It's Official: Star Trek XI Greenlit, JJ Abrams to direct

[Ranger REG]

My question is: Does Abrams, Lindelof, Kurtzman, Orci, and Burke have any experience with Trek? I am not being difficult here, just wondering if those who are taking over the franchise even know what the franchise is about.

That's okay.

Although I should note that Nicholas Meyer who directed the well-known The Wrath of Khan and Undiscovered Country have no experience nor exposure to Star Trek prior to taking the job. But he did brought his love of Shakespeare and he did his homework watching tapes of TOS.

And William Shatner, unlike Leonard Nimoy, didn't do well when he wrote and directed The Final Frontier. Nimoy, like Jonathan Frakes, have both a hit (The Voyage Home) and a miss (The Search for Spock).

And Brent Spiner, like William Shatner, didn't contribute well for the screenwriting of Nemesis.

Harve Bennett, who have been producers from films 1 to 5, proposed that for film #6 or #7 story took place during Kirk's Academy Days, already knowing that the existing cast members aren't getting younger and the geriatric theme have run its course.

IOW, it's usually a roll of the dice.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

My concearn has alot to do with Abrams. While his TV shows started out strong they both lost me (so to speak) as they progressed. If he is onboard for just 1 movie and has someone to actually vet the script for real continuity then I might be ok, but I absolutely do not want to see him attached to Star Trek for any length of time.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

To me if you have to write this then it will not in fact do either.

I take it is an "We're not gonna muck it up they way we did with Enterprise."

 

[Mistwell]

My concearn has alot to do with Abrams. While his TV shows started out strong they both lost me (so to speak) as they progressed. If he is onboard for just 1 movie and has someone to actually vet the script for real continuity then I might be ok, but I absolutely do not want to see him attached to Star Trek for any length of time.

His shows probably lose you when he stops being a major participant for the show and is simply "affiliated" with it on some level.

In this case, he is a major participant for the whole thing, whether he likes it or not. If he signs the contract, he is on board for the whole thing.

 

[Ranger REG]

My concearn has alot to do with Abrams. While his TV shows started out strong they both lost me (so to speak) as they progressed. If he is onboard for just 1 movie and has someone to actually vet the script for real continuity then I might be ok, but I absolutely do not want to see him attached to Star Trek for any length of time.

Perhaps, but he's not doing a series. Just one Trek film.

But if the film is a success, more than likely we want him to do it again. If not, then he goes, unlike Star Wars (George Lucas couldn't let go).

 

[Ranger REG]

I take it is an "We're not gonna muck it up they way we did with Enterprise."

"We did"? Is that Berman and/or Braga quoting?

 

[John Crichton]

Brody is the most versatile actor of the three and can probably pull off a good Spock. Unless they want to go with an unknown lookalike to play him, that casting choice is cool with me. Same with Damon. He has some excellent chops and tons of screen presence. It all comes down to the chemistry of the main three and a solid script.

I like the idea of a first mission storyline as opposed to a Starfleet Academy thing.

 

[John Crichton]

His shows probably lose you when he stops being a major participant for the show and is simply "affiliated" with it on some level.

In this case, he is a major participant for the whole thing, whether he likes it or not. If he signs the contract, he is on board for the whole thing.

Excellent points. I haven't seen MI:3 yet so I dunno how Abrams does with motion pictures but his written/directed TV shows are excellent when he is directly involved. Alias only started to get out of hand when his influence wasn't as concentrated as it was in the beginning. Felicity, Alias & Lost all started out great and were excellent TV while JJ was around.

 

[Vigilance]

Excellent points. I haven't seen MI:3 yet so I dunno how Abrams does with motion pictures but his written/directed TV shows are excellent when he is directly involved. Alias only started to get out of hand when his influence wasn't as concentrated as it was in the beginning. Felicity, Alias & Lost all started out great and were excellent TV while JJ was around.

I liked MI:III a lot. Some of the action scenes were pretty mind-blowing and it was the only one of the movies with any actual drama in it imo. Best of the three, followed by the first movie.

More to the point, the studio LOVED it, which is how Star Trek XI came about. They wanted to sign Abrams to a multi-year contract and he wanted to do a Trek film. This movie came about almost entirely because Paramount wanted Abrams locked in and Trek was #1 on his list of movies he wanted to do.

To me that proves he's a fan. Paramount was still spinning that whole "Trek needs to rest" thing. It was entirely Abram's idea to do this movie.

 

[RangerWickett]

I thought MI3 was pretty laughable, actually, but that was mostly Tom Cruise's fault ("Honey, I need you to give me electroshock therapy! It's the only way to get the Theta- . . . I mean, bomb out of my brain!").

I dig Abrams as a creator and director.