waiting to close Quinto and I just can’t imagine he didn’t negotiate that same favored nations contract clause in regards to Pine that Nimoy had with Shatner?
And what happens if Paramount now tries to close Quinto without Pine? Are his representatives going to be happy when Paramount tries to lowball his BEYOND contract?
Phil,
I believe you are right about the odds. But I am fascinated by the possibility that as TREK 4 is extremely likely to involve time travel that Hemsworth could play both parts, i.e. his son in advanced old age running into still young father.
Cast Shatner as an older George Kirk, who survived the crash, was taken prisoner by the Klingons when they raided Neros ship (as shown in deleted scenes), and is discovered alive on Rura Penthe.
I mean I hate Shatner’s blustery ego, and have no real desire to see him again, but I have to admit that would kind of work…
Afterburn,
It could work. But do we actually believe Shatner would take less than Pine’s BEYOND price? I mean, supposedly, all along the reason Paramount’s never gone with casting Shatner in their new universe is they believe it will cost them too much.
Again, not advocating this per de but just for the sake of answering your question, no, I don’t think Shatner would accept less than Pines $6M on Beyond.
But that’s not the point. The point is whether it would cost them significantly less than Hemsworth, and the answer to that is most likely yes.
Plus given the hysteria that would ensue from publicity alone, Shatner’s presence might actually be worth more to the film than Hemsworth too.
Afterburn, I know you don’t like your own idea there, understood, but I would certainly go see that movie.
Sorry, building a movie around a really bad casting gimmick has ‘direct to video’ written all over it. I’ve no interest in watching an almost 90 year old Kirk wheeze and pee himself in a nod to narcissism.
Ouch. He IS a pretty vital near-ninety, you have to admit.
Still, I agree. Casting gimmicks are no substitute for, like, an actually really good movie.
That’s a yeah, but, moment. Shatner has commented that on his current (I’m assuming current) reality TV project, that frequent potty breaks from the prostate posse are just a fact of life. Interesting, as in 50 plus years of broadcasting a toilet has had about as much screen time as Chris Hemsworth.
I completely agree but it was one of those ideas too compelling not to mention.
I don’t think that would really work at all. It could work in the reverse though: pine could play his own father in place of Hemsworth because Hemsworth was only seen for about 10 minutes 10 years ago. But it would be difficult to suddenly accept Hemsworth as James T. Kirk after three movies of Pine in the role.
In short, I think audiences would be easier to accept pine as Kirks father then Hemsworth as George’s son.
Idont know why i bother listening to the Shuttle Pod, i am always in disagreement with the hosts. I can’t wait to see Ethan Peck’s Portrayal of Spock. I also don’t see why they cant recast Kirk with somebody other than Pine, i think it would be just fine. Pine was an ok Kirk, but somebody else could do better.
Ikinda think the Shuttle pod posts are TOS haters. They are thrilled that Picard is coming back, but upset Spock is coming back.
They are thrilled about Picard because it’s the original actors.
Fans need to overcome the idea of connecting a character with a performer. With franchises becoming the norm now, and outlasting actors lives, recasting is going to become that much more commonplace.
It doesn’t mean we will forget about the performers or the originators: Bond fans for example still venerate Connery as the best and original, but have made room and have genuine fondness for the likes of Moore, Bronsnan, and Craig.
Audiences who cannot accept new actors, who do not want characters to continue after an actor leaving a role (or more sadly, dying) are as obstinate as those who still hold onto outmoded social constructs. They will be lost to history and laughed at in the future.
Really don’t think comparing this to Bond works at all. It’s more like if Marvel decided in Iron Man 3 to recast Stark. Then again in Ultron. How well do you think that would have gone over?
I’ve started enjoying these podcasts, but MY GOODNESS, can’t that one guy get a decent microphone. Whatever technology they are using makes him sound like a mosquito talking through a really tinny cell-phone. It’s ear-piercingly hard to listen to. The other hosts sound normal.
It’s being worked on.
If Pine doesn’t want to come back, I wouldn’t mind seeing a Enterprise under the command of Captain Spock with his first officer Commander Sulu… Maybe Pine could make a small cameo as Commodore Kirk? Have some fun in the new timeline!
@JonMark — If they can’t come to a deal with Pine to star as Kirk, he won’t be making any cameos.
What I’d like to see is Scotty in command finally. My favorite episodes are the ones in which Scotty is left in charge.
It still needs to be said… If you want the superior version that seems to be available through Amazon, if you aren’t already a subscriber for Amazon then you are paying twice to get what CBS ought to be be doing outright. Pretty pathetic if you ask me.
Pine can ask for a salary increase solely based on Wonder Woman, without that every film he has been in has been either a flop or barely broken even. He looked bored in beyond and his performance was lifeless. Unlike the first 2 films made by Abrams.