Star Trek XI - spoilers!

[Rico]

Couple little comments here.  None of the actors have any rights or make any decisions with regards to who plays them or if someone new were to play them.  Star Trek and everything that covers is owned by Paramount and CBS.  So, anyone that may be approached for the next movie whether it is an established actor/character like Nimoy as Spock (or someone else) is based on the script and what the studio/Abrams wants for the movie.

Also, TNG was a success in syndication.  Not a major network hit.    And pretty far from having the characters and actors who played them know by "everyone."

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard]

TNG is an equal to TOS as far as success and popularity go.  Everyone knows who Worf is.  They might not know who Michael Dorn is, but they know Worf is the black guy with the thing on his forehead, he wears a yellow outfit and fires the weapons.

[Bryancd]

Well, I think success as measured by it's general popularity I would say TNG was more successful than TOS but I think the characters of TOS, having more time to become part of the collective memory of the world, are the most recognizable.

[Geekyfanboy]

Well said Bryan.. I agree with you 100%

[Dan M]

Yeah, I agree also.

Neither show was, as Rico put it ,"a major network hit", but while TOS barely managed to last three years, TNG was an unqualified success.  I'm just guessing here, but I think that TNG was the most successful syndicated show ever (next to Baywatch!?).

An impressive, but not often mentioned fact is that, in its final season, TNG was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, even though it was a syndicated show, and they're never really considered.  Many network hits can't make that claim.

Obviously, Kirk and Spock are still more recognizable than Picard, Data and Worf, but the gap isn't really that much, even though TOS had a two decade headstart.

[Trekkygeek]

trekkygeek,

I hope that you're referring to Joel Schumacher as the one who killed off the Batman franchise. Christopher Nolan not only revived it, he legitimized it.

You're right mate, I mentioned the wrong name there, Chris Nolan certainly did revive the franchise and made a better film than any previous Batman. Forgive my mistake

[Trekkygeek]

I have read all these posts now and I still have many concerns for the film and really hope it won't concentrate on any characters we have seen in previous Trek lore. But I feel it is almost certain that it will be a prequel. In my view, it could be the ruin of Star Trek in the same way Christopher destroyed the Batman franchise. I hope I'm wrong, but I am not really excited about this film. Have I mentioned these thoughts before?? :laugh:

Considering that all ten movies thus far have featured characters from the TV shows, why would you expect them to not use the TV characters in the 11th movie?  It's like expecting a Batman movie without Bruce Wayne.  Seriously, though, I'd like to understand your perspective on this.

I agree that it will most likely be a prequel.  It'll either be that or a reimagining of the original TV show.  All the news pretty much confirms it'll be one or the other.  What do you mean by the ruin of Star Trek n the same way Christopher destroyed the Batman franchise?  Are you refering to Joel Schuemaker's Batman & Robin?  That's already happened to Star Trek's film series: NEMESIS.  The movie did so poorly, it effectively killed the film series until J.J. Abrams came along.

I didn't say I expected them not to use old characters, I said I HOPE they don't use them, especially Kirk or Spock. Batman, and Spiderman were completly re-imaged and not always to the die hard fans acceptance. What I am saying is, if you are going to make Trek again, don't take a step backwards, there are plenty of alternatives to using Kirk again, and I for one never want to see another actor taking Shatners mantle

[Poodyglitz]

trekkygeek,

I hope that you're referring to Joel Schumacher as the one who killed off the Batman franchise. Christopher Nolan not only revived it, he legitimized it.

You're right mate, I mentioned the wrong name there, Chris Nolan certainly did revive the franchise and made a better film than any previous Batman. Forgive my mistake

No worries. I can stop scratching my head now.  :)

[Geekyfanboy]

Star TrekAIC Claims To Have Star Trek Casting Sheet

http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2007/08/06/aic-claims-to-have-star-trek-casting-sheet/

Written by: Samuel K. Sloan (Farpoint Media Exec. News Dir.)

Aint It Cool (AIC) is making claims to the ownership of a leaked casting sheet for the upcoming Star Trek film to be directed by JJ Abrams.

Not much is learned from it. We already knew that Kirk, Spock and possibly McCoy and Scotty would be cast in this film. However, if the piece is to be believed, two other additions to the cast will leave little doubt as to the ship and exact time period the film will deal with.

According to AIC, actors are being persuded for the roles of both Uhura and Sulu. If this is true then the ship has to be the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 and the time, since Chekov was not mentioned in the casting sheet, would have to be sometime after the second pilot (”Where No Man Has Gone Before”) was shot (minus McCoy as ship’s doctor, Sulu at the helm or Uhura at the communications center), and before the addition of Ensign Chekov who appeared after Season One. Of course, the argument goes that in the first season Chekov was onboard the Enterprise but never seen because he wasn’t yet a bridge officer. In the film “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” Chekov’s face is remembered by Khan, and “Space Seed” was an episode that happened in Season One of the 3-year series. Also, the real die-hard Trek fans (like myself) remind everyone that when “Where No Man Has Gone Before” aired, it was shot in such a way that it is obvious that Kirk has been the Enterprise commander for some time and is quite comfortable in the position, known and well-loved by his crew, which as any ex-military personnel knows, takes some time and a few missions under the belt for a leader to get that kind of respect from his/her subordinates.

What adds to the confusion for some was NBC’s 1960’s early Fox-like move to air the shows out of sequence. “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” the actual first episode (and 2nd pilot) featuring William Shatner as Captain Kirk, was aired after “The Man Trap” and “Charlie X.” These two episodes prominently featured Dr. McCoy. The very first pilot, “The Cage,” starring Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike, never aired until 20+ years later with an introduction by Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise-D on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

Here is a copy of the alleged Casting Sheet posted on AIC’s website:

STAR TREK
Feature Film
SAG
PARAMOUNT PICTURES/BAD ROBOT

[JAMES KIRK] 23-29 Handsome,cocky self assured and earnest. Great physical condition. 6 ft or less

[LEONARD(BONES)MCOY] -28-32 Medic on the Enterprise. Smart, clever and a bit danger-loving. Dark hair, blue eyes.

[UHURA] 25ish -African American. Brilliant, beautiful, heroic and FUN!, Uhura is almost tom-boyish - as if she grew up in a houseful of brothers.

[SULU] 25-32 -Asian American male (preferably Japanese). Helmsman on the Enterprise. Extremely fit, capable and dedicated. A bit of a wildcat

[MONTGOMERY(SCOTTY) SCOTT] -28-32 a brilliant ship’s engineer. Must be able to do a flawless Scottish accent!

[wso32]

Way to beat the Newsbot Kenny.  I guess you have to take anything like this with a grain of salt but seems a bit strange when it says McCoy's character is a bit "danger loving."  I'm sure you would have to have some of that quality to serve on a star ship, but with McCoys apprehension about using the transporter, etc I never got that impression.  Interesting though.  Thanks Kenny.

[Geekyfanboy]

Star TrekNew Cruise Rumor For Trek XI Surfaces

http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2007/08/07/new-cruise-rumor-for-trek-xi-surfaces/

Written by: Michael Hickerson (SoSF Staff Journalist)

Being friends with J.J. Abrams can help you find work in Hollywood. Just ask Abrams favorite Greg Grunberg, who has appeared in a large number of Abrams’ projects over the years.

It appears that Abrams has a new buddy in Hollywood â€" actor Tom Cruise. Abrams directed Cruise in “Mission Impossible 3? and their friendship solidified during the filming process. Now the new rumor has it that Abrams wants to see Cruise participate in next year’s “Star Trek XI” for a cameo appearance as Captain Christopher Pike. Pike, as most “Trek” fans know, was the captain of the Enterprise before James T. Kirk took the center seat.

In the original series, Pike was played by movie actor, Jeffrey Hunter in the original pilot “The Cage.” (Footage from “The Cage” was later incorporated into the original series’ only two-part episode, “The Menagarie.”) When NBC asked for a new pilot from “Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, Hunter was unable or unwilling (there are reports his wife felt the show would kill his career and talked him out of it) to return to the lead role. The role was re-written and re-cast with William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and the rest, as they say, is history.

There is no official confirmation from either Cruise or Abrams that Cruise has been cast as Pike â€" or any other role in the upcoming “Trek” film so treat this one as pure speculation until we hear from Paramount.

[Geekyfanboy]

Nimoy To Begin Trek Shooting

Original Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy, who will reprise the role of Spock in J.J. Abrams' upcoming Star Trek film, told fans at a convention in Las Vegas that he will begin shooting his scenes in December and will do more in February and March of next year, StarTrek.com reported.

Nimoy's role as the older Spock is "not gigantic," but, "it's more than a cameo," Nimoy said on Aug. 12. Heroes star Zachary Quinto will play Spock as a young man.

At the same convention, William Shatner, who played Capt. Kirk, appeared onstage with Nimoy and ribbed his co-star because Shatner apparently won't be in the new movie, the site reported.

Abrams' Star Trek, which reportedly deals with the first mission of a young Capt. James T. Kirk and Spock, will begin filming in November, the site reported.

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=43312

[wso32]

I was hoping for some more news to come out of the Vegas convention but it doesn't sound like anything substantial came out.  I did see the new poster (yawns), but other than that I couldn't find anything.  I really hope that Shatner makes it into the film.  It just doesn't seem possible to have a ST movie with Captain Kirk and not have Shatner in the movie.  There is still a lot of time, so I'm not giving up hope.

[Rico]

I really think they will have Shatner in the film.  They just have to work out the details.  It does still seem weird to me that they don't have the cast nailed down yet.  But they are still a few months away from filming.

[Geekyfanboy]

Well just because we don't know who the cast is doesn't mean they don't have them nailed down.  When are they suppose to start shooting?? It's coming out in 2008 Christmas?? That's not a long time for a big sci fi movie. Most big budget movies take few years to complete.