Star Trek XI announced: It's Official!

[dalehoppert]

This just in from Daily Variety:

04.21.2006
BREAKING NEWS: J.J. Abrams to Produce "Trek XI"


J.J. Abrams, producer of hit shows Lost and Alias, as well as director of the upcoming Paramount film "Mission: Impossible III," is slated to produce the next Star Trek feature, according to today's Daily Variety.
Although the official Paramount press release should follow shortly, word about the Abrams project surfaced this morning in the daily trade paper. He will be writing the script with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci who penned "MI: III." Although Abrams is not yet confirmed to direct the project, he isn't ruling it out either.

The proposed story will focus on the early days of James T. Kirk and Spock, including their first meeting at Starfleet Academy and their first mission in space.

Although it's not confirmed, Abrams' producing partners from Lost, Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk are cited as being producers on the untitled "Trek XI" feature. (This project is separate from the previously rumored script developed by Eric Jendersen and overseen by Rick Berman.)

This new film is currently targeted for a 2008 release.

MY OPINION:

Not the best way to go... the Buffyization of Star Trek. Still, I know I'll give it a try.

[Anubis]

It is great news Dale, Star Trek Lives Again! with this 11th film. ;D

I have just had a 'confirm' email via the press office, Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk WILL produce this new film (they have worked on LOST) so this new film will be very interesting Dale.

The press release got to me at 01.30 GMT with the confirm this morning so it looks like Paramount are green lighting as per the Variety story Dale.

I don't know if they will Buffyize Trek, but I'm sure they will do a 'Battlestar Galactica' to it and move the franchise to a new generation of fans.
Folks like us are getting old hat, Paramount need new audiences to maintain the $1 Billion franchise into the 21st Century, it gaurantees that our favourite shows will be currency. Better that then have the Trek franchise cease and our fave shows become historical items like Space Patrol unknown beyond their own generation.

Maybe Kirk and Spock will be female, its possible, this is the current thinking in Hollywood, reach the female market. I'll wait and see, but it is good news and ensures the survival of The Experience in Vegas.

Well, its a new Trek movie....celebrate...woo hoo ;D

[BigHairyKev]

It'll be very interesting to see how this new incarnation goes. My recommendation is to get BHK involved, of course

[X-Wing]

admin said:

It'll be very interesting to see how this new incarnation goes. My recommendation is to get BHK involved, of course

LOL! Worth a try I suppose!

[dalehoppert]

It remains to be seen if this will be a "reboot" ala BSG or a prequel that respects existing Trek canon. Consider, if it IS a reboot, then OUR Star Trek is OVER.... the line that began with TOS in my youth and stretched over these 40 years has terminated. In either case, it appears that TNG, DS9 and VOY are being abandoned... the "next generation" has come to a close.

Personally, I don't like LOST... it's plotless, cliffhangery tripe that goes nowhere... no messages, no point, no resolution, just a weekly thrillride designed to ask a new question each week without ever answering it... it's all about the angst and conflict. I'm also not a fan of the new BSG wherein all is strife and politics and there is no nobility, no "rising above." I am not interested in "real people living real life," I want my HEROES. I want drama, yes, but I also want closure at the end of the day. The thing I've always loved about Star Trek was that these people were BETTER... they had their problems and their conflicts, true, but they in the end always rose above and in the rising taught us something.

I will of course eagerly await this rebirth, will dutifully buy my ticket, and will take my seat in the theater with hope. I'm just not sure what I see will truly be Star Trek or just something that bears its name.

So what do we think... will this be Star Trek XI, or will it in fact be Star Trek I?

I guess it's just galling to realize that my 40 years of dedication don't count for much any more... that Star Trek doesn't need me any more; is moving on and aiming at another audience.

We've had Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now here comes the next generation's Star Trek.

[Anubis]

dalehoppert said:

It remains to be seen if this will be a "reboot" ala BSG or a prequel that respects existing Trek canon. Consider, if it IS a reboot, then OUR Star Trek is OVER.... the line that began with TOS in my youth and stretched over these 40 years has terminated. In either case, it appears that TNG, DS9 and VOY are being abandoned... the "next generation" has come to a close.

Personally, I don't like LOST... it's plotless, cliffhangery tripe that goes nowhere... no messages, no point, no resolution, just a weekly thrillride designed to ask a new question each week without ever answering it... it's all about the angst and conflict. I'm also not a fan of the new BSG wherein all is strife and politics and there is no nobility, no "rising above." I am not interested in "real people living real life," I want my HEROES. I want drama, yes, but I also want closure at the end of the day. The thing I've always loved about Star Trek was that these people were BETTER... they had their problems and their conflicts, true, but they in the end always rose above and in the rising taught us something.

I will of course eagerly await this rebirth, will dutifully buy my ticket, and will take my seat in the theater with hope. I'm just not sure what I see will truly be Star Trek or just something that bears its name.

So what do we think... will this be Star Trek XI, or will it in fact be Star Trek I?

I guess it's just galling to realize that my 40 years of dedication don't count for much any more... that Star Trek doesn't need me any more; is moving on and aiming at another audience.

We've had Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now here comes the next generation's Star Trek.

You may have hit the nail on the head, I suspect that this will be a Trek for a new generation, but, if the Star Trek canon will be changed is a moot point.

Paramount would do well to respect the canon, a reboot would leave a film in total limbo. Existing Trek folk would avoid the film and its merchandise, it would have to rely totally on its first view audience as other feature films. This reality would need Paramount to come up with a tour de force of imagery and SFX on the level of the original Star Wars and its impact in 1977, don't think they have the fiscal stomach for that.

Worse case scenario, which is typical of Paramount, would be a confection of canon with a partial reboot intending to hold on to existing fans, and grow a new market at the same time.

The worry is Dale we cannot change things, it may end up like 'Lost' which was true to its title and never found its place, asking questions with no answers.
The fact that the same team that brought us this trifle is not lost (no pun) on Trek devotees, the concern is that another great Sci-Fi series will bite the dust in this nanny broadcast world

We do need our heroes Dale, its part of the development of Western society right back to Beowulf, Arthur and even Star Wars (which, it can be argued, kick started life back into Star Trek). We lose our heroes and we lose our society as it is today, no bad thing providing that which replaces it is of a similar noble stature, with honour, trust and resolution a part of the new direction.

Like you, I enjoy the escapism and the hope of Trek, if I want reality, I go out my front door and live....but a lot of folks turn on a soap or Oprah...that is why Battlestar Galactica is Oprah with space ships...it appeals to the modern and weak society now growing in the West.

Dale, despite our misgivings and worry about this new Trek, let us hope that the overwhelming power of Trek canon will make these Lost boys (again, no pun) create a truly dynamic and awesome movie experience with superb visual thrills for all generations. But, Dale mate, the torch IS being passed to a new generation and they see the world in a different way, and Sci-Fi too, so, we are kind of being passed aside, gently, I hope.

The truth you answered yourself mi amigo.....this is Star Trek 1, the first Star Trek fully produced and directed in the 21st Century....let us hope it is something spectacular ;D

Checked out your stations website.....nice...are you sponsored in some way by the BBC, I saw Mondial and World Service captioned and featured in logo?

Peace

Cy. A

[dalehoppert]

aside to Cy: our programming includes a block of BBC World Service from 11pm 'til 5 am PST which I believe is 7am-1pm on your fair isle. We also carry As It Happens from the CBC 10-11pm PST. We run BBC Mundo (Spanish language) 24/7 on one of our HD subcarriers, tho there aren't a lot of receivers in the states (the audience is still gearing up for digital radio - it's mostly in new high-end cars), and offer the BBC Mundo stream from our website.

[Anubis]

silverhawk said:

Trek doesn't need a reboot for a new generation. Back in 87, we got an all new Enterprise with an all new mix of characters, but it still took place in the same universe we all knew. Why couldn't the same be achieved here? Set it so many decades in the future again. If they're concerned about technology being too powerful if they jump forward again, write something into the intervening history to work it out. Perhaps another Dominion War starts at great cost to the Federation and other powers. Or even a Borg War where the Alpha Quadrant just survives, but is now living in a technological dark-age ("Our technology, our knowledge made us all worthy of assimilation - we will never give them that again").

The point is they don't have to throw everything out and start again. At least in Galactica's case, there wasn't a whole lot to throw out, so it was far less painful. With Trek, they have 40 years and hundreds of screen-hours which is an awful lot to carelessly discard for the sake of appealing the franchise to your average teenager Barbie of Borg was introduced to Voyager to raise the teenage male demographic and that was a patented disaster.

You echo my comments, the concern is that Paramount will please nobody.

The general concern about a reboot is that J.J.Barrie and his producers are in the saddle for this film, so many US commentators and fans are suggesting that the franchise will be changed by the very nature of this team and its past works.

The film is going to be set in the Starfleet Academy with a young Kirk and Spock so the press release that I received states and will also cover their first voyage into space.

Some wags feel that anything is possible with this LOST team of producers and directors, and with the current trend for 'soft' touchy feely sci-fi a number of possibilities present themselves........let us wait and see.

The viewing figures for 'Voyager' shows featuring 7 of 9 indicated a vast improvement in young male and female viewers at the time according to UPN, the scripts also tightened up bringing with it The Borg and many other new aliens. Most non Trek folks prefer the 7 of 9 Seasons over the previous 3 seasons which had Kes.

For my money, I prefer ALL the Voyager Seasons but the tempo and energy of the seasons do lift perceptibly after The Borg and Species 8472 'Scorpions' two parter, and apart from some slow downs kept on trucking until a hasty ill-conceived conclusion was created..... 'Endgame' .

With the 'talky talky' pseudo-shakespearian follow up movie 'Nemesis' Paramount totally lost the plot, blaming a new generation for the films failure. If they had addressed the poor structure and Picards rhetoric they would have been on the right track, now, they may be about to go 'Total Paramount' and throw the baby out with the bath water

Let us hope Silverhawk, that our views will reach the hallowed halls of Paramount, and wiser minds will prevail

A

[Anubis]

dalehoppert said:

aside to Cy: our programming includes a block of BBC World Service from 11pm 'til 5 am PST which I believe is 7am-1pm on your fair isle. We also carry As It Happens from the CBC 10-11pm PST. We run BBC Mundo (Spanish language) 24/7 on one of our HD subcarriers, tho there aren't a lot of receivers in the states (the audience is still gearing up for digital radio - it's mostly in new high-end cars), and offer the BBC Mundo stream from our website.

Thanks Dale, thats answered a number of points...appreciate that.

I'm preparing a new Warp Core Newsletter for our non computer members, one of the photos will be of a 1970's radio studio which I think will tickle you pink. It feeds a 50,000 watt TX on a clear channel, and a 20kw FM, hope you'll like it.

Other photos will include a couple of really kewl shots of The Experience star ships.

Cheers Dale. ;D

[dalehoppert]

THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEW STAR TREK MOVIE:

1. Familiar TOS uniform colors... change the design if you must but to change the tunic colors would be like making Superman's suit green with a white cape...

2. A colorful bridge... granted the glowing jewel buttons, toggle switches and such won't work in an update, but there should be a definite homage in the design. I''m not saying to go for the overall bright, cartoonish LOOK of TOS, but don't go all dark and creepy either. I don't think the "submarine in space" thing served ENT very well...

3. A familiar looking Enterprise, brand new, captained by Robert April... perhaps it could even rescue our young heros at the end of the film with Kirk meeting April and being dead impressed... foreshadowing.

4. Finnegan should be Kirk's initial foe @ the academy.

5. Scotty and McCoy are both older than Kirk, so no reason they can't turn up somewhere on some crew, even in cameo form.

Those would all be nice nods to us traditionalists that wouldn't necessarily constrain the creative team to following canon.

Other thoughts: I read a terrific novel once (title lost in the mush that currently serves as my brain) wherein a young, brash and troubled Kirk - definite leadership qualities but a bit of a broody, chip-on-his-shoulder type - met April and the Enterprise and it worked REALLY well.

[Anubis]

Yep, that sounds good Dale

Mmmm, that novel you mention, I wonder if USS Endeavour's Daxmaryrussel has the answer to that

Dax is our veritable font of knowledge and is well versed on parallel Trek including novels, web sites and suchlike.

Have you read the novel or heard this plot line Dax?

A ;D

[daxmaryrussel]

This is what userfriendly thinks of the new film plot

ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20060423 ;D

not so kind - but fun


dax

[daxmaryrussel]

anubis said:

Yep, that sounds good Dale

Mmmm, that novel you mention, I wonder if USS Endeavour's Daxmaryrussel has the answer to that

Dax is our veritable font of knowledge and is well versed on parallel Trek including novels, web sites and suchlike.

Have you read the novel or heard this plot line Dax?

A ;D

Unfortunately I haven't read any Star Trek books in ages - just don't have time to read so many novels these days

However, the book dale mentioned might it be this one?
www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/books/0671044109/customer-reviews/701-5436692-7385112

Diane Carey is one of my fav ST writers

My fav site for all things Star Trek books is Psi Phi Star Trek book database www.psiphi.org/

(only books that mentions USS Endevour seems to be "Summon the Thunder" in the fairly new Vanguard series www.psiphi.org/cgi/upc-db/X000000231.html - I haven't read it...)

all the best
dax

[dalehoppert]

Best Destiny! That was IT! I highly reccommend this book both for folks interested in what the next Trek movie might be like, and as a guide for the producers of said film.

Diane Carey IS good... on my list with Peter David and the Reeves-Stevenses as the best of the best. John Vorholt's Genesis series is also excellent, and Michael Jan Friedman does a fine job as well.

[daxmaryrussel]

dalehoppert said:

Best Destiny! That was IT! I highly reccommend this book both for folks interested in what the next Trek movie might be like, and as a guide for the producers of said film.

Diane Carey IS good... on my list with Peter David and the Reeves-Stevenses as the best of the best. John Vorholt's Genesis series is also excellent, and Michael Jan Friedman does a fine job as well.

YES Peter David is on top of my list too. I really enjoyed his Star Trek: New Frontier series and Reeves-Stevenses, thank good for them! They made Shatner's Star Trek books and some great episodes in the last season of Enterprise.
And there are a few more writers on my list... but we'll discuss that another time

Star Trek New Frontier: www.geocities.com/lilladn/
(Hmm that would be an interesting film )

all the best

[Anubis]

daxmaryrussel said:

anubis said:

Yep, that sounds good Dale

Mmmm, that novel you mention, I wonder if USS Endeavour's Daxmaryrussel has the answer to that

Dax is our veritable font of knowledge and is well versed on parallel Trek including novels, web sites and suchlike.

Have you read the novel or heard this plot line Dax?

A ;D

Unfortunately I haven't read any Star Trek books in ages - just don't have time to read so many novels these days

However, the book dale mentioned might it be this one?
www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/books/0671044109/customer-reviews/701-5436692-7385112

Diane Carey is one of my fav ST writers

My fav site for all things Star Trek books is Psi Phi Star Trek book database www.psiphi.org/

(only books that mentions USS Endevour seems to be "Summon the Thunder" in the fairly new Vanguard series www.psiphi.org/cgi/upc-db/X000000231.html - I haven't read it...)

all the best
dax

Dax, you are my favourite crew member and we all love you here on Endeavour...in fact I'm sure we would have had all sorts of disasters without your core knowledge. ;D
Good work Dax, let me know if you want that Trek play burned, its the least we can do ;D

Dale, I told you so, Dax is an absolute gem and with you on the West Coast, and Paul in Australia, Dax in Sweden and Britt and John in Florida and all the rest of our Posse we get a unique global view of the Trek world and a knowledge that we share generously. I knew Dax would have the answer or at the very least a path to it

The best thing too Dale, Dax is my very good friend and we both enjoy strong brewski's, and she loves to buy a round. As they say 'She's a Dax, They just do'.

When you get to meet her in Quarks you will be in a Dax mind meld.....truly

[Anubis]

;D Thats good Silverhawk...O-neg into A-B body ;D love that

Further to your point about refreshing the franchise, Dale and Dax have hit upon an interesting aspect of this, a novel that has covered this ground in the past

I know I'll try and make time to find and read it, maybe bring it to Paramount's attention.

A

[daxmaryrussel]

Hmmm - maybe it's not official after all - or is it?

Just got this link: www.tvsquad.com/2006/04/25/abrams-clears-up-star-trek-rumors/

Abrams clears up Star Trek rumours ;D
Maybe there is not going to be a prequel after all (sighs in relief) - or maybe it is (getting worried again)

I've pasted the articles below:
---
Abrams clears up Star Trek rumors
Posted Apr 25th 2006 7:00PM by Bob Sassone

Everyone was excited the other day when Variety reported that Lost/Alias creator and Mission: Impossible 3 director J.J. Abrams was going to direct the next Star Trek flick in 2008, making a prequel to the original Kirk/Spock show. But it wasn't exactly as the paper reported ...or was it? Empire has a quick interview with Abrams:

"The whole thing was reported entirely without our cooperation. People learned that I was producing a Star Trek film, that I had an option to direct it, they hear rumors of what the thing was going to be and ran with a story that is not entirely accurate."

But here's where the confusion starts. The headline of this article is "It Won't Be Kirk and Spock." But then the article goes on to say that Abrams is a fan of the original series, he thinks the characters are "spectacular," that the characters "could live again," and that he isn't releasing any details of the plot. So why is the article titled and slanted like that? There's really nothing here that contradicts the news from the other day, except that Abrams hasn't officially signed on as director yet.
----


It Won't Be Kirk And Spock
Exclusive: The Truth About Star Trek XI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fans around the world whooped for joy last week at news that the Star Trek franchise was being resuscitated with M:I:3 director JJ Abrams at the helm. News that it would adopt the long-mooted concept of Kirk and Spock's youthful adventures at Starfleet Academy provoked a more mixed reaction. Those who thought such a move sacrilege can rest easy though because, as Empire discovered in an interview today with Abrams himself, the story is nothing of the sort.

"The whole thing was reported entirely without our cooperation," says the director with a hint of regret. "People learned that I was producing a Star Trek film, that I had an option to direct it, they hear rumours of what the thing was going to be and ran with a story that is not entirely accurate."

But the million dollar question is, what will it be about? Unsurprisingly, Abrams isn't saying ("We've made a pact not to discuss any specifics") but the Lost creator is a confirmed Original Series fan so don't be surprised if his take on the series does indeed take place around the era of Kirk and co, or if some of the established characters do make a reappearance. "Those characters are so spectacular. I just think that… you know, they could live again."

--
all the best from
dax
--
"I never lie when I've got sand in my shoes."
Geordi - The Enemy

[Anubis]

silverhawk said:

daxmaryrussel said:

so don't be surprised if his take on the series does indeed take place around the era of Kirk and co, or if some of the established characters do make a reappearance.

Interesting. If we're looking at a film that could conceivably have TOS characters without resorting to time-travel again, it has to be set in the early years of the 24th century, say around 2310. That would account for aging since the previous movies. There're only four characters that could take part though - Spock, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura.

Just thought I'd interject here but a little bit of gossip going the rounds of Paramount via the 'film extras' grapevine (in to me via Pinewood) is that Berman and his posse are not taking this lying down

Sounds like a repeat of the Brosnan/007 cock-up, Aeon forgot to tell him his role was up for grabs, seems Berman thought he was in for a new movie, now Paramount are pulling down the shutters and saying 'no comment'

Stable door...horse bolted springs to mind ;D ;D

[dalehoppert]

Well, well, well canon fans... looks like things might not be as grim as we thought... this is from TrekToday.com:

____________________________________________________
Star Trek XI screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci said that they expected the upcoming movie directed by J.J. Abrams to contain some new characters and some with whom viewers are familiar.

In a Creative Screenwriting Magazine podcast (by way of TrekWeb), Orci and Kurtzman suggested that they would not be recreating the series in the way that Battlestar Galactica has been reimagined, but extrapolating on events in the Star Trek franchise as it currently exists.

"We're very mindful of being totally true to the mythology and totally true to what's come there," explained the writers. "There are pockets within the universe, and we know the mythology well." They added that they were fans of the novels extrapolating on what might have happened between the events of the original series movies, which are not considered franchise canon.

"We do know that there is a space to begin to see a lot of the origins of a lot of the things we know and we're going to start there," Kurtzman and Orci said. "To embrace the fact there's such a rich history to it that this is not a case of trying to come in and be so clever that you're going to reinvent everything. It's a case of coming in and using the stuff you know is great...not violating anything that's come before it."

Asked whether there would be familiar characters or their predecessors, the writers added, "It will be a bit of both, I think."

___________________________________________________
So they plan to respect canon and their extrapolations will be of the easy-to-digest sort we get from Shatner/Reeves-Stevens novels... fill-in-the-blanks type stuff as opposed to a complete reimagining... to me, this is good news...