Nah, it's just that Hollywood loves to market something as a “trilogy”. I wouldn't read more into it than a marketing thing. If there's money to be made with another Star Trek movie, it will get made.
That doesn't mean anything. That's just the marketing department. Alien Trilogy Indiana Jones Trilogy Good times...
Goddammit, they're klingons, they need MONGOL BEARDS! I'm usually all for more variations for Star Trek species. But klingons without mongol beards just... don't look right. Even General Chang - the baldest prime klingon - at least had some hair. Giving each klingons a different, Samurai - inspired warrior hairstyle would also have been a nice way to quickly introduce different characters. All these bald guys look pretty much the same. There is concept artwork for the Into Darkness klingon on the web which is basically the exact same design - but with hair. It makes ALL the difference! Saru didn't really stood out for me, he looks like a typical Voyager alien. But the concept on the left looks actually interesting. Saru seems a bit... grumpy... with all those rills and wrinkles.
I've pointed out many times that the division between CBS and Paramount is not as distinct as many assume. In fact, there has been a lot of cross-pollination and the same personnel working on both (including high ranking producers and production artists). All that's required is some quick permission, and then the next thing you know, Trek movies are on CBS All Access. Easy. RAMA
Check out how many "complete collection" DVD sets are out there in thrift shops and ebay for every franchise out there from Resident Evil to Fast and Furious, which are now woefully outdated.
I don't think they're commbadges, since we saw the flip-up communicator in the trailer. Very cool reproductions, though. I'm not crazy about the rank on the badge (I think it makes it them too cluttered), but otherwise I think they look very smart.
Rank on the badge doesn't even seem effective -- it just seems so hard to see. In a real life situation, shouldn't rank be more clear so you can actually easily tell who's your superior officer? lol
Oh please. like the pips used on TNG would be any easier to really see in a 'real'/hectic combat situation. They're all on a relatively small craft. if you don't know you officers by sight, you're in trouble to begin with.
Hmm, I'm not sure. He says "see you soon" to several actors, and hasn't he flown up and down from the sets a few times by now? I get the vibe from his other recent tweets that this was just another of those back-and-forths, but it never hurts to check, so I sent him a tweet asking for clarification over at that post he made about some of his favorite starships. (I'm Quinton O'Connor on Twitter.) If he replies, I'll post my findings here ASAP.
Yeah - looks like he's just back to the writers room in LA for a while. He's been on set for a lot so far.
I think the TNG pips (and the ones used on Enterprise) would be at least slightly easier to see, given the contrast of the pips against the fabric of the uniforms, while pips on the insignia of the same color would be more difficult. I agree that aboard ship with the smaller crew size, you would know most others, but they're not always aboard the ship. I'm just not a fan of the pips here. Overall, I do like the uniforms. Would I have liked them to use something closer to "The Cage"? Yes, but I'm not upset or even surprised that they're not. Uniforms aren't going to dictate whether or not I like the show.
I have no doubt that both CBS and Paramount legal departments have all crossed their i's and dotted their t's to protect what's theirs.