Well, that and Disco. Trek XI paved the way for Disco to be made, and if it weren't for Disco being a success, none of the subsequent TV shows would have happened.
If StarTrek 2009 flopped?
- Thread starter trekfan_1
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I feel like it would have been like Fox with their many attempts to make Fantastic Four work. They would have tried again at some point.
I know part of the reason why some IPs that flop get remade again and again is the rights and license issues, which Star Trek doesn't have because Paramount owns it lock, stock and barrel. But my gut tells me if Star Trek (2009) flopped they would have probably done a square-one reboot of the entire franchise with new characters after a break. And in all likelihood they would have done it for Paramount+ since they would still need content for the streaming service when it launched.
One factor in this would be what kind of "flop" Star Trek (2009) was. If was just a debacle, where it was critically panned, fans were unhappy across the board, and it lost money, that would probably put more of a stink on Star Trek where both talent and executives would be apprehensive about getting involved in a new project. But if it was just a situation where it underperformed and lost a modicum of money for Paramount, they would in all likelihood just reassess and create a new series/movie within those expectations.
I know part of the reason why some IPs that flop get remade again and again is the rights and license issues, which Star Trek doesn't have because Paramount owns it lock, stock and barrel. But my gut tells me if Star Trek (2009) flopped they would have probably done a square-one reboot of the entire franchise with new characters after a break. And in all likelihood they would have done it for Paramount+ since they would still need content for the streaming service when it launched.
One factor in this would be what kind of "flop" Star Trek (2009) was. If was just a debacle, where it was critically panned, fans were unhappy across the board, and it lost money, that would probably put more of a stink on Star Trek where both talent and executives would be apprehensive about getting involved in a new project. But if it was just a situation where it underperformed and lost a modicum of money for Paramount, they would in all likelihood just reassess and create a new series/movie within those expectations.
Yes, but streaming-only shows weren't a thing back in 2009. Unless they simply decided to completely shelve Star Trek for the foreseeable future, I still think they might have farmed a low-budget show out to the CW to produce after 2009. I doubt Berman would have been involved, and I'm not sure what the premise would have been. Maybe SFA, based on the CW's demographic? You can't get more low budget for a 2009 Star Trek show than teenagers sitting in a classroom.
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There is no clear answer. We would have been in 2010 at exactly the point we are now: The current era ending. The only thing being sure that such a high profile IP would be used eventually, but in the end everything depending on the next team of creative leads that tackle the franchise. With completely unpredictable outcome.
One thing is for sure though - Star Trek "missed" the high-profile streaming shows era. It produced quite a few expensive shows, but none of them in any way were seen or caught up with mainstream audiences.
I'd say had ST09 flopped, chances would have been higher Paramount would have partnered up with Netflix or HBO or something, and would have made a show that would have been available in a more common streaming service & therefore at least would have had the chance to accidentally become popular.
Or they'd have gone to the CW and did a show like their DC universe.
The thing with Star Trek is - it is NOT a franchise built around certain characters! Unlike Superheroes.
Many people, even the current Trek regime, don't get that. But Star Trek isn't Spock, Picard or Khan.
Star Trek is a sandbox, a setting. Where you could put any characters and stories in.
Even better than Star Wars, because Wars is stuck in that Rebel-vs-Alliances storyline that became a static narrative. Trek is more like Marvel - it has certain tropes & lore. But it's a cinematic universe, not a single epic story.
That's why it will always come back.
Start with the fans first who demand appearances of their favorites. Clean up our own house first.
I think the franchise would have found a way, and I think given TNG's popularity, I think we would still get a TNG reunion at some point.
Hell, maybe Seth McFarlane would have gotten his wish to helm Star Trek
Nope.
I think there would've been some form of TNG Reunion, direct-to-streaming, no matter what. Revivals of shows from the '80s and '90s were a big thing for a little while, and TNG would've been no different.
Didn't even think about it, but you're 100% right. Trek would have been the sacrifice to save that other franchise.
There was a prevailing feeling before and after TMP that the TOS cast ‘were’ the characters that they portrayed. IF ST09 had flopped then we’d most likely see a resistance to recasting old characters.
So instead of shows like DSC and SNW we might have ended up with more Star Trek with unique crews and less ‘legacy’ characters.
Most likely they would have found a way to go back to the TNG well, as they eventually did anyway with PIC.
So instead of shows like DSC and SNW we might have ended up with more Star Trek with unique crews and less ‘legacy’ characters.
Most likely they would have found a way to go back to the TNG well, as they eventually did anyway with PIC.
That's an interesting point; I hadn't thought of that. But yeah, it's entirely possible that if the movie flopped, the attitude might have been that recasting is a mistake, even if the recasting wasn't the reason why the movie flopped. They might also have decided that going back to TOS was a bad idea.
The same place before Trek 2009 was even on the table. Some folks might hate JJ Abrams but he did Trek a huge favour. Who else was on the cards to revive the franchise?
I think if Trek 09 had flopped Sir Patrick Stewart would not have returned to a Trek streaming show, he did not need the money or to revive his career. So no TNG style show.
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