Rachel Weisz Would LOVE to Be in Star Trek!

The Mummy and The Mummy Returns actress Rachel Weisz gave an interview to Collider in which she discusses her recent film Agora and in which she talks about her love for the newest StarTrek Film and how she would like to be part of the sequel:

Collider: Anything potentially on the horizon that you’re looking at, you’re like, “You know what? I would love to do that series. “ Like all these different comic book adaptations that are happening. That you go-

RW: Yeah. You know what? I loved Star Trek. I mean, I couldn’t even believe how great, I meant to write (Star Trek director) J.J. Abrams a letter. I haven’t written it yet, though. I just thought- Didn’t you think it was tremendous?

Collider: Yeah.

RW: I just thought it was tremendous.

Collider: And it worked on several different levels. It worked, not just artistically, but also commercially. And it was accessible to people who weren’t necessarily fans of (the series).

RW: And I’m not a Trekkie. I mean, (Weisz’s longtime fiancé) Darren (Aronofsky) took me thinking, he says, “You’re gonna hate this.” Cause I didn’t grow up watching Star Trek. I mean, I, Dr. Spock, I mean, I vaguely know. But, I loved it. I absolutely—I thought the acting was just phenomenal. Really, really great. So, yeah! No, I’m totally open to doing a big, big blockbuster.

Collider: Would you enter in and put your name in the hat for the Star Trek sequel?

RW: Me? I would LOVE to be in the Star Trek sequel! Yeah! I would love to! I better write that letter to J.J.

Collider: Yeah, start crafting it now. I mean-

RW: Yeah, I would love to. No, I was really, wildly impressed by that. I thought it was an incredible piece of work. Yeah. It just had such a freshness and the acting was, the acting blew me away.
[Collider]

The idea of possibly having Rachel Weisz in the next Star Trek movie is a pretty cool one. She's a great actress and I would definitely see her as the Borg Queen (if the Borgs were to make an appearance in the sequel, who knows!) or maybe as Carol Marcus, James T. Kirk's love interest. But I would take Weisz as any Star Trek character J.J. Abrams would like to hand over to her.

What do you guys think. Would YOU like to have the Oscar winner as part of any future Star Trek film?
 

Karl Urban Thinks Star Trek Sequel Will Film in Early 2011

New Zealand actor Karl Urban, who played Dr. Leonard ''Bones'' McKoy in 2009's Star Trek, gave an interview to ComingSoon.net in which he discusses his role as a villain in his upcoming movie Priest ( it also stars Paul Bettany in the titular role and Maggie Q as a priestess). But he also had a few things to say about Star Trek as well.

When asked what he tought the evolution of his character would be like in the next Star Trek the actor answered:

I have no idea. I just know it's going to be good. I'm really looking forward to getting on board that one and I feel now we've introduced all these great characters. It's going to be really interesting to see where we can take it.

Urban also believes that filming will take place at the beginning of next year, and the actor confirms that he is signed for two sequels.

As a bonus, we also find out that Karl Urban is a Doctor Who fan! Who knew! I've suddenly entered geek Nirvana.

Go here to read the interview.

Zachary Quinto May Ask Leonard Nimoy to Come Back as Spock

I recently talked on my blog about Leonard Nimoy's plans for retiring his Spock character as well as his acting career after Fringe.

Well, if new Spock actor Zachary Quinto has is way, Leonard Nimoy wont be able to hang up his Vulcan ears just yet.

The actor has recently revealed that it took a personnal plea from J.J. Abrams the first time to get Leonard Nimoy to come out of his retirement to play Spock Prime in the 2009 Star Trek movie.

However Quinto thinks it would take more than a plea from Abrams for Nimoy to play Ambassador Spock again in a Star Trek Sequel and added that ''I think I might have to do the asking this time.'' [NY Daily News]

Zachary Quinto is also well known for playing bad boy Sylar on NBC's Heroes, who has yet to be renewed for a fifth season. Go here to help.

Uhura to Kick Ass in the upcoming Star Trek Sequel

While giving interviews for her upcoming movie The Losers, Zoe Saldana, whose Sci-Fi cred includes both Star Trek and Avatar, talked to HitFix about what will be coming up for her character, Nyota Uhura.

In "Star Trek" I had so much fun, but the boys had all the action. J.J. promised me in the sequel she will have at least one little fight. At least kick a guy in the groin or something.

Over at SuperHeroHype, the beautiful actress talked further about her excitement in regards to her returning to the Star Trek world with the upcoming sequel.

Well, they're perks. Besides the financial perks of signing onto films that turn into franchises is that you get to work with the actors and the directors all over again. Sometimes I almost feel like a three month experience for something that will last forever is not fair for the actor. Because what you guys get to watch, that's for you. The part of shooting the movie, that's for me. I take all those memories and that experience with me. And to get to go back to "Star Trek" and see Chris' baby blue eyes and get to kiss Spock, Zachary [Quinto] and to work with J.J. [Abrams] I couldn't have been in a better environment from the writers to the producers, etc. To get to relive that experience in another adventure in space. I'm not looking forward to the dress though. It just means I have to hit the gym two months before we start shooting, so I'm not looking forward to that.

(As an aside I need to say: You don't need to go to the Gym Zoe!)

No start date has been given yet for the Star Trek Sequel - and the movie is listed as only being in treatment as of today. Still, the movie is set to be released in 2012.

I think it will be nice to have a woman kick ass in the upcoming Star Trek movie. After all, the boys can't be having all the fun!

Go Here to read the full HitFix interview
Go Here to read the full SuperHeroHype interview

Patrick Stewart Interested to Appear in Star Trek Sequel

Sir patrick Stewart said, in a recent convention appearance in Australia called OzTrek2, that he would be interested in appearing in an upcoming Star Trek movie sequel.

Stewart mentioned:

If I was asked to do a guest role, like Leonard, in the new film, I would do that. They’re a fabulously talented group of individuals

We also learn that other former Star Trek Captains have shown interest in appearing in a future movie.

Besides William Shatner, both Kate Mulgrew and Scott Bakula are apparently keen on appearing in a sequel, whereas Avery Brooks is more interested to appear in a DS9 movie.

In my opinion, Scott Bakula is the better candidate, as they have already mentioned Admiral Archer in the 2009 movie. He could make an appearance much like DeForest Kelley did in the pilot for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

However, I would absolutely LOVE to see Captain Picard again in a Star Trek movie as he is my favourite captain.

What about you? Who would you want to see appearing in an upcoming Star Trek sequel?

Go here to read the convention report and what Sir Patrick has to say about working with Ian McKellen, X-Men, Doctor Who and more.

Orci and Kurtzman Q&A on Star Trek and its Sequel

Trek Movie has posted excerpts from a Q & A with Star Trek writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman given at the WGA theater in Beverly Hills on Wednesday night. It's part of of a series of screenings for WGA nominees.

My favourite bit concerns their explanation of the Spock/Uhura kiss and romance

Orci: Well you know Oedipally you marry your mother [laughs], and his mother was human. Part of our take was that we were going to harmonize with canon. So in the original series, the first interracial kiss was between William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols, and we thought in this, what is the harmony of that? And the harmony is the first inter-species kiss. It is Uhura and Spock. Well, number one he is younger and not as in control of his emotions. And number two, he has just lost his mother, who he has apologized to for saying "I hope you don’t feel I am rejecting all that it human by perusing Kolinahr," the Vulcan purging of all emotions. So in losing her, showing his emotions to Uhura is a way of keeping her.

On the sequel Orci said:

We would never do a remake….it will be some time in the five year mission. But that is a question. Should we pick them up immediately the next day or should it be later, we are still discussing that.

Please go here to read the very interesting report.

Star Trek Script Start Date

After practically getting no news from JJ Abrams himself, co-writer Damon Lindeloff at least gave us something to hang on to.

According to Lindeloff he, Abrams, and co-writers Roberto Orci and Alex Krutzman should start writing the script to the Star Trek Sequel in April, when they have finished writing the Lost scripts.

This is at least some good news.

Source

JJ Abrams Update on the Star Trek Sequel

So we have a release date of june 29th 2012 for the next Star Trek movie. But what don't we have?

Asked by Collider.Com about whether he had decided to direct the Star Trek Sequel JJ Abrams answered:

No. We don’t have a script yet or anything, but we have a release date (June 29, 2012). There’s a release date, but we’re still working on the script. The idea is that they have faith in this team.

Thus as of now according to Abrams we have no director and no due date for a script

And for all intents and purposes no storyline yet?

I know the sequel is 2 years away but it would be nice to know something about it. Or maybe I'm being too impatient.

Go here to read the interview in which Abrams also talks about Fringe and Lost

Greg Grunberg as a Red Shirt on the Next Star Trek?

In an interview given to Newsarama.com JJ Abrams talked about his best friend, Heroes's Greg Grunberg, who had a cameo in the first Star Trek movie as Jim Kirk's uncle's voice (it's simpler than it sounds) during the car chase sequence.

I actually tried to get him to be in the movie originally and he was unavailable, but having Greg as a red shirt would be my favorite thing in the world, actually. [laughs]

The idea of having Greg Grunberg as a Red shirt is hilarious to me. Life expectancy for these Star Trek characters is notoriously short as they tend to DIE. It's part of one of those great Star Trek mythos.

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More Khan Stories Concerning the Star Trek Sequel

There are still many talks and speculations about whether or not Khan will appear in the Star Trek sequel. If it’s not in the next one, maybe in the one after that, or the one after that. One thing for sure is that it seems inevitable that this fan favourite should and will appear.

JJ Abrams does not reject the idea of having Khan in a future movie at all.

But who would play Khan Noonien Singh?

He was originally played by the late great Ricardo Montalban, who brought dash and flair to Captain Kirk’s greatest Nemesis. The Lex Luthor to his Superman, the Magneto to his Professor X, the Master to his Doctor– you get the picture. Montalban’s Khan first appeared in the Original series episode ''Space Seed'' on board a ship called the Botany Bay, and the character was brought back years late in the second Trek motion picture Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.

The chances of having Khan in a new Trek movie appear to be half and half. An interesting tidbit that Trek Movie reports is:

And if you listen to the commentary on the Star Trek DVD and Blu-ray, producer Damon Lindelof states that they did consider putting in one of those ‘after the credits’ scenes that would have shown the Botany Bay floating in space; something Bob Orci has also talked about here at TrekMovie.com. Bob has made it clear that even though the new film sets out a new timeline, many things from the ‘prime timeline’ are still intact, including the Botany Bay.

I believe that had that scene been added in the movie, Star Trek fans everywhere would have gone completely nuts – with the un-initiated staring blankly at the screen.

Recently io9 published a story claiming Nestor Carbonell may be playing the legendary character, a story that was debunked by TrekMovie: And for this week’s rumors, a trusted source tells TrekMovie that discussions of Carbonell being on some sort of short list is "total BS." Sources do confirm that Khan is still a possibility for the film, but that is not anything new.

However, again the favourite actor to play Khan seems to be spanish actor Javier Bardem, who is better known for his No Country for Old Men movie role here in North America.

One thing for sure is that if Khan is to be in a future Star Trek movie, they need a strong actor in the role. Javier Bardem would certainly fit the bill. For now, since nothing is known about the sequel yet, it is all conjecture.

Source, Source

Writers Orci and Kurtzman on the Star Trek Sequel

Star Trek writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman also sat for a lenghty Q&A at the same Paramount event wich revealed their plans to reboot Hawaii Five-0, Fringe and more importantly the Star Trek Sequel.

Here are some of the highlights from the session

In the Q&A, we learn that Nurse Christine Chapel was originally planned to appear in the first movie in the early drafts of the script.

Also, when asked if there was ''anything from Enterprise or Next Generation or Deep Space or elements, like the Borg, Cardassians, Bajorans, anything on the top of your list that you might want to throw in to the next movie?'' Roberto Orci answered:

I think we’d think about it, just because we do love The Next Generation…I think our instinct would be to first look at The Original Series, before we considered that. But, all that is on the table.

About the possibility that the next Star Trek would be more allegorical and more in tune with modern issues as well as how they would do that and yet keep the positive future envisioned by Gene Roddenberry, Orci answered:

The torture thing was just a for instance. Someone asked, “Modern day issues like torture?,” and we said, “Yeah, sure, modern day issues,” but, we’re not doing a story about Gitmo as I read on some site that it was going to be about Guantanamo Bay. But, now that we’ve established the characters, we can have a more philosophical allegory, where what’s happening in the future represents our world, like the best versions of it in the ’60’s did, representing women’s rights, racial equality, progressive issues.

Both writers also admitted they were still at the brainstorming stage and that they had not yet figured out a story. And again, the Khan question popped up for the millionth time and Kurtzman responded by saying:

Where we’re starting is, “Okay, where are our characters now? What are interesting complications that we can put in their lives? What feels like an organic emotional place for us to get to? How do we want to test them?” And then, you look at everything and start asking, “Who would be the best foe?”

Go here for the rest of the Q&A where they talk Fringe, Cowboys and Aliens and much, much more.

JJ Abrams On The Star Trek Sequel and More

A few days ago, Paramount held a press event in order to promote their fall home video releases. Star Trek is set to come out on both DVD and BluRay on November 17. There was a Q&A session with Director JJ Abrams and he opened up about William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and the Star Trek Sequel.

Amongst the highlights are the fact that Abrams was first approached to do Star Trek in 3-D and that he's very much opened to do the next one in that format.

It is funny. Paramount talked to me about doing the first one in 3-D and, having it only be my second film, I was petrified just at the addition–I thought it would be another dimension of pain-in-the-ass. I thought I would be like, "oh my god, I just want to make a decent 2-D movie.” I was so worried that, instead of being a decent 2-D movie, it would have been a bad 3-D one. So I’m open to looking at it because now I feel a little bit more comfortable and, if I, in fact, direct the sequel to our Star Trek film, 3-D could be really fun, so I’m open to it. What I’ve seen of Avatar makes me want to do it, because it’s so crazy-cool looking.

About Shatner, Abrams said that he ''would love to figure out something.'' And that they are talking and have a lunch date planned and that he considers himself a friend of his.

JJ Abrams also responded to Leonard Nimoy's comments that he would not be in the next movie which I reported here. Abrams said:

I can say that I can’t imagine a Star Trek movie not needing him. I’m sure what he’s saying is a combination of modesty and honesty. He may actually feel that way. But, the truth is, we could never have made this movie without him, and working with him again would be a joy. It is clearly too early, given that we are just now talking story, to conclude whether or not Spock Prime is in the film or not, but do I want to work with him again? Of course, 100%. I’d love to.

The Star Trek director also gets to share his thoughts on Nick Meyer, the director of Wrath of Kahn, who apparently watched all 79 episodes of TOS before directing one of the best Star Trek Movies of all time.

Go here for the complete report

Star Trek Writer Roberto Orci Likes the Borg

At this moment. Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are hard at work penning the sequel to Star Trek.

There are a few things that recently came out from a chat on the Don Murphy Message Board and Trek Web reports that Orci and Kurtzman wont let Scotty become a joke on the next movie and that Roberto Orci is a great fan of the Borg!

This is exciting news but in no way guarantee the Borgs will be the next villains in the follow up movie, something I would love to see myself.

Source

John Cho on the Star Trek Movie Sequel

Recently, John Cho talked about his new series FlashForward and said a few things about the Star Trek movie sequel. Nothing much seems to be happening other than the writers are working on the script. Cho, who plays Hikaru Sulu on the movie, reported that

I am afraid I don’t have much information for you, except that they are working on a script. All I can tell you is that all the actors are hell-bent on doing it. I am assuming any scheduling issues will be ironed out. I am really optimistic

I'm really getting antsy to finally hear some real news about the sequel!

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Nimoy Not Coming Back as Spock in the Star Trek Sequel

During this weekend's Dragon*Con, Leonard Nimoy has announced that he will not be reprising the role of the famous Vulcan for the Star Trek sequel which is still in the writing stage.

During the Panel, Nimoy said:

There are no plans for me to return for the second movie. I think the Spock character is very well established as portrayed by Zachary Quinto. And I think if you saw the movie Bill, you'd say the same of Chris Pine.

This is sad news but it doesn't mean that he could not appear in another sequel. However, it is certain that there will be no Spock Prime in the next Star Trek movie.

You can go HERE to view the story and videos of the Shatner/Nimoy panel taken at Dragon*Con

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Zachary Quinto on the Star Trek Sequel and Redemption for Sylar?

In an excellent recent interview with Sci-Fi Wire, Zachary Quinto talked about his character Sylar on Heroes and about the Star Trek sequel.

Regarding Star Trek, the actor said that:

''I know that they're breaking the stories and working on it.''

He also added:

''I think it's going to be much better served by taking time and being clear about the story that they want to tell. Whether or not that involves Khan or Mr. Shatner remains to be seen."

As for Sylar, he revealed that there may be some romance coming up for him. And on the subject of Sylar's redemption, one of my own personnal favourite subjects, Mr. Quinto had this to say:

''Those are longer-term conversations. And Tim Kring, our creator, is an incredibly supportive and creatively open person, so we have those conversations from time to time about where we see the character going. I don't know. Maybe the redemption would be in his eradication somehow. Maybe some kind of ultimate sacrifice. Or maybe just bloody and gory, ... a well-deserved demise for someone who's caused so much pain in the world of Heroes. We'll see."

He also reveals a bit more about the carnival and its characters, and he talks about being an avid gamer.

You can read the entire story here.