Well, it's finally officially official! Although it was virtually official for some time, Paramount has now confirmed that Star Trek 11 will be released Christmas 2008, 6 years after the last travesty that was Star Trek Nemesis! And it's going to be written by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and directed by Lost and Alias creator J.J. Abrams, the same people who made the mediocre Mission Impossible 3! Grrrreat! While they should certainly be able to churn out something better than Nemesis, I have my doubts this is going to reach the heights scaled by Wrath of Kahn, Undiscovered Country, and Generations (sorry haters, it was good, and easily the most cinematic of the TNG films).
The most interesting thing about this film is that it will "focus on the early lives of Captain James T Kirk and Mr Spock". Although it's easy to dismiss this as creative bankruptcy, I find the idea interesting. Abrams aims to recapture the "brilliance and optimism of Roddenberry's world" by setting it in Kirk's time. After the horrors of Voyager and Enterprise (alright, the last season was OK, but OK just doesn't cut it), this may be a good thing. The major downside is the sense of inevitability that naturally accompanies a prequel. Oh, and the tendency for prequels to suck.
The other factor is that feeling of Star Trek burnout. I just have to say... too soon! Enterprise has barely been gone two years, so by the time this film comes out it won't have been the lengthy hiatus that was needed for weary fans like me to wash away the bitter taste. On the plus side though, the talentless hacks that ran things into the ground won't be running the show, and that fact alone gives me a bit of that Roddenberry optimism Abrams promises to infuse into his film. Rumour has it... Matt Damon, Matt Damon! is in... talks to play... the iconic role that formerly... belonged to William Shatner. All will be revealed in good time, and I am mildly interested.
2 comments:
Nemesis wasn't too bad - can't be as bad as The Unmentionable ST movie. It was so cool seeing my favorite ST cast together again. Nothing could ruin it. :>
Hadn't heard about this prequel, and am unsure how I feel about it... Having Abrams is a good sign, but Matt Damon? Eh.
As much as I love the TNG cast, it was disappointing to see them in such a weak film. It was like an embarrassing family reunion - and that dune buggy sequence... ugh! If by unmentionable you're referring to 5, that's true enough, though I haven't seen that one in a long while. :)
What's wrong with Matt Damon Matt Damon? He's unquestionably a better actor than the Shatner, plus he can do the cocky arrogant swagger thing (see The Departed). And I'm not sure Abrams as a director is such a good sign... :-/ Maybe as producer / writer...
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