ST: XI - The Menagerie

[ScottSF]

noooooooo, I was stoked that someone might try again after Nemesis was the worst thing filmed about anything ever. But KIRK!? KIRK? He's the worst star trek character ever! Then again I'll keep an open mind. Re-inventing Battle StarGalactica worked, why not start over with Trek. I don't like Original Star Trek but some of the movies were ok. First Contact is my favorite though. I consider it the first real Star Trek movie. how could they go so wrong with Nemesis? I think I'll get over it, but if you make a crappy movie with Kirk well that's to be expected but Nemesis had to ruin my TNG crew, had to ruin real star trek.

[Dave]

There have been more rumours on Trek XI from SciFi Wire. I'm not sure if this is the same script or if that one has been thrown out. It still deals with the pre-Original series/ post-Enterprise era; it still appears to be called "The Beginning", but now, a young Kirk and a young Spock are mentioned, and so, it is back full circle to the old Harve Bennett 'Academy Days' idea:

Abrams Reviving Trek

Paramount has hired Mission: Impossible III director J.J. Abrams to write, direct and produce the 11th Star Trek feature film, aiming for a 2008 release, Variety reported. Damon Lindelof, who co-created Lost with Abrams, and Bryan Burk, who produces Lost, have also been tapped to produce the yet-to-be-titled feature.

The project will be co-written by Mission: Impossible III scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. It will center on the early days of original Trek characters James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, including their first meeting at Starfleet Academy and first space mission, the trade paper reported.

The deal reflects the studio's bullishness on Mission: Impossible III, which launches worldwide next weekend, and underlines the goal of Paramount heads Brad Grey and Gail Berman to re-energize the pipeline via high-profile tentpoles, while revitalizing the Paramount brand with top-tier talent such as Abrams, the trade paper reported.

The decision to relaunch Star Trek comes less than a year after UPN pulled the plug on Star Trek: Enterprise amid dismal ratings following a four-season run, and four years after Star Trek: Nemesis turned in the worst performance of the 10 films, earning just $43 million at the box office.

Berman Not Part Of Trek 11

Longtime Star Trek writer and producer Rick Berman, who joined the franchise at the feet of creator Gene Roddenberry, will not be involved in the proposed 11th Trek film, to be directed by Mission: Impossible III helmer J.J. Abrams, SCI FI Wire has learned.

A Paramount spokesperson confirmed that Berman—who started with Trek under Roddenberry in 1987 as a writer and producer on TV's Star Trek: The Next Generation—would not take part in Abrams' film. "J.J. is also a producer, and Rick Berman is not involved in any way," the representative confirmed over the weekend.

It will mark the first time that a Trek project has not had Berman's creative input in more than 18 years. Berman produced and co-wrote the last four films and co-created the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; he also wrote, contributed story ideas to or produced all Trek incarnations since the original series. Berman's last film, Star Trek: Nemesis, tanked at the box office, and Berman's last series, Enterprise, was canceled by UPN after only four seasons because of poor ratings.

The new Trek film will be written by Abrams and his M:I III writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who worked with Abrams on the Alias series. The new Trek film will reportedly go back to the first meeting of James T. Kirk and Spock at Starfleet Academy and deal with their first missions into space. Orci and Kurtzman previously wrote for TV's Xena: Warrior Princess and co-wrote the films The Legend of Zorro, The Island and the upcoming Transformers: The Movie.

Berman has previously said he wasn't sure about the future of the Star Trek franchise, but always hoped to revive and be involved in the franchise somehow. —Mike Szymanski

It is possible for Kirk and Spock to have been at the Academy together. Kirk was an Academy instructor and served on the USS Farragut afterwards, while Spock served under Captain Pike on the USS Enterprise. The 'Star Trek Chronology' places them together at the Academy a with Spock in the year above.

Less likely would be seeing Scotty or Bones at the same time. Though Emony Dax might be around. We ought to see Gary Mitchell and the blonde lab technician, Ruth and Janet Wallace. We might see Captain Pike or Captain Robert April or Garth.

On another board someone said that it least it would be more interesting than Picard and Riker at the Academy! Though from 'Tapestry' Picard might have been less stiff in his Academy days.

As for Berman being pushed out, I've no axe to grind. In hindsight, I don't like the directions the franchise was pushed in recent years. I always said that I would like either a "29th Century Timeship" series and an "Academy Days" film. 'Enterprise' grew on me, but spent too long exploring the new wonders and never got on to the Romulan Wars where it would have got interesting.

[Dave]

Sorry for a second post, but according to 'Trek Today' this is a compeletly different script to the Eric Jenderesen one, which was overseen by Rick Berman (now no longer involved) but also that all these new rumours are not being taken too seriously. Who would believe anything given the tortuous route this film has taken so far?

from Trek Today

Star Trek XI News and Gossip Begins

By Michelle
April 24, 2006 - 8:31 PM
As fans reacted with optimism to the announcement of an eleventh Star Trek feature film to be helmed by J.J. Abrams (story), some facts about the movie have become clearer.

StarTrek.com has confirmed that longtime Star Trek executive producer Rick Berman, who was personally brought into the franchise by creator Gene Roddenberry and worked on all of the second-generation shows and movies, is not involved. "This project is separate from the previously rumored script developed by Eric Jendresen and overseen by Rick Berman," stated the official site. "The former Star Trek producer is not involved in this project."

An Associated Press article on Abrams, who will co-write the Star Trek XI script with his Mission Impossible III collaborators Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, quoted Paramount spokeswoman Nancy Kirkpatrick as saying that original series stars William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy have not yet been approached about appearing in the prequel film, which will reportedly focus on Kirk and Spock's first meeting and their first adventures together.

George Takei, who played Sulu in the original series, six films and on Star Trek: Voyager, noted on his web site that he was "very excited" about the news. "I wonder what Sulu would have been up to in those early days at Starfleet Academy?" he said. "We've lived much longer than we ever thought, and will continue to prosper in so many unimagined ways in the future."

Some people, however, refused to take the news seriously. Dateline Hollywood published a satirical article claiming that Abrams had taken out a restraining order against Shatner and that Star Trek actors from Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) to Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) had been spotted stalking Abrams, the only exception being Patrick Stewart, who has recently declared his frustration at being so closely associated with Captain Picard.

[Wolfeborn]

um did you watch insurrection lol.

Kirk is tha man, but if you like all the over the top series ST then all good, I like the original series as it can now be looked back on and found amusing, as well as trying to do something diferent. Personaly old sci-fi is good sci-fi without all the original series you wouldnt have any of the new sci-fi series.

but not sure why they want to go back and mess with original ST stuff copying star wars? who knows is a daft idea, but seems like they are rapidly running out, and is just about squeezing the last few dollars out of a franchise teetering on the edge of destruction. I think they should either leave well alone and jsut contnue to sell merchandise to get their money or wait until they can actually make something original adn good from the ST universe.

Spin off with the time cops anyone hehe that would be interesting.

[TK-421]

Agree with I, Brian and Wolfborn that a look back at Kirk and Spock is a mistake because how can you go forward from there. Especially with new actors that people will not associate with those characters.

They should try a new series and then film looking forward. Shake things up. WB should hire Void Dragon as he/she would certainly give them good ideas.

[Kals]

As an avid fan, I am shocked, have they not done this to death already, surely they could invent a spin off show and I agree when have they met anyone new that joins the federation, to boldly go...right.

Enterprise looked more modern that the UUS Enterprise's, milking the cash cow for all its work.

I can't get started on star wars, disappointment when you watch three to be stuct down with remastered four, five and six.

Firefly was original, cross western and space adventure, not knowing what's round the corner, its lreal ife or death, don't think another Star Trek film will caputure my imagination.

Only two film from the next generation crew are with watching are 'First Contact' and 'Insurrection'.

[ScottSF]

I play up my distaste for original star trek but actually I do appreciate it. They did some good things with the limitations and I like Spock and Scotty and even Bones. I didn't like Kirk cause basically all he ever seemed to do in first contact situatios was make out with it or punch it. I think if they followed along the lines of the pilot episode with Captain Pike and the Nurse woman as Number 1, it would have been a better show. I may not have been as successful without the cowboy, who knows. They probably think a Kirkish movie will have bigger appeal. I certainly will give it a chance. I wonder if this will turn out to be just a rumor, like Jodie Foster will play Boba Fett in the new Star Wars movies or Tom Hanks will play Valentine Micheal Smith in a Stranger in a Strange land move.

[Void Dragon]

Originally Posted by Kals

As an avid fan, I am shocked, have they not done this to death already, surely they could invent a spin off show and I agree when have they met anyone new that joins the federation, to boldly go...right.

Enterprise looked more modern that the UUS Enterprise's, milking the cash cow for all its work.

I can't get started on star wars, disappointment when you watch three to be stuct down with remastered four, five and six.

Firefly was original, cross western and space adventure, not knowing what's round the corner, its lreal ife or death, don't think another Star Trek film will caputure my imagination.

Only two film from the next generation crew are with watching are 'First Contact' and 'Insurrection'.

One of the problems with trek: THEY JUST NEVER DIE!
I mean, the only characters we saw dying were Kirk (dissapointing death for the greatest Trek character ever) and Data (didn't even need to die, enough said).

In all other cases, there's just always something that makes them return to the world of the living: time-travel, DNA-technobabbly tricks, or even getting their copies in an other quantumreality (NEVER mistake that term with "an other dimension": also one of Trek's scientific flaws!)

[TK-421]

Well, I think JJ Abrams has since said that it may not in fact focus on Kirk and Spock and that the media jumped the gun on this one.

He's hoping...

http://www.startrek.com/startrek/vie...cle/16011.html

[I, Brian]

He doesn't seem to deny it - simply complain that no official details have been released.

[pokernut951]

If someone can make one as good as Wrath of Jhan, Undiscovered Country, and First Contact then I'll be very surprised.

[Paige Turner]

I'll watch as long as they're a rag-tag band of rebels. Once they stop being rag-tag, I'm outta here.

[Whitestar]

Agreed. Granted, J. J. Abrams is a very talented writer, but going backwards to the Kirk/Spock era is a big mistake. It's really not necessary to see how they met, we as the audience can imagine quite a bit, we don't need any kind of spoonfeeding.

Whitestar

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Ah, crap. They're still looking backwards.

Rather than look to where they can take the stories into the future, they're busy looking at the past and at their feet. Big mistake IMO. Leave the original series be and get on with what Star Trek was supposed to do - tell the future - not self-indulge on its own past.

Modern CGI with original series effects is just going to create another anachronism.

[Dave]

from SciFi Wire

The Insider, the syndicated gossip TV series, reported a rumor that Matt Damon is being eyed to play a young Capt. James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams' proposed 11th Star Trek movie.

Citing an anonymous source, the show reported that Abrams (Mission: Impossible III) is so interested in Damon (The Bourne Identity) that he's sought support from the original Kirk, William Shatner. "Shatner gave his blessing," the source reportedly told the show. "J.J. got his approval."

Rumors are circulating that Abrams' Trek movie will be a prequel to the original series, centering on Kirk and Spock's early days at Starfleet. "J.J. wants Damon as Capt. Kirk," the source said. "He really loves the idea."

For their part, Abrams and his Trek producing partner Bryan Burk (who is also an executive producer on Abram's hit ABC series Lost) have declined to comment on speculation about the movie's storyline, saying only that any reports about its narrative have been released prematurely.

So, who could play a young Spock?

Jake Gyllenhaal?
Toby Maguire?
Hayden Christensen?

Edit: Hailing frequencies has the same idea:

What next, do you suppose? Halle Berry as Uhura? Keanu Reeves as Spock? Jack Black as Chekov?

I think Keanu Reeves is too old to be Spock. And Halle Berry is definately too old to kiss Matt Damon.

[lordoftime]

Well it looks like JJ Abrams is moving full speed ahead with this project. The script is nearing completion, at least in its first or second draft form, and he and his team are happy with the plotline-still being kept secret from the public. Abrams did say this is the kind of Trek he would personally go see as a fan. Filming is hoped to begin by mid 2007 if all goes well for a mid summer 2008 release. . All this and more can be found in the news for the past few days over at TrekWeb.