From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section contains information about one or more scheduled or expected films. The content may change as the film's release approaches and more information becomes available.

Star Trek
Teaser poster
Directed by	J. J. Abrams
Produced by	J. J. Abrams Damon Lindelof
Written by	Screenplay Alex Kurtzman Roberto Orci Characters Gene Roddenberry
Starring	Chris Pine Zachary Quinto Karl Urban Simon Pegg Anton Yelchin Zoë Saldaña John Cho Eric Bana Clifton Collins Jr. Leonard Nimoy Bruce Greenwood Ben Cross Winona Ryder Chris Hemsworth Rachel Nichols Jennifer Morrison
Music by	Michael Giacchino Manon Dave (additional music)
Cinematography	Daniel Mindel
Editing by	Mary Jo Markey Maryann Brandon
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	December 25, 2008
Country	United States
Language	English
Preceded by	Nemesis
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Star 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^[1] and will be released on December 25, 2008.

Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 3 Development 4 Production 5 Reaction 6 Marketing 7 References 8 External links

The story will focus on the earliest adventures of James T. Kirk and Spock,^[2] and will also feature appearances by the main characters from the original series.^[3]

• Chris Pine as James T. Kirk.^[4]
• Zachary Quinto as Spock.^[5]
• Karl Urban as Leonard McCoy.^[6]
• Simon Pegg as Montgomery Scott.^[7]
• Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov.^[8]
• Zoë Saldaña as Uhura.^[9]
• John Cho as Hikaru Sulu.^[10]
• Eric Bana as Nero, the villain of the film.^[11]
• Clifton Collins Jr. as General Ayel, Nero's henchman.^[12]
• Leonard Nimoy as the older Spock.^[13]
• Bruce Greenwood as Christopher Pike.^[14]
• Ben Cross as Sarek, Spock's Vulcan father.^[15]
• Winona Ryder as Amanda Grayson, Spock's human mother.^[16]
• Chris Hemsworth as George Samuel Kirk Senior, Kirk's father.^[17]
• Rachel Nichols in an unknown role.^[18]
• Jennifer Morrison in an unknown role.^[19]

While original Kirk William Shatner has indicated that he will not be appearing in the film,^[20][21][22] 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."^[23] Original Sulu George Takei has also expressed hope he will be in the film.^[24]

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,^[25] 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.^[26][27] Damon commented that if they do the progression then he'd be interested in playing Kirk.^[25]

Adrien Brody discussed playing Spock with director J. J. Abrams.^[28] Paul McGillion auditioned for the role of Scotty.^[29] 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.^[30] Abrams also approached Timothy Olyphant for a part.^[31]

As early as 2003, Rick Berman, then-executive producer of the Star Trek franchise, began quietly discussing the possibility of an eleventh Star Trek feature film. However, because of the failures in 2002 and 2005 of the franchise, including the tenth film, Star Trek Nemesis and the cancellation of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, these statements were widely ignored. However, in February 2005, Berman finally backed up some of his statements with names, claiming in Variety that screenwriter Erik Jendresen, among others, were involved in production of a new film.^[32]

Despite being tangled up in rumors of other screenplays under consideration,^{[33][34][35][36]} the Jendresen script was widely believed to be in pre-production. It was believed that the story, titled Star Trek: The Beginning, would revolve around a new set of characters, led by a man named Tiberius Chase. It would take place in a time after Enterprise but before Star Trek: The Original Series, possibly during the Earth-Romulan War. These rumors have since been verified in large part by Jendresen.^[37]

However, on February 25, 2006, Douglas Mirabello, a personal assistant to Rick Berman, made an extensive posting at the Something Awful forums in which he denied that production on The Beginning was going forward, and claimed that Star Trek was dead for the time being. "The franchise needs a totally new creative team, some time off, and a cool new approach", he said.^[38] In Jendresen's words, "Essentially, what's being said is true. This is 'dead' because it's not moving forward. It's like a shark. It has got to keep moving or it's dead."^[37]

On April 20, 2006, the Associated Press reported that the eleventh Star Trek movie was officially in production. Citing sources at Paramount Pictures, the AP reported that the untitled new movie would be directed and produced by J. J. Abrams, best known as the creator and executive producer of the television shows Alias and Lost, and as the producer/director of Mission: Impossible III. Most of this information was later confirmed by Paramount and other sources. Longtime Abrams collaborators Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have since independently confirmed that they will be writing the movie, with fellow Abrams alumnus Damon Lindelof co-producing. Kurtzman, Orci, and the final member of Abrams' production company, Bryan Burk, are all executive producers.

According to comments by Roberto Orci, the treatment for XI is done, and he and Kurtzman have begun writing the script. In an August interview, he hoped that they would complete a first draft by the end of October and a final version by Christmas 2006, and said that, "if all goes perfectly", shooting might begin as early as summer 2007.^[39] However, unnamed sources speaking to The Trek Movie Report indicated in October that shooting may begin in the spring, partly to alleviate Abrams' overscheduling as executive producer for Lost, Six Degrees, and What About Brian, in addition to producing Trek XI. Sources have also claimed that informal auditions had already begun in early October.^[40] Despite Orci's hopes of an October script, however, J. J. Abrams said in a November 2 interview that, "they are in the midst of it and it's in progress".^[41] Despite some news agencies taking this as a sign of possible delay for Trek XI,^[42][43] Abrams appears to still believe in an accelerated schedule, saying in the interview that shooting next spring is "realistic", and that, in fact, they are "otherwise ... not going to make the date that we have".

For many months after the film was announced, Abrams declined to make a decision about whether or not he would accept the directorship offered him by Paramount. On February 23, 2007, Abrams had finally accepted Paramount's offer to direct Star Trek XI.^[44] Afterward, Paramount Pictures announced a release date of December 25, 2008.^[45] On January 7, 2007, J.J. Abrams announced that the first draft script for the movie was complete and awaiting what he referred to as "tweaking". He remarked that it will satisfy "non-Trekkers" and that for those who love Star Trek, "the fix that they get will be very satisfying". He has said that it will begin filming in 2007, with a release date of 2008. Contrary to some reports, Abrams pointedly did not confirm details of the film or its plot.^[46][47]

Filming began on November 7, 2007.^[48] The shoot will last eighty-five days, and will take place on eleven sets built at the Paramount backlot, and there will be two weeks of location shooting in Iceland.^[49] The shoot will finish in March.^[50] The design work for the film will be primarily done by Transformers designer Ryan Church and Trek veteran John Eaves.^[51] Following the commencement of the Writers Guild of America strike on November 5, 2007, Abrams, himself a WGA member, told Variety that while he will not render writing services for the film and intends to walk the picket line, he does not expect the strike to impact his directing of the production.^[52] In the final few weeks before the strike and start of production, Abrams and Damon Lindelof polished the script a final time.^[53]

Michael Giacchino, the composer for several other Abrams projects, including MI:3, Lost, and Alias has confirmed that he will score Star Trek.^[54] The composer will keep the original theme by Alexander Courage. Giacchino admitted personal pressure in scoring the film, as "I grew up listening to all of that great [Trek] music, and that's part of what inspired me to do what I'm doing... You just go in scared. You just hope you do your best. It's one of those things where the film will tell me what to do."^[55]

The film's shooting script has been fiercely protected, even with the main cast. Actor Simon Pegg said the script is "very hush-hush; when I read it, I read it with a security guard near me - it's that secretive."^[56]

Star Trek will be the first film in the franchise in which Paramount has collaborated with other production companies to finance the film. J.J. Abrams' company, Bad Robot Productions, and Bill Todman Jr.'s Level 1 Entertainment are developing the picture alongside Paramount.^[57]

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."^[58] 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.^[59]

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.^[60] 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."^[61]

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 the line of Star Trek novels to have canon value, although Gene Roddenberry never considered the novels to be canon.^[62] 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".^[63]

The first teaser trailer will debut with Cloverfield in January 2008.^[64].

• Star Trek at the Internet Movie Database
• Star Trek at Rotten Tomatoes
• Star Trek at Box Office Mojo
• Star Trek at All Movie Guide
• Star Trek (film) article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki
• The Trek Movie Report: Independent website dedicated to XI news coverage and commentary.

v • d • e Star Trek
Television series	The Original Series (Eps) · The Animated Series (Eps) · The Next Generation (Eps) · Deep Space Nine (Eps) · Voyager (Eps) · Enterprise (Eps)
TOS-era feature films	The Motion Picture · The Wrath of Khan · The Search for Spock · The Voyage Home · The Final Frontier · The Undiscovered Country
TNG-era feature films	Generations · First Contact · Insurrection · Nemesis
Upcoming films	Star Trek (2008)
Other	Star Trek: Phase II · Books · Comics · Games · Wiki