Harlan Ellison Wants To Help Out With Star Trek Sequel?

[M'Sharak]

This, from a new article just posted at TrekMovie:

In the last week it was suggested (and debated) by some fans on HarlanEllison.com that Harlan might want to get involved with Trek again. After some debate, the man himself weighed in with an unequivocal statement affirming that he would certainly be interested.

From HarlanEllison.com:

THE WORD FROM HARLAN DIRECTLY:

I would jump at the chance to work with the inordinately-talented J.J. Abrams on a new STAR TREK film. Yes, I would likely try to steer him toward the original film idea I was asked to pitch, by the late Gene Roddenberry and a production exec whose name I have blissfully flensed from memory (but he had been, if I recall, a hairdresser or clothing designer or ex-boyfriend of someone or other, and he kept trying to press me to include the Mayan Calendar).

[...]

If anyone out there thinks this melding has legs, let Abrams or anyone else with the chops to get in touch with me DIRECTLY. I am without full-time film-agent representation, by choice, at the moment; so if the job presents itself, I will work for pay.
Yr. Pal, Harlan

Read the complete article at TrekMovie (including Harlan's response to some fans at his own site who didn't think much of the idea.)

Now, there's something to contemplate, for those who were satisfied with the writing on the new movie and for those who thought it needed more or better or deeper or something completely other than what was in the final script. What might Harlan Ellison bring to the next movie (or to the one following, if that's the way it plays out) and would that be a good thing?

Half of me suspects that this could come undone before it begins, or before it gets far enough along to produce results, and half of me would really like to see what the end product would be like.

 

[Cyke101]

My first thought at reading the thread title was, "Is Harlan Ellison selling out? I thought he hated Trek?"

Then he says this in your quote:

a production exec whose name I have blissfully flensed from memory (but he had been, if I recall, a hairdresser or clothing designer or ex-boyfriend of someone or other, and he kept trying to press me to include the Mayan Calendar)

And I'm relieved to see that this is the Harlan Ellison that we all know and love

 

[Gepard]

Now, there's something to contemplate, for those who were satisfied with the writing on the new movie and for those who thought it needed more or better or deeper or something completely other than what was in the final script. What might Harlan Ellison bring to the next movie (or to the one following, if that's the way it plays out) and would that be a good thing?

Holy crap. It's worth a shot; it's unlikely that they'd produce writing I like even less than on the last film, so I'd be interested.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Well, Ellison would write a hell of a script, which would be unacceptable to the studio or producers as presented. He'd then walk away from the project and the script would either be shelved or rewritten by others.

He's a great writer, one of the two or three best ever associated with Trek. He elevated TOS immensely by his contribution, as did Theodore Sturgeon, Jerome Bixby, Jerry Sohl and Norman Spinrad. I don't think there's really been much of a place for science fiction writers in Star Trek for decades, though.

 

[Sector 7]

No. Hell no.
Harlan Ellison has seen the money making potential of the new Star Trek. He will come up with something original, then try to wring every cent he can by hook or crook for another 40+ years or until he dies.
Star Trek and Paramount would be wise to pass on his 'generous' offer.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

He will come up with something original, then try to wring every cent he can by hook or crook for another 40+ years or until he dies.

If he can come up with "something original" for Star Trek, then he's due every penny he's earned (and that's what it is, son, earned income) - because no one else has for thirty years.

 

[Sector 7]

He will come up with something original, then try to wring every cent he can by hook or crook for another 40+ years or until he dies.

If he can come up with "something original" for Star Trek, then he's due every penny he's earned (and that's what it is, son, earned income) - because no one else has for thirty years.

Having worked on Star Trek and cinema projects over the years, I know what it is, SON, to earn an income. As a military veteran, I also know what it is, SON, to have your work be unappreciated.
Ellison willingly wrote for TOS knowing what his rights were and were not. Only later did he sue, after he changed his mind and decided he wanted more.
JJ Abrams and Company have already done something original without Ellison. It should stay that way.

 

[Nowhere Man]

I would like to see more substance in the sequel, but there are already have 3 writers, I doubt they would add a fourth. It would be nice if they had him on as an advisor of some sort in order to add a little input.

 

[Aike]

He will come up with something original, then try to wring every cent he can by hook or crook for another 40+ years or until he dies.

If he can come up with "something original" for Star Trek, then he's due every penny he's earned (and that's what it is, son, earned income) - because no one else has for thirty years.

y
Having worked on Star Trek and cinema projects over the years, I know what it is, SON, to earn an income.

Sorry for off topic, but what did you do on Trek?

 

[M'Sharak]

He will come up with something original, then try to wring every cent he can by hook or crook for another 40+ years or until he dies.

If he can come up with "something original" for Star Trek, then he's due every penny he's earned (and that's what it is, son, earned income) - because no one else has for thirty years.

Having worked on Star Trek and cinema projects over the years, I know what it is, SON, to earn an income. As a military veteran, I also know what it is, SON, to have your work be unappreciated.
Ellison willingly wrote for TOS knowing what his rights were and were not. Only later did he sue, after he changed his mind and decided he wanted more.

No, that is not what the suit was about. He sued (and won) because he knew exactly what his rights were, and because the terms of his contract (and of the agreement between the WGA and its members to defend same) had been violated.

That, however, is also not the subject of this thread, and it will not be allowed to devolve into a "bash Harlan Ellison" thread. You have registered what appears to be a solid "Hell, no." Let's leave it at that, shall we?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Ellison willingly wrote for TOS knowing what his rights were and were not. Only later did he sue, after he changed his mind and decided he wanted more.

He sued - successfully - because he did know what his rights were. Armchair lawyers on the Internet thought they knew better, sure that he should take his crust of bread and go away gratefully. They were wrong.

Abrams and company would be lucky to have some input from Ellison, though it's obviously not in the cards for him to write a screenplay for this film. We'll see what happens next, though.

Sorry for off topic, but what did you do on Trek?

 

[Jeri]

I saw this article a few days ago, and I was wondering if anyone would take him up on it. After all the drama between him and Trek, do you think they still would? Or would they be gun shy.

 

[Mrs_Whatsit]

There's absolutely no doubt the man is a genius writer, and I have no doubt he could put out an amazing script. But personally, I hope JJ will stay far, far away from him. There's no denying that his outsize...personality, let's say, often takes the focus off the work he's done. And in this case, I want Star Trek XII and its actors to be the main attraction, not any behind-the-scenes drama that might ensue.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Focus for who?

Almost no one who saw Transformers 2 or The Dark Knight or Star Trek has any idea who wrote it or what writers actually do. Or producers, for that matter. That's a fact. A relatively small group of TV viewers or moviegoers pay any attention to such things at all. Harlan would arouse ridiculous angst among the people who care too much, like us, and even if he ran naked through the Paramount cafeteria screaming "Roddenberry was a fucking drug-crazed yuckamuck!" it would not distract one potential viewer out of ten thousand.

 

[Kirkman1987]

I think Harlan can smell that big paycheck

 

[The Wormhole]

So, I take it Trel XII is going to be a remake of The City on the Edge of Forever, where Ellison finally gets to do things the way he originally wanted with Scotty as a crack addict or something like that?

Meanwhile, this movie got praise from Harlan Fucking Ellison? Seriously??

 

[Yeoman Randi]

I don't know anything about the writing process, but i would think the team has enough players already.

 

[Mrs_Whatsit]

Focus for who?

Sorry, I should have qualified that with a YMMV. Focus for me. I agree, few others who saw the movie would care. This is JUST my opinion, but it seems like every time I hear about the man or read something he's written, he's complaining about something or suing someone about something he's not happy about, and it just takes away from the pleasure I might otherwise get from his writing--which is admittedly brilliant. I can't help it that I have a hard time separating the writing from the writer, or the acting from the actor. It's just the way I am. Therefore, I tend to stay away from anything he's involved in (although I will willingly admit that he made me laugh in the Babylon 5 ep where he was the voice of Sparky the computer). I certainly do respect him for standing up for his principles, though.

Bottom line, I love my new JJ-verse Star Trek, and I don't want Ellison involved. I'll just leave it at that so I don't violate M'Sharak's very sensible request any further. And M'Sharak, I'll edit my post to take the Ellison focus out of first paragraph if you'd prefer me to.

 

[Admiral_Young]

What I want to know about is what was the Star Trek movie idea he pitched and attempted to convince Gene Roddenberry make?

 

[Jeri]

...if he ran naked through the Paramount cafeteria screaming "Roddenberry was a fucking drug-crazed yuckamuck!" ...

I really have to see that.