Star Trek’s “Not-Too-Trek-y” Details

It seems as if the people that are behind the next Star Trek sequel, Star Trek Beyond, are having a tough time following up its predecessors. Of course J.J. Abrams is unavailable to direct due to the timing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, so it was announced that writer Roberto Orci would direct. That didn’t last long, so now Fast and Furious director Justin Lin will lead filming beginning in June.

Orci originally wrote the script for the film, but the studio didn’t seem to like his draft because it was announced that actor Simon Pegg, appearing in the previous films as Scotty, would cowrite along with Doug Jung. In an interview with RadioTimes, Pegg explains that the studio was a little afraid of the draft Orci wrote. “It might have been a little too Star Trek-y.” Pegg explains that the studio sees films like The Avengers and wants to know why the franchise isn’t making that kind of money. Too specific? Not as inclusive? Pegg’s solution to the studio’s problem is to, “Make a western or a thriller or a heist movie, then populate that with Star Trek characters so it’s more inclusive to an audience that might be a little bit reticent.” He handed in that draft (only 135 pages) at the end of May.

Of course, there’s the Shatner rumor. Simon Pegg mentioned very briefly that he would love to see William Shatner return as Captain Kirk, but only if it made sense to the plot. Of course the fanbase’s collective heart fluttered and people spread the news that Shatner would appear. That hasn’t been confirmed in any capacity, but it would be a nice gesture. Everyone knows that Shatner was Kirk, even if they didn’t grow up with the classic character. It would also be a nice homage to the late Leonard Nimoy, who appeared in the first two films of the series, Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness.

So shooting will begin in a few short weeks in Vancouver and we don’t have any plot details, or really a final draft, but we’ve got a director and a cast. Is that enough for you?

If you enjoyed Carly’s…oh, dear God, this movie sounds scary…you can find the rest of her work right HERE on Sci-Fi Bloggers. You can also follow her on Twitter @MrsCarlyRodgers.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Friday Fiction: Snowfall In The Living Room
• “It Came From The Archives” Doctor Who Special Reviews: The Church on Ruby Road
• Review: Lucky Girl, How I Became A Horror Writer by M. Rickert
• Friday Fiction: Frozen Army
• Foundations: The 5 Best Artifact Cards