Captain Pike (actor) to get top billing?

[Trekster]

Is Chris Pine even guaranteed top Billing in this film?

Remember this movie is said to be "spock centric", and they may cast a big name actor like Liotta or Affleck to play Christopher Pike (who actually maybe a bigger part in this film than Kirk)

Think about it. If this film is based before Kirk is captain it's reasonable to assume Pike will be a more prominent character,possibly played by a more prominent actor.

Maybe this film will be billed similar to "The Cage". Jeffrey Hunter and Leonard Nimoy were the top billed cast members in "The Cage" ..

Could the opening credits read like this?:

STAR TREK:

starring: *unknown big name actor" as CAPTAIN CHRISTOHER PIKE

AND

Zachary Quinto as " Mr. Spock"

Also starring:

Eric Banna as "Nero"

Chris Pine as "Kirk

(rest of the main cast then appears)

and Leonard Nimoy as "Spock" (ala Ricardo Mantalban getting final billing in TWOK)


Remember that Christopher Reeve was not even billed first in SUPERMAN. Marlon Brando was. And Gene Hackman second. Could something similar occur in Star Trek 11?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Trekster said:
Chris Banna as "Nero"

Eric Bana.

 

[Dale]

I did this thread 18 days ago.

Not trying to be a dick or anything... just sayin...

 

[Trekster]

haha yeah your right Therin. My post had too many chris' lol

Pine, Pike, Reeve. I have corrected it now.. I definetly knew it was ERIC Banna lol

 

[Akiraprise]

leadprophet said:
I did this thread 18 days ago.

Not trying to be a dick or anything... just sayin...

Well, the last post in that thread was over two weeks ago. If it was on the front page I'd close this one for duplication. As it stands now let's just continue the discussion here.

Those of us that have been in this forum for awhile are going to have to be understanding of the fact that as new members come in to talk about the film the same topics we've already discussed will inevitably come up 50 more times before the film is released.

 

[pookha]

we dont even know what the main story line is or just how big of role enterprise pre kirk will play a role.

 

[Franklin]

spookha the evil hare said:
we dont even know what the main story line is or just how big of role enterprise pre kirk will play a role.

Well it is reported over on Trekmovie.com that

Spoiler: Mild spoiler

Kirk first appears some time into the movie but is important

and

Spoiler: Less mild spoiler

Captain Pike has a very substantial role in the story

So, who know's about billing?

I reported these as spoilers because the story at Trekmovie.com also warned of minor spoilage before divulging the information.

 

[CaptainDonovin]

In Batman I believe Michael Keaton didn't get the top spot either, big bad Jack Nicholson did.

 

[Ro_Laren]

Pike get top billing? I'd be suprised if that happened.

 

[Arlo]

^ Yeah wtf. No one outside this little insular universe knows who Pike is.

 

[Franklin]

Arlo said:
^ Yeah wtf. No one outside this little insular universe knows who Pike is.

That really wouldn't matter. In fact only people in our insular little universe would think that. (Spoken as part of that universe.)
Don't see what difference that would make. In other words, if a big name is cast as Pike, the name could be a draw regardless of whether people know who Pike is or not. All they'd know is "So-And-So" has a big part in the new "Star Trek" movie.

Think of the movies you go to where you don't know much or anything about the star's character until the movie starts to unfold.

The only wtf moment would be Pike's actor getting top billing when the most popular conception of "Star Trek" is of Kirk and Spock. Folks may think, "Hmm. Abrams is introducing a NEW character."

 

[sturmde]

Well, Tom Hanks (or Tom Cruise ) I could see getting top billing if he were Pike.

No other actor mentioned I think would merit that.

I'd go a 4-way name flyout from a central point.... or better yet, something like the Enterprise flying by after STAR TREK and all the actors names in the wake... something like

CHRIS PINE
.............ZACHARY QUINTO
...........................KARL URBAN
.....................................SIMON PEGG
...............................................조요한
....................................................ZOË SALDAÑA

Put all the new crew up front.. .then list the other main actors one screen at a time...
GEORGE CLOONEY as Admiral April
TOM HANKS as Cdore. Christopher Pike
ROBERT PINE as Cmdr. George Samuel Kirk, Sr.
BEN AFFLECK as Lt. Gary Mitchell
MATT DAMON as MACO George Samuel Kirk, Jr.
ERIC BANA as Nhierrofv
MALACHI THRONE as Pardek
and
LEONARD NIMOY as the Vulcan Ambassador

 

[Aragorn]

CaptainDonovin said:
In Batman I believe Michael Keaton didn't get the top spot either, big bad Jack Nicholson did.

That's nothing compared to Superman: The Movie...

Marlon Brando

Gene Hackman

Superman: The Movie

Starring Christopher Reeve

 

[Dale]

Franklinstein said:

spookha the evil hare said:
we dont even know what the main story line is or just how big of role enterprise pre kirk will play a role.

Well it is reported over on Trekmovie.com that

Spoiler: Mild spoiler

Kirk first appears some time into the movie but is important

and

Spoiler: Less mild spoiler

Captain Pike has a very substantial role in the story

So, who know's about billing?

I reported these as spoilers because the story at Trekmovie.com also warned of minor spoilage before divulging the information.

This troubles me as it is not the film I want to see. I won't say more because of the spoilery nature of the post.

 

[Green Shirt]

sturmde said:
MALACHI THRONE as Pardek

I was getting ready to post that I thought he was dead, but that was only on The West Wing.

 

[Nerys Myk]

sturmde said:
Well, Tom Hanks (or Tom Cruise ) I could see getting top billing if he were Pike.

No other actor mentioned I think would merit that.

I'd go a 4-way name flyout from a central point.... or better yet, something like the Enterprise flying by after STAR TREK and all the actors names in the wake... something like

CHRIS PINE
.............ZACHARY QUINTO
...........................KARL URBAN
.....................................SIMON PEGG
...............................................조요한
....................................................ZOË SALDAÑA

Put all the new crew up front.. .then list the other main actors one screen at a time...
GEORGE CLOONEY as Admiral April
TOM HANKS as Cdore. Christopher Pike
ROBERT PINE as Cmdr. George Samuel Kirk, Sr.
BEN AFFLECK as Lt. Gary Mitchell
MATT DAMON as MACO George Samuel Kirk, Jr.
ERIC BANA as Nhierrofv
MALACHI THRONE as Pardek
and
LEONARD NIMOY as the Vulcan Ambassador

With JERRY MATHERS as the Beaver.... excuse me B'HVeR

 

[Franklin]

Necro Mancy said:

sturmde said:
Well, Tom Hanks (or Tom Cruise ) I could see getting top billing if he were Pike.

No other actor mentioned I think would merit that.

I'd go a 4-way name flyout from a central point.... or better yet, something like the Enterprise flying by after STAR TREK and all the actors names in the wake... something like

CHRIS PINE
.............ZACHARY QUINTO
...........................KARL URBAN
.....................................SIMON PEGG
...............................................조요한
....................................................ZOË SALDAÑA

Put all the new crew up front.. .then list the other main actors one screen at a time...
GEORGE CLOONEY as Admiral April
TOM HANKS as Cdore. Christopher Pike
ROBERT PINE as Cmdr. George Samuel Kirk, Sr.
BEN AFFLECK as Lt. Gary Mitchell
MATT DAMON as MACO George Samuel Kirk, Jr.
ERIC BANA as Nhierrofv
MALACHI THRONE as Pardek
and
LEONARD NIMOY as the Vulcan Ambassador

With JERRY MATHERS as the Beaver.... excuse me B'HVeR

I thought that, too!

 

[Captaindemotion]

Actually, I quite like the idea of Pike being the lead and Kirk only appearing some time into the movie. To me it makes more sense dramatically and in terms of continiuty with the original series than Kirk/Spock at the Academy.

We didn't see Han Solo until well into Star Wars ANH, yet he still stole the show. Even Luke doesn't appear for some time. Liam Neeson as Qui Gon headlined TPM, but died before the end. Anakin is arguably the nominal lead of the PT, but he doesn't appear until well into TPM and then McGregor had billing over Christensen in AOTC and ROTS. And not only did Christopher Reeve not get top billing in Superman, but he doesn't appear until nearly an hour in.

I also got the impression from The Menagerie that Kirk hadn't served under Pike. And WNMHGB gave the impression that he and Spock hadn't worked together for as long as Kirk and Mitchell. Fanon has always suggested that Kirk didn't serve under Pike, as far as I can tell (though the Kirk of the Mirror universe had been that Pike's first officer). So the idea of Kirk on another ship coming to the rescue (presumably) of the Enterprise seems quite natural to me. And dramatically it makes for an interesting first contact between Kirk and Spock, setting that relationship up nicely for the sequels.

 

[T'Cal]

How about John Cusak as Pike? Bigger name, though probably not A-list, great dramatic actor, excellent comedic timing, right age range, etc.

 

[theARE]

Captaindemotion said:
So the idea of Kirk on another ship coming to the rescue (presumably) of the Enterprise seems quite natural to me. And dramatically it makes for an interesting first contact between Kirk and Spock, setting that relationship up nicely for the sequels.

That also gives you the opportunity to spread the "Crew" out a bit as well. There is no reason Scotty couldn't be in Engineering on the Enterprise even if he wasn't the department chief, same for McCoy in sickbay.

Uhura might be the communications officer on the ship Kirk is on, and Sulu the physicist of that ship.

Lets say that the 2 ships come together to rescue a human colony that is under attack, young Checkov might be a local boy who helps Kirk out, and whom Kirk sponsors to go to the Academy at the end of the film.

It's not unreasonable that Kirk would bring some of his own people with him when he takes eventually takes command of the Enterprise, and that existing heads of departments might move on with Pike and be replaced by their assistants (Scott and McCoy).