Star Trek Film 2008Star Trek (also referred to as Star Trek XI) is an upcoming science fiction film, the eleventh entry in the Star Trek film series, based on the franchise created by Gene Roddenberry.

In April 2006, after several years of rumor and speculation, Paramount Pictures announced that the film would be produced by Lost co-creators J. J. Abrams (who is directing) and Damon Lindelof.

It was written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who are also executive producers with Bryan Burk, Jeffrey Chernov and Level 1 Entertainment executives Bill Todman, Jr., Edward Milstein, and Paul Schwake.

The film will simply be called Star Trek and will be released on December 25, 2008.

The story will focus on the earliest adventures of James T. Kirk and Spock, and will also feature appearances by the main characters from the original series.

Cast:

  • Chris Pine as James T. Kirk
  • Zachary Quinto as Young Spock
  • Karl Urban as Leonard McCoy
  • Simon Pegg as Montgomery Scott
  • Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov
  • Zoe Saldana as Uhura
  • John Cho as Hikaru Sulu
  • Eric Bana as Nero (the villain of the film)
  • Clifton Collins, Jr. as General Ayel (Nero’s henchman)
  • Leonard Nimoy as Old Spock
  • Bruce Greenwood as Christopher Pike
  • Chris Hemsworth as George Samuel Kirk Senior, Kirk’s father
  • Jennifer Morrison as Winona Kirk, Kirk’s mother
  • Ben Cross as Sarek, Spock’s father
  • Winona Ryder as Amanda Grayson, Spock’s mother
  • Rachel Nichols as Orion female[
  • Tyler Perry as head of Starfleet Academy
  • Sonita Henry (unknown role)
  • Paul McGillion (unknown role)

Film Trailer: 

While William Shatner has indicated that he will not be appearing in the film, Abrams said in July 2007 that the production was “desperately trying to figure out a way to put him in” but that to “shove him in…would be a disaster.” Original Sulu George Takei has also expressed hope he will be in the film.

For some time it was widely rumored that Matt Damon would play Kirk in the movie. Damon, upon hearing the rumors, including comments from William Shatner giving him a “seal of approval” for the role, contacted Abrams to ascertain the truth, only to be told that the Kirk in the film was a younger man and he was “too old” for the part. Damon commented that if sequels are made featuring an older Kirk than that portrayed by Pine, then he would be interested in playing the role.

Adrien Brody discussed playing Spock with director J. J. Abrams. Paul McGillion auditioned for the role of Scotty. Although he did not win the role, he impressed producers enough that he was given another (thus far unidentified) role in the film. James Kyson Lee was considered for Sulu, but because Zachary Quinto was already cast as Spock, the producers of the TV show Heroes did not want to lose another cast member for three months. Abrams also approached Timothy Olyphant for a part.

For the role of Spock, Quinto shaved his eyebrows, and spent three hours a day having pointed ears and large earlobes applied, so as to match Leonard Nimoy’s appearance.

Five Facts on STAR TREK 2008:

  • FACT ONE: Everything New Is Old Again: Like Batman Begins and Casino Royale, this latest incarnation of Star Trek is a franchise re-start that goes back to Kirk, Spock and Bones’ first days aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. But instead of starting with a completely clean slate, Leonard Nimoy returns to the role of Mr. Spock to tie in the original cast with the new.
  • FACT TWO: Harold and Sylar Go to Starfleet Academy: For the part of the young Spock, Heroes star Zachary Quinto will don the pointy ears. Chris Pine (Just My Luck) plays Kirk, Karl Urban (The Lord of the Rings) is Bones, Zoe Saldana will be Uhura, and funnymen John Cho and Simon Pegg are Sulu and Scotty. See the full crew in this photo slideshow.
    FACT THREE: You’re Dead, Jim: William Shatner has publicly expressed his disappointment with not being included in the new film. But as any Trekker could tell you, Captain Kirk died fighting the evil Soran on the planet Veridian III at the end of Star Trek: Generations, the first movie that featured the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. 
    FACT FOUR: J.J. Loves the ’60s: This is the second movie J.J. Abrams has directed, and it’s his second based on a television show from the 1960s. His first feature, Mission: Impossible III, was based on TV’s Mission: Impossible that ran from 1966 to 1973. Coincidentally, Leonard Nimoy had a starring role on both series.
  • FACT FIVE: Christmas: The Final Frontier: The new Star Trek won’t beam up into theaters until December 25th. To bide your time until then, you can catch up on all of the old Trek adventures. All six television series and ten motion pictures are available now on DVD. And scroll down this page for an exclusive first look at the new teaser trailer.

Reaction: The film’s concept raises questions of whether the movie might modify continuity, as either a retcon or a reboot. Screenwriter Roberto Orci has said Star Trek is “in some senses” a prequel, but that the terms he and producer Damon Lindelof prefer are “re-invigoration” or “re-vitalization.” A prequel concept was opposed by Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry when it first was proposed by Harve Bennett in 1991 after the completion of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

In interviews, Abrams has saluted both the fans and the continuity several times. “Being involved with a series that has a passionate and vocal following makes me incredibly sympathetic. They have put up with so many incarnations along the way. These fans, they are a smart bunch. They are an intelligent group. We are very respectful and we have no intention of subverting the material,” he told Donald Clarke of The Irish Times. Later, to Empire, he said, “As someone who works on a show that has a very loyal and vocal fanbase, I do understand the need to be respectful … I think we can do the fans proud.”

Abrams has not seen Star Trek: Nemesis, and claims that the franchise eventually “disconnected” for him. However, Roberto Orci claims “immediate recall” of all things Trek, and has made comments indicating that he considers even some of the line of Star Trek novels to have canon value, although Gene Roddenberry never considered the novels to be canon. Abrams has labeled Bryan Burk as being “relatively fresh” to the Star Trek universe. Abrams labeled himself as a “big fan”, but not a “Trekker” or a “Trekkie”.