Go Beyond!

Question: Will I like "Star Trek Beyond"?

I guess the answer is yes. If you liked those opening scenes of both the 2009 "Star Trek" movie, and its sequel, "Star Trek Into Darkness" - both of which had a "strange new worlds, strange new life forms..." original-series' flavour - then I'm sure you will find plenty of that entertainment in the new movie. I was fortunate to see "Star Trek Beyond" at the first public world preview screening, right here in Sydney, this afternoon!

The preview was followed by an amazing Q&A session with the director and cast members. While we had to sign review embargoes (scroll down), we are able to give general impressions. There was lots of footage that had not been leaked, or even hinted at, yet. My Trek pals and I were delighted by some amazing visuals and humorous quips, many of which reminded me of TOS (and also "The Next Generation's first episode, "Encounter at Farpoint").

The "Star Trek Beyond" Q&A session, hosted by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, with Justin Lin, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban and John Cho at Telstra Experience Centre, Sydney, Australia.

Keep in mind that my favourite Treks are "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and the 2009 movie (almost equally), and I was a big supporter of TNG from the beginning. I didn't mind STiD at all, and my only niggle with it was that we were told, several times, that Benedict Cumberbatch was definitely not playing Khan. I probably would have loved the proposed "Phase II" series that begat TMP, too.

Also keep in mind that "Beyond" is a feature film, not a TV series, so it's only going to be as TOS as perhaps the "smaller" movies. "ST III: The Search for Spock"? Of course, fans who detested JJ's films from every angle will probably not have the patience for this one, but we don't recall seeing even one lens flare at the preview (not that they ever worried me).

Highly recommended!

New directions for Star Trek

Will it be a "reboot", a "relaunch", or just an untold tale of a new beginning? It depends on individuals' interpretations of terms, I guess, but the ST BBSs are buzzing with the news that JJ Abrams has announced that he's definitely going to be directing the new Kirk & Spock-era Star Trek movie project his production company has been working on. Exciting stuff!

ABRAMS TAKES THE HELM OF 'STAR TREK'
By Tatiana Siegel

Feb 24, 2007
"The Starship Enterprise finally has a new captain.

"After months of speculation, J.J. Abrams has signed on to direct the next installment of the 'Star Trek' feature franchise, sources said late Friday. 'Star Trek XI' revolves around a young James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, chronicling their first meeting at Starfleet Academy and their first space mission.

"Abrams, the prolific co-creator/executive producer of 'Lost' and director of 'Mission: Impossible 3' has been developing the project through his Paramount-based Bad Robot shingle as a producer and writer. But Abrams never committed to directing the project until Friday evening, when the deal was finalized, sources say. Abrams reps at WMA declined comment on the matter." (The Hollywood Reporter)

Not everyone races to an Internet glossary of terms when they hear "reboot" and/or "relaunch" being bandied about by the media and the fans so, for some, this "reboot" simply implies that TOS is back after 40 years, and with different, young actors. For others, it sounds like various canonical facts from TOS may be reshaped or tweaked by the new project, such as has happened with TOS-Remastered. For others, it's the end of the universe as they know it, because a new movie with young Kirk and Spock means a possibility of a whole new Kirk 5YM feature films, telemovies, TV series or holodeck interactives one day attempting to overshadow TOS.

I'm excited by whatever comes of the upcoming Abrams' project, reboot or no reboot. I'm enjoying "Lost" very much, and if he can bring that fun, complex storytelling, likeable characters and SPFX to ST, and have more people anticipating new ST adventures again, I'm all for it.

William Shatner is supposedly excited about the new film, and has had talks with Abrams about how the story might be shaped. Shatner, and Leonard Nimoy, have a measure of contractual approval on the actors who will portray young Kirk and Spock. Shatner (with the Reeves-Stevens) also has his own "Starfleet Academy" novel series coming out with Pocket Books, so the two projects will buoy each other along.

Meanwhile, IDW Publishing is advertising the forthcoming Star Trek comic mini-series, "Klingons: Blood Will Tell", with a very nice 45cm x 60cm poster (below) featuring Joe Corroney's cover art for issue #1, due April 2007. (If I recall correctly, the issue of the comic that will have this particular artwork is actually a storekeeper's exclusive. They only get one copy per 10 regular issues ordered; even more exclusive is the same issue without words obliterating the artwork.) Issue #1 will also be available translated into the Klingon language.

I may stick with the regular art cover and try to cajole a free poster from my local comic shop.