Should Shatner return in some way in the next film?

[Khan 2.0]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

- this is one of my favourite pieces of fan Trek ever but I know it never will or have happened. But if you look at it this isnt really a trailer - its a full story with a beginning, middle and end. It's one of the many ways .

That 'trailer' is one of the best fan fiction videos ..if not THE best ever. Really feels like Star Trek 'XI'

 

[Smellmet]

If the next film is a time travel story (somehow it involves Kirk’s father) why not throw Shatner in if it can be done in a somewhat logic way?

The last film was a flop at the box office compared to the previous two films. What better way to bring positive media attention to the film than to bring Shatner in? The media would eat it up. Even if Shatner is in one scene it would buy loads of goodwill for the movie.

And if this is to be the last film (i assume the box office will have to improve for them to continue) why not end the series with one of the actors who started it all?

Bringing back Shatner is a no brainer.

I think you're overstating the 'star power' of the shat somewhat. I don't think it would make much of a difference to the box office take really. I mean when he was the star of the show back in the 70's-90's the movies hardly set the box office alight did they? The media 'ate up' the gay Sulu thing and Anton's sad demise but that didn't stop Beyond's underperformance either.

Really at this stage, unless the writers can come up with something that people look at and think 'wow I must watch that' then we're in to diminishing returns territory. As greg cox said above, how many curtain calls does the guy have? Another one will be verging on the embarrassing.

 

[jaime]

Agreed. Spock was something of a narrative necessity in "Star Trek" and I did like the small "memorial" sequences in Beyond, but I think that the new crew needs to have their own adventures without constant cameos of the original actors. They've been done well to date, but I also find that they pull you out of the moment and you tend to be saying "Hey, there's Shatner, etc." rather than being engrossed in the story. (As a side note, I found this to also be true in Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet." The films would have been much better without cameos from Robin Williams, and Jack Lemmon. Their acting was fine, but the very presence of these actors in bit roles was jarring.)

Just to point out that in Branaghs case he was following the Shakespearean stage tradition with these cameos...usually a well known, usually comic, actor is given certain bit parts. Ken Dodd in The same film as Yorick I think. Usually it's the grave digger role. It's hard to see it in the earlier Midsummer Nights Dream (the whole bloody cast is famous and do a bloody good job, even Keanu, all things considered.) but it's most likely Michael Keaton and particularly Ben Elton who are the stunt cast there. You see the same tradition in American sit-com's when the famous guest star walks in and the live studio audience cheer for someone opening a door. It's even carried over into sci-fi, where we see crossover cast or cameos from older iterations of a show popping in.

 

[Danlav05]

That 'trailer' is one of the best fan fiction videos ..if not THE best ever. Really feels like Star Trek 'XI'

I couldn't agree more and while the picture quality isn't exactly HD the technical skill of this video is arguably ahead of its time. I've been obsessed with this piece forever. It's a proper story and is unique in decepting these guys in the FC uniform in the 24th Century - it's such a juxtaposition even though the four characters were all seen in the TNG era. It kind of also opens a new chapter for the guys - my favourite scene is in the refitted sickbay with HoloMcCoy.

If only someone could turn this into a longer piece, imagine with today's technology! Or a comic but that would cost artist fees...

 

[Khan 2.0]

I couldn't agree more and while the picture quality isn't exactly HD the technical skill of this video is arguably ahead of its time. I've been obsessed with this piece forever. It's a proper story and is unique in decepting these guys in the FC uniform in the 24th Century - it's such a juxtaposition even though the four characters were all seen in the TNG era. It kind of also opens a new chapter for the guys - my favourite scene is in the refitted sickbay with HoloMcCoy.

If only someone could turn this into a longer piece, imagine with today's technology! Or a comic but that would cost artist fees...

I wonder what kind of box office something close to that would've brought in had it been made around 2006-2009? starring Shatner & Nimoy (no Doohan by then unfortunately, but maybe CGI Kelly for a fun Holodoc scene), with supporting roles/cameos for some (not all) of the TNG/Ent era casts (Stewart, Bakula, Frakes, Dorn, Meaney, Trinneer, Blaock, Ryan,). produced by Berman (of course), written by Moore/Branga and maybe directed by Frakes? (or Nimoy even? maybe even The Shat?!) . budget around the $75m mark (possible? if done on the cheap/VI style salary concessions from all to get it made)

itd have to have been at least FC box office! (150m ww)

 

[jaime]

I wonder what kind of box office something close to that would've brought in had it been made around 2006-2009? starring Shatner & Nimoy (no Doohan by then unfortunately, but maybe CGI Kelly for a fun Holodoc scene), with supporting roles/cameos for some (not all) of the TNG/Ent era casts (Stewart, Bakula, Frakes, Dorn, Meaney, Trinneer, Blaock, Ryan,). produced by Berman (of course), written by Moore/Branga and maybe directed by Frakes? (or Nimoy even? maybe even The Shat?!) . budget around the $75m mark (possible? if done on the cheap/VI style salary concessions from all to get it made)

itd have to have been at least FC box office! (150m ww)

My son watches that youtube video constantly, and it's really clear it's more of an ensemble story. I also don't think Braga and Moore shouldn't have been let near it lol.

 

[Danlav05]

I wonder what kind of box office something close to that would've brought in had it been made around 2006-2009? starring Shatner & Nimoy (no Doohan by then unfortunately, but maybe CGI Kelly for a fun Holodoc scene), with supporting roles/cameos for some (not all) of the TNG/Ent era casts (Stewart, Bakula, Frakes, Dorn, Meaney, Trinneer, Blaock, Ryan,). produced by Berman (of course), written by Moore/Branga and maybe directed by Frakes? (or Nimoy even? maybe even The Shat?!) . budget around the $75m mark (possible? if done on the cheap/VI style salary concessions from all to get it made)

itd have to have been at least FC box office! (150m ww)

There is a short story on their website adapting the first half of the trailer, I adapted it into screenplay format. (Like I said I'm obsessed - have you SEEN my avatar?! lol)

A comic verison would be good but paying an artist privately would cost a fortune!!

 

[Khan 2.0]

You do sound obsessed lol .. I'm surprised Paramount didn't insist on bringing back Shatner and Nimoy for the Avengers style cross over movie that was rumoured post NEM. A last ditch attempt to save Trek after NEM/ENT. They would've only been 75 about 10 years ago (similar to Ford in TFA)

 

[Danlav05]

You do sound obsessed lol .

 

[VOODOOXI]

I think you're overstating the 'star power' of the shat somewhat. I don't think it would make much of a difference to the box office take really. I mean when he was the star of the show back in the 70's-90's the movies hardly set the box office alight did they? The media 'ate up' the gay Sulu thing and Anton's sad demise but that didn't stop Beyond's underperformance either.

Really at this stage, unless the writers can come up with something that people look at and think 'wow I must watch that' then we're in to diminishing returns territory. As greg cox said above, how many curtain calls does the guy have? Another one will be verging on the embarrassing.

I’m not suggesting Shatner has “star power” in the sense that someone like Tom Cruise has “star power”...That said, when it was erroneously reported that Shatner would be returning for Orci’s version of Stat Trek 3, the film actually got quite a bit of positive press for a short time...I don’t think the writers making Sulu a gay character can really be compared to Shatner’s potential return as Kirk...Shatner/Kirk are iconic and would bring in a lot of positive press that the series could use...Bringing back the original cast did nothing but help Star Wars.

And actually, the original films of the “70-90’s” actually did quite well at the box office when adjusted for inflation. Contrary to popular belief the original ST films were big hits (TFF being the exception due largely to the poor quality of the film)...Compare the original ST films box office to the 007 films of the same era and for the most part ST comes out on top.

1/ TMP = $283,480,300
2/ TWOK = $232,175,900
3/ TSFS = $196,687, 400
4/ TVH = $249,725,200
5/ TFF = $113,757,400
6/ TUC = $154,798,200

 

[Ovation]

I wonder what kind of box office something close to that would've brought in had it been made around 2006-2009? starring Shatner & Nimoy (no Doohan by then unfortunately, but maybe CGI Kelly for a fun Holodoc scene), with supporting roles/cameos for some (not all) of the TNG/Ent era casts (Stewart, Bakula, Frakes, Dorn, Meaney, Trinneer, Blaock, Ryan,). produced by Berman (of course), written by Moore/Branga and maybe directed by Frakes? (or Nimoy even? maybe even The Shat?!) . budget around the $75m mark (possible? if done on the cheap/VI style salary concessions from all to get it made)

itd have to have been at least FC box office! (150m ww)

I just watched the whole thing. My 12 year old self would have loved it. My 50 year old self has to strongly disagree that it would have made any money at the box office (and was underwhelmed by it as a piece of entertainment). Totally inaccessible to non hardcore fans, it would have been the biggest flop of the year. A professional sheen would not have saved it. Sorry, but this would have killed the franchise forever.

 

[Smellmet]

I’m not suggesting Shatner has “star power” in the sense that someone like Tom Cruise has “star power”...That said, when it was erroneously reported that Shatner would be returning for Orci’s version of Stat Trek 3, the film actually got quite a bit of positive press for a short time...I don’t think the writers making Sulu a gay character can really be compared to Shatner’s potential return as Kirk...Shatner/Kirk are iconic and would bring in a lot of positive press that the series could use...Bringing back the original cast did nothing but help Star Wars.

And actually, the original films of the “70-90’s” actually did quite well at the box office when adjusted for inflation. Contrary to popular belief the original ST films were big hits (TFF being the exception due largely to the poor quality of the film)...Compare the original ST films box office to the 007 films of the same era and for the most part ST comes out on top.

1/ TMP = $283,480,300
2/ TWOK = $232,175,900
3/ TSFS = $196,687, 400
4/ TVH = $249,725,200
5/ TFF = $113,757,400
6/ TUC = $154,798,200

Realistically, I'd only class TMP, TVH & TWOK as successful on that list, TSFS & TUC as mild hits and TFF close to bomb territory. We're in a world where $200 million domestic is really not a particularly big figure, a proper box office smash these days is way, way above that number, but I take your point.

I think people who will be interested in Shatner's return are the same people who will be watching the next Trek movie regardless anyway. It's the general audience these movies need to draw, and I think the content and tone of the Kelvin series has been geared up to just that, but for some reason, they stayed away this time.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Well, shit. By that logic, no one should be in movies. Ever.

Well, they took a gamble on Anton Yelchin, and look what happened. (to soon? )

 

[Danlav05]

When I first heard about the Shatner/Nimoy rumour I had a vision in my head of what it would look like. Unfortunately I have no photoshop talent so I sent some pictures to talented @gazomg and he kindly obliged to put this together:



Please click for larger!!

UNIFORM DESIGN from Jeremy Grunloh's reboot that some of you may remember.

 

[Nyotarules]

Here was the rumoured premise of Orci's Star Trek XIII:



Here's a scene written for Shatner from the 2009 movie:

Missing scene: reboot Spock deserved an award as well, Kirk gets too much glory in this version.

 

[TRON JA307020]

I do remember hearing Nimoy never liked the way Kirk's death was portrayed, and now with Nimoy having passed on...It could be interesting to bring Shatner back in some (albeit small) way...

Nope. We already had Spock die in the Abramsverse instead of the prime reality where he should have said his goodbye to life. Lets keep Kirk where he is dead or not. Actually Shatner is getting to old to even play Kirk anymore. I don't think anyone wants to see the Kirk that was loved for nearly 30 years come back as a 85 year old. His death did suck but that's part of the story now and to resurrect him would really be idiotic.

 

[F. King Daniel]

When I first heard about the Shatner/Nimoy rumour I had a vision in my head of what it would look like. Unfortunately I have no photoshop talent so I sent some pictures to talented @gazomg and he kindly obliged to put this together:



Please click for larger!!

UNIFORM DESIGN from Jeremy Grunloh's reboot that some of you may remember.

Here's my attempt from back when the Shatner rumours were flying:

 

[Danlav05]

Oh that was you! I saw that - from the VW commercials

 

[KennyB]

Nope. We already had Spock die in the Abramsverse instead of the prime reality where he should have said his goodbye to life. Lets keep Kirk where he is dead or not. Actually Shatner is getting to old to even play Kirk anymore. I don't think anyone wants to see the Kirk that was loved for nearly 30 years come back as a 85 year old. His death did suck but that's part of the story now and to resurrect him would really be idiotic.

I kinda have to agree with this.

 

[TRON JA307020]

I kinda have to agree with this.