Poll on the Recent Casting News

[RookieBatman]

Well, we've got two recent rumors, the second one coming from a bit more of a reliable source, that put together seem to indicate that this movie will feature the whole cast of TOS. Given that, the way I figure it is that there are three options: it's going to be set during the time when Kirk commanded the Enterprise, when all those people were his crew (the era of the show). Or, it's going to be set before the show era, with these crewmen either showing up merely as cameos, or the movie will depict them as having worked with Kirk before he commanded the Enterprise. The third option is that these articles aren't correct (or maybe only the Chekov one is correct, and only Chekov has a small cameo), and it's going to be set in earlier years without the ensemble.

 

[Lumen]

Before the show, with cameos or previous meetings.

Preferably cameos — they can be in the same movie without meeting each other, right? That's unlikely, though, so I hope the meetings aren't overdone or painfully contrived.

I'm basing that on the given ages and speculation, though; during the show sounds like more fun.

 

[RookieBatman]

I forgot to say my opinion. If the recent news is true, I hope it's during the show era, like a "lost episode" as Sharr put it. But I'm still holding out hope that they might possibly be false, and that it won't have the ensemble cast at all. I think the second option would be the worst, though. Having all of them appear without actually being under his command would be way contrived. If it's not Kirk in command of the Enterprise, they had better not be in it.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Before the show, with cameos or previous meetings.

30-year-old Spock, teenage Chekov? Can't be during the show's original run. But I have no idea how all these cameos are going to happen without it all being woefully contrived a la Lost's multiple coincidences. But at least with Lost, there's some excuse of "magical realism" and whatnot...

 

[Lord Garth]

Barely before the show. 2263.

Kirk = 29 (if it's not his birthday yet)
Spock = 32-33 (played by 30-y/o)
McCoy = 35-36 (played by 32-y/o)
Chekov = 18

 

[Aragorn]

It'll be set before they were aboard the Enterprise, and they'll coincidently cross paths many times. They'll even run into younger versions of Rand, Chapel, Lt. Leslie, Valeris, Saavik, Chang, Kruge, Mudd, Soran, Gorkon, etc.

Women left and right will be throwing themselves at Kirk, but he'll be the perfect abstinent boy scout because he's pining away for his childhood sweetheart, all the while the girl he should be with (Carol Marcus) is completely ignored even though she's by her side the whole time.

Oh, think of the angst that will occur when Kirk's childhood sweetheart marries his future nemesis, Khan!

And whenever Spock needs to do something Vulcan that isn't supposed to be revealed until TOS, the other characters will conveniently be knocked unconscious.

Starfleet, Thurdays on The CW.

"Somebody saaaaaavvvvvvvvve me......"

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I've been wondering if we're going to see the first two years of the five year mission, with TOS being the last three? That would work for me!

 

[C.E. Evans]

Lord Garth said:
Barely before the show. 2263.

I agree. I think that the movie will ultimately be about Kirk's very first mission as captain of the Enterprise, so it'll be about the beginning of the five-year mission, IMO...

 

[Beyerstein]

I just think it's really funny that one of the things people've always said worked so well about TOS was the chemistry between Kirk/Spock/Bones, yet they seem to be casting from a "he sorta looks like him" perspective.

 

[Jon1701]

How do you know that?

I mean, really? How do you know how they are casting the movie?

To be honest, if precedent is anything to go by - in TOS the casting order was:

SPOCK
KIRK
MCCOY

Working the same way so far...

 

[Beyerstein]

I'm going by that they chose a Spock without knowing how he'll gel with whatever Kirk/McCoy they get.

Spock seems easier to cast since they can just put someone in ears and have them act real stoic.

 

[Jack Bauer]

I think it will takes place some time before Where No Man Has Gone Before on Kirk's first mission as captain of Enterprise with a flashback or two to his and Spock's academy days.

 

[Jon1701]

I'll reiterate.

Gene Roddenberry cast Leonard Nimoy before William Shatner and it worked fine. You have to trust the actors. If Quinto was the best for the role - cast him. If you havent found anyone else, what the fuck are you hanging around for? You make him wait until Kirk is cast?

Some actors are busy people, especially those in hit television shows. Sign Spock and then go find your Kirk. Let the actors worry about chemistry.

Oh, and Spock is much harder to cast than Kirk.

 

[Opus]

I think you might be missing another possibility: They might be moving around to different points in the timeline as the aged Spock played by Nimoy tells his story. We may see Kirk and Spock as younger officers, Kirk gaining command of Enterprise from Pike, and Kirk and crew on the five year mission. This would allow for all the rumors.

I think one thing people forget about Hollywood is actors don't have to just play their age. They play an age range. And with make-up these days, that age range can be rather significant. We might be talking about a movie that spans 7 years or more.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I voted "other:"

"Before the show, with cameos or previous meetings and during the show era."

 

[Cary L. Brown]

I'm the sole "before the show without the ensemble" vote.

I said that because I don't care if the entire "original cast of characters" is there. I really only care about the "big two"... though I fully expect to see a still-civilian McCoy and potentially a not-yet-serving-under-Kirk Scotty (probably on whatever ship Kirk recruited him off of!).

Of course there will be an ensemble... this isn't a one-man stage show. But when I read the phrase "the Ensemble" I pictured the annual "Cast Photo" on the bridge... and honestly, I'd rather not see Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, Rand, Chapel... and for that matter I'd be happier if the film wasn't set primarily, or even ON (at all!) the Enterprise.

The last thing I want to see is an "inbred" Star Trek universe. I can buy that Kirk met Spock before he was given the Enterprise, and that he also knew McCoy beforehand. Both of these characters have specific knowledge of Kirk's past (specifically, the Kobayashi Maru and Carol Marcus) that only makes sense if they knew each other before Kirk had the Enterprise. And Gary Mitchell makes sense, because he was established as Kirk's best friend since before he was on the Enterprise.

But the rest of the "second bananas?" I really think that having them all in there is kinda POINTLESS. I can't see how it would add to a better story.

And honestly, not having ANY of the characters above except Kirk and Spock would be perfectly fine with me.

 

[The Doctor]

So long as we have Kirk, Spock and McCoy I don't give a flying toss when it's set, or which episodes it does or does not contradict.

 

[seigezunt]

I would guess it's before the show, but not much. We has a shaky rumor that most of the gang is being cast, but nothing's to say how little screentime they get.

 

[Lumen]

Beyerstein said:
I'm going by that they chose a Spock without knowing how he'll gel with whatever Kirk/McCoy they get.

Spock seems easier to cast since they can just put someone in ears and have them act real stoic.

I would have pegged Spock as the hardest to recast, but your mileage obviously varies.

And your point would make maybe a tiny bit of sense if it weren't for the fact that they'll be auditioning applicants for the other roles against Quinto — as in, their chemistry with Quinto is likely to be one of the criteria. That's the whole point of casting someone first.

They know how their future Kirk is going to gel with Quito: perfectly, because otherwise he won't be chosen.

 

[RookieBatman]

OphaClyde said:
I think you might be missing another possibility: They might be moving around to different points in the timeline as the aged Spock played by Nimoy tells his story. We may see Kirk and Spock as younger officers, Kirk gaining command of Enterprise from Pike, and Kirk and crew on the five year mission. This would allow for all the rumors.

I think one thing people forget about Hollywood is actors don't have to just play their age. They play an age range. And with make-up these days, that age range can be rather significant. We might be talking about a movie that spans 7 years or more.

That's a very good point. I don't know why I didn't consider that. Go buy yourself a really expensive cigar!