Pulling back the curtain on Star Trek Into Darkness Monday at Bad Robot HQ, director J. J. Abrams and his Trek crew of cast and collaborators were cautious not to reveal too much information as they previewed the May 2013 blockbuster. Still, some of the most intriguing details thus far in the great “What Is J.J. Abrams Hiding From Us?” Trek sequel mystery emerged: Who is Benedict Cumberbatch playing? How do a certain race of staple Trek baddies figure into the plot? And, perhaps most significant: What does Alice Eve’s character, revealed to be Carol Marcus – a character very familiar to fans, from a very specific story in Trek canon – mean for Star Trek Into Darkness?
more »
As a tough Detroit cop in Rob Cohen's Alex Cross Rachel Nichols (G.I. Joe, Conan) hunts a maniacal serial killer (Matthew Fox) alongside Tyler Perry, who attempts to crossover from his niche following to the mainstream with the James Patterson crime thriller. But it's not the first time the co-stars shared a scene, as Nichols recalled with a laugh: "It took me four days to say, 'You know what’s really funny? We were in Star Trek together!'"
more »
After creating a public persona with at least as much swagger as the character with whom he’s most strongly identified — Star Trek’s Captain Kirk — it came as little surprise that the first thing William Shatner said at the beginning of Movieline's interview for his new documentary was an explicit statement of purpose. “My film Get a Life is debuting July 28th on EPIX,” he said without being asked. “We’re going to show it at Comic-Con on Saturday – and we’re all excited about it.”
more »
This iconic image from Star Trek's “Amok Time” (Season 2, Episode 1) represents a moment of great internal conflict. When two of our heroes are battling to the death, for whom do we cheer? Luckily, in this case, Bones was on hand with a neuroparalyzer, allowing Kirk to feign death until the mind-altering effect of pon farr drained away from Spock, thus ending the koon-ut-kal-if-fee ritual. But who will be on hand with the hydrospray this week in San Diego? Whoooooo? The 2012 edition of nerd prom brings not one but two feature length documentaries that ought to be of interest to convention-going, costume-wearin', social anxiety-havin' fans – specifically, two documentaries about Star Trek enthusiasts.
more »
Movieline's Klingon contingent aside, there are probably legions of faithful Star Trek fans who'd get behind series actor Michael Dorn and his idea to write and star in an indie spin-off movie around Worf, his Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine character. "I am serious," he told TrekMovie.com, after revealing his very early plans at Phoenix Comic-Con. "I think there is a place for it. Straight to DVD or straight to cable. Who wouldn’t want to have this kind of thing going on?"
more »
Don't worry, no Prometheus spoilers here, just a peek into the brain of Sir Ridley Scott, who opened an interview with press by musing on... tape recorders. And Star Trek. And light speed. Naturally.
more »
That's right, Mantivities. Star Trek's Chris Pine, along with five of his buddies, wrote the comedy script; he'll produce and star under director Michael Patrick Jann (The State, Reno 911!). Writes Deadline: "The comedy focuses on a group of friends in their early 30s, all in various stages of permanent adolescence. They get together with the aim of helping one of them grow up... 'I couldn’t be happier to begin the adventure of making Mantivities knowing how much fun we all had writing it,' Pine said. ‘Somehow I get to laugh with my friends and call it work.'” [Deadline]
Here's a photo worth a thousand words, or at least four: Meeting with President Obama in February in the Oval Office, Star Trek alum Nichelle Nichols flashed the iconic Vulcan salute alongside the Commander in Chief for the best White House photo op since Elvis and Nixon shook hands in 1970. Live long and prosper!
more »
Lonely sci-fi nerds, listen up: It was only a matter of time following the recent influx of geek-themed porn, but Dennis Hof, the professional pimp and entrepreneur behind the Moonlite Bunny Ranch brothel seen on HBO's Cathouse, is about to make your fantasies come true. Soon, in the not-so-distant future (ok, a few months from now), Hof and partner/"chief alien design queen" Heidi Fleiss will open the Alien Cathouse 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas -- a legal brothel with a science fiction theme. Bring on the green-skinned Orion hotties!
more »
With the nasty back and forth between William Shatner and Carrie Fisher arguing the eternal question -- Star Wars or Star Trek? -- it seemed peace was all but a fantasy in the world of science fiction. Enter George Takei, the erstwhile Mr. Sulu and the voice of reason in this galaxy-splitting debate, to unite both fandoms in the hatred of their "ominous, mutual enemy" -- Twilight. "And it is really, really bad."
more »
And now, allow Carrie Fisher to break up your busy work day by pointing out the differences between the epic film franchise in which she starred as Princess Leia, Star Wars, and the television sci-fi series Star Trek. "They're not in the same league. I mean, they have the word 'star' in the title. And there is space travel. Where do they go to? [...] Klingon? That sounds like a laundry detergent." Click here for the rest of Fisher's inspired diatribe which also touches on Star Wars merchandising, her Princess Leia metal bikini and Dick Cheney's penis, of course. [YouTube via EW ]
As a fledgling artist in his teens, Drew Struzan took to illustrating movie posters to make a living; decades later, his work in the world of visual film art has become not only iconic, but a part of the way we celebrate many modern cinema classics of the past few decades. This month's release Drew Struzan: Oeuvre collects more than 250 pieces of Struzan's art from films including Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek, and Lord of the Rings, and Movieline has a special exclusive preview of rare pieces from the forthcoming book.
more »
After decades on the circuit, retiring sci-fi icon Leonard Nimoy put in his last Star Trek convention appearance, waved his last Vulcan finger sign, and uttered the line "Live long and prosper" to a con crowd for the final time last weekend in Rosemont, Illinois. If you've been to Comic-Con or any of Creation Entertainment's Trek-specific gatherings, you know how much the erstwhile Spock will be missed; if not, here's a scene from an incisive documentary about the scene that pretty much sums it up.
more »
There are few actors who have earned as much geek cred and devoted followings as Sir Patrick Stewart, and certainly none others who were also performing Shakespeare on stage in the U.K. the night before flying across the world to greet fans at Comic-Con. (If only one could achieve warp speed on commercial airlines these days, international travel would be much easier.) So, of course, Movieline jumped at the chance for a few minutes in heaven with the erstwhile Captain Picard; what more perfect a Comic-Con experience could there be?
more »
With J.J. Abrams not quite yet confirmed (but expected) to return to helm Star Trek 2, which Paramount has already set for a June 29, 2012 release, Deadline does the math: That leaves 13 months to go from what Paramount currently has in hand -- a 70 page outline, according to Roberto Orci -- to fully delivered film. But is that truly enough time to finish scripting, prep, shoot, and edit a massive, effects-heavy summer action tent pole?
more »
