Leonard Nimoy back as Spock

[AC84]

I realize there is probably a thread in Future Trek about this, or that this thread probably should be in that said section. But this thread is targeted at TOS fans that may not regularly check over there...guys like Warped9 or beaker.

So, how do you guys feel about the latest news? Nimoy may not get as much screen time as Zachary Quinto, but TNG's Unification: Part II was the last time we saw Nimoy as our Spock, the one we grew up with. We get to see him one last time (I doubt he will be in the sequels).

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Good news, as long as he's not the focus for too long. I'd imagine he'll show up at the beginning and maybe the end.

 

[AC84]

If Abrams, Orci and Kurtzman are as big of fans of TOS as they say they are, they've probably figured out it would be selfish of them to write a majority of Spock's lines for Nimoy. Besides, we all know Nimoy's real reason for being in the movie, which is pretty much a new start/remake, is to pass the torch to Quinto. They must have this due to no other actor having played Spock in the last 40 years. They're also being respectful to Nimoy, who may not be with us in a few more decades.

I really do hope Shatner decides to go along for the ride. One last ride.

 

[Corran Horn]

AC84 said:
I really do hope Shatner decides to go along for the ride. One last ride.

I dunno. While Nimoy can be made to resemble Spock, Shatner just isn't believable as Kirk anymore, physically. Even in Generations he was pushing it.

YMMV, of course.

 

[AC84]

^^Which is exactly why he should consider himself lucky that Abrams wants him in his movie. He's not getting any younger. Die-hard fans like me couldn't care less about his old age because we can see past it. I want him in the next movie, because it literally is now or never. Pass the torch and take a bow, or miss curtain call and be unceremoniously replaced.

 

[Christopher]

AC84 said:
They must have this due to no other actor having played Spock in the last 40 years.

Aside from Billy Simpson as the young Spock in "Yesteryear" and Carl Steven, Vadia Potenza, Stephen Manley, Joe W. Davis, and Frank Welker in ST III. Not to mention the infant(s) who played the newborn Spock in ST V.

 

[Rat Boy]

Christopher said:

AC84 said:
They must have this due to no other actor having played Spock in the last 40 years.

Aside from Billy Simpson as the young Spock in "Yesteryear" and Carl Steven, Vadia Potenza, Stephen Manley, Joe W. Davis, and Frank Welker in ST III. Not to mention the infant(s) who played the newborn Spock in ST V.

Yeah, I think out of all the Trek regulars, Spock has been portrayed by the most. By my count, it's nine including Quinto.

 

[TigerOfDarkness]

UWC Defiance said:
Good news, as long as he's not the focus for too long. I'd imagine he'll show up at the beginning and maybe the end.

Maybe it'll be "Star Trek XI: The Picture of Dorian Spock" and he'll appear at the end?

 

[Shatmandu]

Sounds good to me. Quinto is great in "Heroes."

Joe, eyebrow up

 

[Oso Blanco]

Christopher said:
Aside from Billy Simpson as the young Spock in "Yesteryear" and Carl Steven, Vadia Potenza, Stephen Manley, Joe W. Davis, and Frank Welker in ST III. Not to mention the infant(s) who played the newborn Spock in ST V.

Those were much, much younger versions of Spock, and they were seen only very briefly. And as far as I remember, none of them ever spoke a single word (except in TAS). What we are facing now is recasting Spock at an age when Leonard Nimoy only had the part. I'd say that's a huge difference!

 

[Christopher]

^^I was simply pointing out that others have, technically, played the role -- not to promote or dispute any particular point in the debate, but simply to be factually accurate. Like my role model, Mr. Spock.

Re: Rat Boy's comment: is there any other TOS main character who's ever been played by any other credited actor at all in an official production (leaving aside stuntmen, stand-ins, and the like, and discounting video-game voice actors and fan films)? As far as I can recall, Spock's the only one who's ever had younger versions of himself portrayed onscreen before. (We did see them all de-aged in "The Counter-Clock Incident," but I don't think they used different actors, just the regular cast trying to do little-kid voices.)

No, wait -- Captain Kirk was played by Sandra Smith in "Turnabout Intruder."

Let's see, who else among the Trek regular casts has been played by more than one actor? Picard has been played by Patrick Stewart, David Tristan Birkin ("Rascals"), and arguably Tom Hardy. Jake Sisko has been played by Thomas Hobson ("Emissary" flashbacks), Cirroc Lofton, and Tony Todd. Kira Nerys has been played by Nana Visitor and an uncredited child actor ("Wrongs Darker than Death or Night"). VGR gave us child or adolescent versions of Chakotay, Tuvok, Kes, B'Elanna Torres, and Seven of Nine, and an illusory baby Harry Kim. The EMH has been played by Robert Picardo and Jeri Ryan ("Body and Soul"), as well as several other series regulars and guest stars in "Renaissance Man" (when the Doctor impersonated them). And maybe one could make a case that Tom Wright (Tuvix) played both Tuvok and Neelix. I know we saw a child Archer in "Broken Bow;" I don't recall if we've seen child versions of any of the other ENT cast.

 

[TiberiusK]

Janeway was played by a slug and she had nasty slug sex with Tom Paris. lol

 

[Outpost4]

My gosh...different actors playing classic roles...what a concept...

 

[Christopher]

TiberiusK said:
Janeway was played by a slug and she had nasty slug sex with Tom Paris. lol

More like salamanders, actually. Slugs are gastropods; these were amphibians.

 

[Ronald Held]

I think it is good news, in principle.

 

[Kryton]

They were all played by other (voice) actors on the Star Trek Kiddie Records, too. (Sorry...can't paste a link per board rules.)

 

[LavianoTS386]

^ Like to 'Starve a Flever'?

 

[Botany Bay]

What fantastic news...real Trek is back!

Lenny signing up is another indicator of a decent script I'd say.

PS : Please get the Shat-man for one last scene with Nimoy - I bet 99% of the real world would be willing to ignore "Generations" - I know I certainly would.

 

[Jptrekker]

Corran Horn said:

AC84 said:
I really do hope Shatner decides to go along for the ride. One last ride.

I dunno. While Nimoy can be made to resemble Spock, Shatner just isn't believable as Kirk anymore, physically. Even in Generations he was pushing it.

YMMV, of course.

Shatner looked pretty good as Kirk in that directTV commerical and that was shot this year.

I believe the problem with having Kirk in the movies is that Kirk died at the end of generations, of course there are always possibilities.

From all indications, Shatner wants to do it.

 

[Christopher]

jptrekker said:
Shatner looked pretty good as Kirk in that directTV commerical and that was shot this year.

I didn't think so. His face has gotten way too chubby. And frankly I think they were superimposing it on a younger body, to match it with the film clips from years ago.

The fact is, William Shatner just doesn't look like James T. Kirk anymore. He looks like Denny Crane.