Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan'

TrekToday · September 16 2008, 12:59 AM

Star Trek XI co-writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci drew inspiration from The Wrath of Khan when penning Star Trek XI, finding it most like their movie.

As reported by Iesb.net, when asked which of the previous ten movies was most like Star Trek XI, at first, Orci wasn't sure how to answer the question. "In some ways, it shares the spirit with so many of them and in some ways it's...I don't know."

Kurtzman thought about the question and said, "Tough question to answer, just because there are so many different things. I guess the best way for me to answer is I can tell you that the movie for me that affected me the most as a kid was 'Wrath of Khan.' And that movie stood out for me because it had an unbelievable bad guy and the stakes just never felt higher."

Orci agreed, adding, "And every character was at their most actualized. It really had the classic delivery for every character, they are finally their full selves in that movie I think, more than any of the features."

"And obviously the relationship between Kirk and Spock in that movie was as good as it gets," said Kurtzman. "So, I think, that must have, or that contributed to our approach."

To read the article, head to the link located here.

Procutus · September 16 2008, 01:18 AM

Interesting. I wonder if that's an indication that Bana's Nero is also a really strong bad guy, or if the similarity is in the way the seven main characters are drawn.

Data Holmes · September 16 2008, 01:52 AM

Man, the studio people say this about every movie... It's almost a given that there will be a "like TWOK" slug line somewhere in the press.

Procutus · September 16 2008, 01:54 AM

^

Well, if they'd said it was like Nemesis I'd be worried.

Star Treks · September 16 2008, 02:30 AM

They said that Shinzon was the best bad guy since Wrath of Khan, that Ru'Afo was the best bad guy since Wrath of Khan, that First Contact was the best Trek movie since Wrath of Khan. They were only right about FC.

Norrin Radd · September 16 2008, 03:36 AM

It's a cliche...

WalkinMan · September 16 2008, 04:59 AM

hutt359 wrote:

Man, the studio people say this about every movie... It's almost a given that there will be a "like TWOK" slug line somewhere in the press.

Sigh, apparently so. Actually the warning lights came on when I heard this comparison. And definitely because of how NEM was hyped as 'like TWoK' - and yes it did rip off some elements. But it was such a pale imitation...

Frankly they should get past the 'ol Berman-esque 'like TWoK' stuff. It's a cliche, indeed, and why does every next Trek film have to try (and fail) to be 'the next TWoK'?? Why not be the First of ...whatever new film it was.

In some ways, the whole 'make another "First Contact"' is an example...rather than trying to recreate the spirit of a film, create a whole new one that stands on its own merits, and becomes one that others try to copy again.

Admiral_Jinky · September 16 2008, 07:02 AM

Actually, I rather liked Ru'Afo. And I felt his reason for villainy was more legit than the other villains outside of Khan.

Star Treks wrote:

...that Ru'Afo was the best bad guy since Wrath of Khan...

Admiral_Jinky · September 16 2008, 07:04 AM

WalkinMan wrote:

...why does every next Trek film have to try (and fail) to be 'the next TWoK'?? Why not be the First of ...whatever new film it was?

Amen to that!!

T'Cal · September 16 2008, 05:22 PM

I'm taking this more as a reference to the success TWoK was rather than the storyline. TWoK was a success artistically as well as with the critics and at the box office.

Harvey · September 17 2008, 01:58 AM

They've been saying this for how many movies? Certainly each of the four Next Generation films. Here, it's a bit more nuanced than the "our villain will be as good as Khan" argument, but not much more, really. I'm in eternal wait and see mode until the film comes out.

Broccoli · September 17 2008, 03:49 AM

Did anyone actually read the interview? The article title is very misleading, imo. They never said "Our movie is like WoK!" or "Our movie is the best since WoK!" They said WoK left the biggest impression on them. To me, that is a big difference. Now, they said they were influenced by WoK (particularly a strong villain and the K/S relationship), but said that they were influenced by things from all the movies as well.

T'Cal · September 17 2008, 04:55 AM

Broccoli wrote:

Did anyone actually read the interview? The article title is very misleading, imo. They never said "Our movie is like WoK!" or "Our movie is the best since WoK!" They said WoK left the biggest impression on them. To me, that is a big difference. Now, they said they were influenced by WoK (particularly a strong villain and the K/S relationship), but said that they were influenced by things from all the movies as well.

Well said.

Keldor · September 25 2008, 12:33 PM

'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan'

So was Nemesis and it was still awful.

ancient · September 25 2008, 03:55 PM

Well, considering that TWOK is essentially the only good Star Trek action movie (discounting TNG/FC) it's only natural that it is the only movie ever mentioned.

Keldor wrote:

'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan'

So was Nemesis and it was still awful.

Wait, NEM was not like TWOK. It was like crap, which is why it was crap.

September 16 2008, 12:59 AM	#1
TrekToday Rear Admiral	Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' Star Trek XI co-writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci drew inspiration from The Wrath of Khan when penning Star Trek XI, finding it most like their movie. As reported by Iesb.net, when asked which of the previous ten movies was most like Star Trek XI, at first, Orci wasn't sure how to answer the question. "In some ways, it shares the spirit with so many of them and in some ways it's...I don't know." Kurtzman thought about the question and said, "Tough question to answer, just because there are so many different things. I guess the best way for me to answer is I can tell you that the movie for me that affected me the most as a kid was 'Wrath of Khan.' And that movie stood out for me because it had an unbelievable bad guy and the stakes just never felt higher." Orci agreed, adding, "And every character was at their most actualized. It really had the classic delivery for every character, they are finally their full selves in that movie I think, more than any of the features." "And obviously the relationship between Kirk and Spock in that movie was as good as it gets," said Kurtzman. "So, I think, that must have, or that contributed to our approach." To read the article, head to the link located here.

September 16 2008, 01:18 AM	#2
Procutus Admiral Location: Back behind my keyboard	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' Interesting. I wonder if that's an indication that Bana's Nero is also a really strong bad guy, or if the similarity is in the way the seven main characters are drawn. __________________ I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.

September 16 2008, 01:52 AM	#3
Data Holmes Admiral Location: Elitist Social Darwinist	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' Man, the studio people say this about every movie... It's almost a given that there will be a "like TWOK" slug line somewhere in the press. __________________ Only solitary men know the full joys of friendship. Others have their family; but to a solitary and an exile his friends are everything. -Willa Cather SHADOWS ON THE ROCK

September 16 2008, 01:54 AM	#4
Procutus Admiral Location: Back behind my keyboard	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' ^ Well, if they'd said it was like Nemesis I'd be worried. __________________ I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.

September 16 2008, 02:30 AM	#5
Star Treks Fleet Captain Location: California	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' They said that Shinzon was the best bad guy since Wrath of Khan, that Ru'Afo was the best bad guy since Wrath of Khan, that First Contact was the best Trek movie since Wrath of Khan. They were only right about FC. __________________ "Every time we let ourselves believe for unworthy reasons, we weakon our powers of self-control, of doubting, of judicially and fairly weighing evidence." - W.K. Clifford, The Ethics of Belief

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September 16 2008, 03:36 AM	#6
Norrin Radd Vice Admiral	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' It's a cliche...

September 16 2008, 05:22 PM	#10
T'Cal Commodore Location: Chicago	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' I'm taking this more as a reference to the success TWoK was rather than the storyline. TWoK was a success artistically as well as with the critics and at the box office. __________________ "With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." -- Judge Aaron Satie

September 17 2008, 01:58 AM	#11
Harvey Admiral	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' They've been saying this for how many movies? Certainly each of the four Next Generation films. Here, it's a bit more nuanced than the "our villain will be as good as Khan" argument, but not much more, really. I'm in eternal wait and see mode until the film comes out. __________________ "What do you hear, Starbuck?" "Nothing but the rain, sir." "Then grab your gun and bring in the cat."

September 17 2008, 03:49 AM	#12
Broccoli Vice Admiral Location: Broccoli	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' Did anyone actually read the interview? The article title is very misleading, imo. They never said "Our movie is like WoK!" or "Our movie is the best since WoK!" They said WoK left the biggest impression on them. To me, that is a big difference. Now, they said they were influenced by WoK (particularly a strong villain and the K/S relationship), but said that they were influenced by things from all the movies as well. __________________ "That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." -- Christopher Hitchens

September 25 2008, 12:33 PM	#14
Keldor Ensign	Re: Kurtzman And Orci Say 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' 'Star Trek XI' Most Like 'The Wrath of Khan' So was Nemesis and it was still awful.