TNG@20 – ET Visits TNG
A newly uploaded YouTube clip shows two Entertainment Tonight segments from July 1987 where they visit the set of TNG during the shooting of the pilot.
Articles by Anthony Pascale
Video Preview of TOS Remastered HD-DVD
The 8+ minute video preview (below) of the Season 1 Star Trek TOS Box Set in HD-DVD has been shown by CBS at some recent cons. It shows some of the cool HD features, previews of the Billy Blackburn behind the scenes footage as well as a glimpse at unseen effects. Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames.
New ‘Star Trek’ Plot Rumors
[possible spoilers] AICN has posted an article on plot rumors for the new Star Trek film that posits much of the film takes place in an alternative timeline (possibly as a way to avoid canon violations). AICN’s Moriarty (apparently based on a dinner chat with someone at Paramount) describes the film involving Romulans going back in time to kill James T. Kirk and change history with older Spock (Nimoy) doing what he can to fix the timeline. However, it is a little hard to separate what are possible plot rumors from and what is Moriarty’s own speculation. Beyond the notion that the older Spock character is central to the film’s plot, TrekMovie.com cannot confirm (or refute) any of the details at this time.
Zoë Saldana May Be The New Uhura
TrekMovie.com has another Star Trek casting scoop (remember we were first with Quinto as Spock). Sources close to the production tell TrekMovie.com that 29-year-old actress Zoë Saldana has been offered the part of Uhura – the USS Enterprise’s communications officer originally played by Nichelle Nichols. Apparently the deal is not yet final and one outstanding issue may be related to her schedule starring in the James Cameron sci-fi mega movie Avatar which is still in production. Sources indicate that Avatar will be doing location shooting starting in October and Star Trek is slated to start shooting in November. Dealing with a busy actor’s schedules is not new to the Star Trek producers – the same had to be done for Quinto. Insiders tell TrekMovie.com that casting for other Star Trek characters is still ongoing. UPDATE: Confirmed – Zoe Saldana Is The New Uhura
TOS Remastered Season 1 HD-DVD/DVD On Amazon Pre-Order – $139 $129 [UPDATE: Final Box Art Released]
It is finally (almost) here. Season One of Star Trek: The Original Series digitally remastered on combo HD-DVD/DVD disk is available for pre-order on Amazon.com (CLICK HERE). The Amazon price is [UPDATE: $129.99]…which is a bit more palatable (retail price is listed as $199.98 and was previously reported to be $217.99) and Amazon lists the release date as November 20th. UPDATE: Paramount has released interior and exterior box art (see below)
Star Trek Eternal – Best Trek Compilation Ever
In 1996 Free Enterprise director/editor/co-writer Robert Meyer Burnett had some free time with his AVID and created what is probably the best Trek mashup ever (before people knew what mashups were). This was so good it was even used by Paramount later…
‘Star Trek’ Producer & Writers On The Two Spocks + New Comic-Con Photos
In their coverage of Comic-Con 2007 Star Trek Magazine talked to Star Trek producer Damon Lindelof and screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci about the introduction of the two Spocks. Lindelof noted the excitement at Comic-Con and said that is what they want for the film: "the pure magic of seeing Zach Quinto and Leonard Nimoy in a room together for the first time is exactly the magic we’re trying to put on the screen. Mr Spock is a character that transcends sci-fi, he’s almost mythic." The writers talked about how important it was to them (and the script) for Nimoy to agree to do the film: We knew the odds that our script would actually lure Nimoy were about a million to one, but it was a gamble we had to take, even knowing that if he said no, the whole thing was for nothing. To have him sign on and then manage to also get Zachary Quinto, who everyone can see is going to be an inspired heir to this legacy, is like winning the lotto twice in a row. For a couple of Trek fans, this is a dream we hope we don’t wake up from. …More in the latest issue of Star Trek Magazine. See below for new images from Comic-Con
Quinto: His Spock Will Be More Emotional
USA Today Celeb Watch has released their ‘outtakes’ from their Quinto/Nimoy interview
Shatner On Dissapointment Not Being in Movie + New Book and Ballet Documentary
Creation TV caught Shatner backstage at the recent Vegas con Bonus Video New Shatner video from Pocket Books on new novel below…
A Message from New Voyages’ James Cawley
Some of you may have noticed that both the streaming site for "World Enough and Time" as well as the main Star Trek New Voyages site are down or having problems. UPDATE: StarTrekNewVoyages.com is back up, but MagicTime streaming video site warns that that "World Enough and Time" had to be taken down ‘temporarily.’ While the NV site was down I called James to offer TrekMovie.com to get a message out to the fans…see below
TNG@20 – Promoting The Next Generation
Exactly 20 years ago today Paramount sent out print, TV and radio spots promoting their new Star Trek The Next Generation series, premiering in September 1987. Take a look at this promo video included on the 1987 VHS release of Star Trek IV (the 1986 hit movie that helped convince Paramount to bring Trek back to TV).
Crowe Talks Trek Again
J.J. Abrams and Paramount want an A-Lister to be the villain in the new Star Trek movie and word is that Russell Crowe is on the list. The actor was again asked by ExtraTV if there is anything to the rumors and his reply "Apparently. But I haven’t read anything. I can’t make a decision about anything until I read it so we’ll see what happens" implies that there may be something there. The most likely scenario is that he and/or his agent has been sent something (maybe even a script…although Paramount is keeping a tight lid on those), but that the busy actor hasn’t looked at whatever has been sent. Even IGN who first put his name out there acknowledge that it is unlikely he will be able to do the role. So the big question is…what other A-Listers on on J.J.’s list?
TV Guide Promotes Teenager’s Pirated Star Trek Video Channel
The current issue of TV Guide has an interesting Trek item in their regular ‘Hotlist: Best of the Web’ sidebar. It announces that Star Trek The Next Generation is now available to view online for free at VEOH.com That is big news as TNG is the only Trek series not available online (plus TOS, DS9, VOY and ENT episodes all cost $1.99 at XBox Live, Amazon UnBox and Apple iTunes). But once you visit the channel TV Guide lists it quickly becomes clear that this is not a new offering from CBS (who have an official VEOH channel), but rather pirated episodes being uploaded by a Norwegian teenage girl named Monica (aka ‘Meopic90’ pictured right). In addition to the channel owner clue, each episode is branded with the name and url of an unauthorized torrent site…oops.
Review – New Voyages “World Enough and Time”
In the interest of full disclosure I must say that I have never been a fan of the so-called Star Trek fan films. Sure I can give them credit for good effort and they seem like they are a lot of fun to do, but in the end they usually are no more impressive than community theater…and often worse. The efforts of the Star Trek New Voyages team have so far been the shining star of this lot with very impressive production design, sets, costumes and even some stunt casting, but to date they have still fallen short of being something that I could consider a professional production due to too many weak links spoiling otherwise good work. This is why I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised after watching latest episode "World Enough and Time" starring George Takei. Although it is not without its flaws, this fourth episode from New Voyages is certainly the best Trek fan production ever made and likely the first that could quality as a truly professional production worthy of the name Star Trek.
Inside The TOS-R HD DVD Box + Paramount Drops Blu-ray
TV Shows on DVD has revealed the interiors to the upcoming First Season of Star Trek The Original Series on HD DVD/DVD combo. Each of the 10 disks comes in a sleeve with a description of the episodes and features on the disk. Bear in mind that the disks are double sided (DVD on one side, HD DVD on the other)…so there is no artwork on the disks themselves.
Trek Remastered Season 2 Schedule Released
CBS has released the new schedule for the second syndication season of the remastered Star Trek: The Original Series. All of the remaining 40 episodes (including the original pilot "The Cage") will be aired between mid September and next August. The first episode to air will be the Spock centric "The Galileo Seven" on the weekend of September 15th – which will certainly have a lot of shots of a digital shuttle craft. This will be followed by four more episodes from the original first season of TOS (as expected due to the CBS team having to finish up for the season one HD DVD release in November). "The Ultimate Computer," the most effects laden episode for the upcoming season, will air in the 2nd weekend of February (just as "Doomsday Machine" was in the first syndication season). The project will come to an end on August 2nd 2008 with the airing of (fittingly) of the final TOS episode "Turnabout Intruder." Full schedule available at the TrekMovie.com TOS-R Season 2 Episode Guide
Crowe Seems Unaware Of The Star Trek Villain Rumors
At the 3:10 to Yuma junket IGN had a chance to ask Russell Crowe about the ‘Paramount want Crowe to be the Star Trek villain’ story they first reported a couple of weeks ago. It seemed to be the first time Crowe had heard about it (although co-star co-star Christian ‘Batman’ Bale had some fun with it)..see video
NY Tabloid Distorting Shatner – Again
The New York tabloids want to get in on the fun that the Brit tabloids have been having with the new Star Trek movie. However, instead of fabricated casting news, they seem to want to focus on William Shatner and his (made up) anger at director J.J. Abrams (remember it was the NY Post that started the ‘Shatner is furious‘ story). Now the New York Daily News is taking Shatner’s appearance at the Las Vegas Star Trek convention (see TrekMovie.com Con report) and totally distorting it to fit with the Shatner/Abrams feud story.
Do You Want The “Red Shirt Treatment” From Your Health Provider?
Buffalo-based Independent Health is running a billboard campaign…and it is clear they do not have any Trekkies working in marketing. (image and story source: Adland) [h/t Trek Today] Independent Health needs to watch these videos, or read these statistics
McAvoy As Scotty – Again? [UPDATE: Rumor Denied – Again]
In February Scottish actor James McAvoy was reported (by a British tabloid) to be in talks to play Scotty in the new Star Trek movie (story denied to TrekMovie.com by publicist a week later). Although McAvoy himself later stated "there is no truth" to the rumors, the actor seemed to be interested in the part. Now the story is back – the UK’s Sunday Mirror reported that McAvoy "had won the role" of Scotty and a follow-up in The Scottsman claimed McAvoy "was up against famous names and total unknowns." Although this may just be another ‘retread’ story from the tabloids, one source did indicate to TrekMovie.com that there may be some truth to the rumor. Initial calls to McAvoy’s representatives provided no concrete information. UPDATE: DeniedA spokesperson at McAvoy’s publicist’s office contacted TrekMovie.com to say "James McAvoy is not attached to the Star Trek project." When pressed for more info the spokesperson could not give any more details.
The Two Spocks Talk Trek – Yelchin & Some Details Confirmed
USA Today visited with the only two officially confirmed Star Trek cast members (Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy) at the Griffith Park Observatory. No major details revealed – but you can already see the pair of Spocks are already getting along well.
TNG@20 – Reading Rainbow Goes Behind The Scenes
As part of our 20th Anniversary celebration of Star Trek The Next Generation, here are clips from LeVar Burton’s Reading Rainbow visiting the TNG set during the first season.
Meaney To Star In US Version Of ‘Life On Mars’
TNG and DS9 star Colm Meaney is set to co-star in the US version of the BBC hit Life On Mars being adapted by Boston Legal creator David. E. Kelley. The show is about Sam Tyler (Jason O’Mara), a modern day detective who finds himself back in the 1970s. According to the Hollywood Reporter Meaney is in final negotiations to play the role of the old school and confrontational Detective Gene Hunt. The BBC version of Hunt was played brilliantly by Philip Glenister who was key to the show’s success.
Interview: Dorothy Fontana Talks Comics, New Novel, Canon Challenges, and More
D.C. Fontana gives us her thoughts on canon, M’Ress, Ira Steven Behr, and so much more.
Producer: Paramount Trying To Convince Shatner?
Since TrekMovie.com first announced Paramount (and MI3) veteran Stratton Leopold was going to be the unit production manager and one of the executive producers for the new Star Trek we have not heard anything from him. He did join the usual Abrams mafia (Orci, Kurtzman, Burk, and Lindelof) on stage at Comic-Con, but he didn’t say a word. Leopold is more of a behind the scenes kind of guy keeping the trains running on time, but he did give his local paper the (The Savannah Morning News) an interview where he dropped an interesting tidbit about Shatner: Leonard Nimoy will be back as Spock, said Leopold, and studio executives still hope to convince William Shatner to suit up as Captain Kirk one more time.
VegasCon 07 – Shatner Grills Nimoy On Star Trek Movie
As is the custom, when appearing at conventions together Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner each talk to the audience alone (one after the other) and then follow it up with a joint appearance. As Nimoy’s solo portion was winding down William Shatner came onto the stage and they had the following exchange Nimoy: How you been, Billy?Shatner: I’ve been pretty good – not as good as you, of course!Nimoy: Been working a lot?Shatner: (remorsefully) No, no — I’ve been waiting for the call…I’m hanging by the telephone waiting for the callNimoy: I’ll call youShatner: It’s not the same as J.J. …and it got funnier from there….
Game News: Details on ‘Conquest’ + ST: Online To Be Released in 2009
News on Star Trek: Conquest, 2007’s sole Trek game release, continues to trickle out. Now on Bethesda’s Blog Lead Designer Frank Arnot sheds more light on the Wii (and PS2) strategy game. Regarding the back story, Arnot describes it as a time where "all the major races are at war. Age-old alliances are forgotten, diplomacy is dead." So it would appear that although the game allows you to play as any of the combatants of the Dominion War (Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Dominion, Breen & Cardasian), they are in 6 separate camps and not 2 alliances. Arnot also lets out that you will encounter Ferengi, Borg, Orion and Xindi (bringing them into the 24th century for the first time). More info on the on the Bethblog .
VegasCon 07 – Braga Reflects On A Life With Trek
Brannon Braga was one of the few Trek writer/producers to appear at this year’s Creation Las Vegas Star Trek Convention. Braga started off almost reticent, telling the crowd "it has been many years and so I am a little nervous." The veteran of Next Generation, Voyager and Enterprise made it clear that although Trek was an ‘amazing experience’ which occupied most of his adult life, he was not involved with Trek anymore and saw the con as a ‘nostalgic experience.’ After that, the Trek veteran’s appearance took on the nature of an exit interview with Braga inviting the crowd to get it off their chests: I wanted to stop by to say hi to you guys and to ask any last lingering questions you had. This may be the last one I do so this is your chance to get out you final gripes and questions.
Vegas Con 07 – Nimoy uses TrekMovie.com comments to make a point [UPDATED]
[UPDATED] After being introduced as ‘the star of the new Star Trek movie,’ Leonard Nimoy hit the stage in Vegas, took off his jacket, and turned around to reveal his T-Shirt was emblazoned with “#1 Vulcan” on the back (sending the standing room only crowd of thousands into a frenzy). After things settled down he wryly said “I can’t imagine what you want to hear about today.” Spontaneously the crowd started chanting “movie! movie! movie!” Nimoy started off by saying “I’ve been on the Internet the last two days and what is amazing to me how people are spending their time on these blogs and website – TrekMovie.com – hundreds of people are on there expressing their opinions about what should be done with Star Trek next. People who have never directed a Star Trek episode, people who have never directed a film, people who have never directed traffic – are voicing their opinions about what to do with the next Star Trek movie. It is fascinating.” He then pulled our a sheet of paper and I knew what was coming next!
VegasCon 07 – New ‘Star Trek’ Poster Revealed
Because things are so preliminary right now there was no appearance by any of the team behind the new Star Trek feature (except for Leonard Nimoy who will appear this evening). However, the movie people did want to let the fans know that they loved them and so a new poster was made especially to distribute to the attendees of the Vegas Star Trek convention. (click image to the right to enlarge NOTE: Hope to add a better image later.)