In the last week we have had both the Television Critics Association event and of course Comic Con, so there is a whole lot going on out there in the world of Sci Fi news. Just too many things to mention in the quick summary so just click the more link and fill your brain genre goodness.
Star Trek’s comic book licensee IDW are here at Comic Con 2008 and TrekMovie had a moment to chat with the new Star Trek editor Andrew Schmidt, who broke down their plans for the rest of the year and into 2009, including what they hope to do for the Star Trek feature film.
Mattel’s Star Trek Sceneit? game was first revealed at the New York Toy Fair in February, but at Comic Con 2008 we get the first good look at the game. Mattel was showing off new packaging, the board and a clip from the game. TrekMovie has those plus more details below. Plus Mattel has announced a new contest for fans to suggest trivia questions for the final game.
Two more Star Trek’s licensees are revealing new items at Comic Con 2008. Diamond Select Toys have a Star Trek III two-pack depicting Kruge and Maltz (and more). And Hallmark is showing off a prototype for one of their 2009 Keepsake Ornaments, depicting a scene from "The Menagerie." Pictures and more details below.
JJ Abrams and his team aren’t bringing any footage of their new Star Trek movie to Comic Con, but Aint it Cool News reposts that one of their ‘spies’ has seen about a minute of the film and describes an elaborate space battle scene. [possible spoilers below]. UPDATE: Description denied by TrekMovie sources
This week in Science Friday, we have more news coming in from NASA’s Phoenix lander, refrigerators in space, solving the mysteries of the Norhtern Lights, a lunar GPS system for future astronauts, and exploring possible cloud cities on Venus. All this plus our gadget of the week: Light Emitting T-Shirts by Phillips.
Quantum Quest, a new animated 3D film that blends science and science and science fiction, sports an voice cast including a number of Trek stars such as Bob Picardo, Brent Spiner and both Kirks, Chris Pine and William Shatner. At a panel at Comic Con on Thursday, Pine ‘appeared’ in a taped video to talk about the film, and he also talked about the new Star Trek movie…and Shatner!
Dr. Randy Pausch, the inspirational professor and Trek fan who has a cameo in the new Star Trek film, has passed away. Professor Pausch died at his home in Virginia this morning, bringing to an end his battle with pancreatic cancer. His celebrated ‘last lecture’ inspired millions, including director JJ Abrams who reached out to Pausch personally and offered the role.
The Royal Shakespeare Company may want sci-fi fans to show up to see their production of Hamlet starring Star Trek The Next Generation’s Patrick Stewart and Doctor Who’s David Tennant, but apparently they don’t want fans to bring any of their stuff. Although they are allowing autographs, the producers have banned the signing of any Trek or Who memorabilia.
It was just in June that CBS announced their new Star Trek licensing deal with Mattel, the world’s largest toy company, and we have already seen the beginnings of the 20Q product and this week at Comic Con Mattel are showing off prototypes of their very cool line of Tyco RC Flyer toys, which apparently have started new some new rumors, which we will debunk.
This week the Watch brings you: images of Patrick Stewart caught in the act (of rehearsing, that is); Rene Auberjonois playing priest for real; sad news for those hoping to see Colm Meaney on Mars; George Takei’s gameshow victory; a challenge to Trek fans from Robert Picardo; and more! In the immortal words of LeVar Burton, you don’t have to take my word for it; read below to see for yourself!
TrekMovie has been reporting that the new Star Trek movie will have a ‘presence’ at the Paramount booth at the 2008 Comic Con taking place in San Diego. The con opened to day, revealing the presence takes up half the booth. The ‘under construction’ theme is in full force with girls handing out construction jobs and new promotional items tied into the new Star Trek movie. Plus there is a new Star Trek-related website (with a possible new image).
Possibly more than anything else, the inclusion of Leonard Nimoy has given Trek fans a sense of security for this new Star Trek film from JJ Abrams. In his second interview with TrekMovie.com, the once and future Spock talked about what it was like to return to the role he made famous, and also provided his thoughts on the new film (including some interesting new tidbits).
Last week in our first article about the new Star Trek posters which revealed characters for the first time, TrekMovie.com asked "what is up with Nero’s (Eric Bana’s) ears?" Today our friends at UGO point us to a new interview with Star Trek co-writer and exec producer Alex Kurtzman, where they ask him that question. [SPOILERS]
Can Star Trek inspire the next wave of space tourism? Is watching Trek a defense for attempted murder? Is Megan Fox A Trekkie? Are there Trekkies left in Australia? Is a British glamor model taking beauty tips from Spock? And what exactly is a Kardashian? The Great Link answers these questions and more below.
On Thursday of this week tens of thousands will descend on San Diego California for the ultimate nerd-gasm that is Comic Con. Although there is no big panel for the new Star Trek film, TrekMovie is still going to report on all the other Trek happenings at the Paramount booth and with the other Trek licensee booths, Trek panels and with the various Trek celebrities who will be there. Today we have a full Trekkie guide to Comic Con 2008.
Jolene Blalock’s direct-to-DVD Starship Troopers 3: Marauder comes out soon and she is out promoting it at some cons as well as with our friends at Femme Fatales magazine, who point us to a preview of their interview with the Enterprise’s resident Vulcan and her thoughts on JJ Abrams Star Trek. We also have an exclusive new pic of Jolene and a mini-review of the new Starship Troopers movie.
In what may be the last of the reports coming out of the Fox’s TCA Fringe event last week, IGN has a summary of JJ Abrams comments about Star Trek. Much of it has been reported here before, but they provide it in better Q&A format to get more context. There is also a little bit more from Star Trek’s new director on what is his biggest challenge with the new film.
On August 6th Creation’s official Star Trek convention kicks off at the Las Vegas Hilton for five days of Trek craziness with 15,000 Trek fans being entertained with events and dozens of Trek stars including the Spocks, Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy. TrekMovie will be there reporting every day. We have details on the week, plus a give-away contest, check it all out below.
Simon Pegg, Star Trek’s new Scotty and self-described Trek geek, kicked off a four city tour today to promote the US release of the DVD for his UK comedy Spaced. In a new inteview with Wired about Spaced and other things, Pegg also talked up Trek, including some very frank thoughts on Scotty as a stereotype and Chris Pine’s performance as Kirk.
There is yet even more from JJ Abrams from last week’s TCA event in Los Angeles. Deadbolt reports some of the same quotes, but also has a Abrams discussing the optimism (and darkness) of past Trek and how that is reflected in his new Star Trek movie.
This week, the Library Computer resumes its look at the six ‘what if?’ tales of alternate history featured in the two new ‘Myriad Universes’ anthologies. Meet Thelin; Andorian, friend of James Kirk, and skipper of the Enterprise as the events of the Star Trek films plays out in an alternate form in Geoff Trowbridge’s The Chimes at Midnight We have a review, author interview and excerpt.
In the past Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy have talked much about how they bonded making of the new Star Trek movie. Nimoy has clearly become a mentor for the new Spock, but in a new interview with Sci-Fi Wire, Quinto notes that it was also Orci and Kurtzman’s script that drove his performance.
Diamond Select Toys has taken the advice of Young MC who told us all to Bust a Move. With the recent release of their Captain Archer mini sculpture, DST had now released all five Trek captains as busts–with more on the way. Today The Collective looks at the entire line of these mini Star Trek sculptures.
The new Star Trek: Ships of the Line: 2009 Wall Calendar is hitting stores this week and it has 14 beautiful new images. Pocket Books has provided TrekMovie with a whole bunch of high resolution images from the Calendar, including some exclusives.
Russ, our regular Sci-Fi Saturday columnist is taking the week off, but the big genre news this weekend is that The Dark Knight had the biggest opening day of all time, taking in $66.4 Mil Friday. Today TrekMovie takes a look at some of the connections between the Batman and Star Trek franchises.
For the first time ever, a Star Trek movie is going to get at truly global premiere. In addition to the new wallpapers added to the official Star Trek site, Paramount has put up a new list of worldwide release dates for the movie. According to the list, the new Star Trek movie will premiere in 46 countries the week of May 8th 2009.
Just one day after we reported on the new Star Trek posters to be handed out at Comic-Con next week, the official site for the new Star Trek movie has been updated. In addition to a redesign, the site now has a download section for desktop wallpapers and IM icons, based on the new posters.
This week Science Friday has loaded up some of the best science news for you including an update on Mars’s Phoenix Lander, plans of some rogue NASA engineers, cannibalistic red spots on Jupiter, our galaxies hottest spot, and a lunar transit caught on tape. All this plus our video of the week: Revenge of the Nerd Girls and gadget of the week: Top 5 real Trek gadgets.