Star Trek (2008) Actors, Contracted for TV Series also?

[Tom]

With all the news on casting these days do you think there are clauses in there contracts that address being in a possible TV series if Star Trek (2008) spawns one?

If this movie does good, they may want to create a tv series from it and if they do that im sure you don't want to recast the parts yet again.

Look at Quinto, he is not a movie star, maybe that is also one of the reasons they choose him because he could easily be cast into a TV show spin off. If this logic is correct than the rest of the cast especially Kirk wont be "big" movie stars (like Damon etc..) .


@PTM, can you look into this for us.

 

[DarthPipes]

Doubt it. That would be a good way to burn out the franchise again.

 

[Lumen]

That's good thinking, especially considering Quinto's background.

But even without that, I don't doubt that the contract contains some clause referencing future projects in a variety of media. Paramount isn't stupid (overall).

 

[Warp Coil]

I'm willing to bet that there will be a clause in the contracts for sequel films, but not a TV show.

 

[EyalM]

I bet Quinto signed on (partially) because he hopes this will propel him to movie actor status. Therefore he wouldn't be enthusiastic to return to the small screen.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

If the movie - or more likely movies - are a hit, yes I definitely see them leveraging the success into a new TV series. And it wouldn't stop there: they'll do books, video games, toys, the whole range of multi-media stuff. That's how Hollywood thinks, make money in as many different media as you can.

If they'd cast Adrian Brody as Spock, I'd be more skeptical that TV was in the future (or, TV with Kirk and Spock anyway). You wouldn't invest a lot in building up Damon and Brody as Kirk and Spock, with the hopes that movie actors of their caliber would ever do TV. But casting a TV actor in a movie role sends a VERY different message. Yes, I think they have TV in the back of their minds as a long-term strategy.

A TV series doesn't have to 'burn out' anything. Mis-management is what killed Star Trek, not over-exposure per se. So far, it looks like Abrams is making good decisions and saying the right things, to convince me that he isn't another Berman. If you want to pursue a multi-media strategy, part of the job is to make sure you don't burn the franchise out in the process. The right manager can accomplish that if he knows what he's doing.

 

[DarthPipes]

Temis the Vorta said:
If the movie - or more likely movies - are a hit, yes I definitely see them leveraging the success into a new TV series. And it wouldn't stop there: they'll do books, video games, toys, the whole range of multi-media stuff. That's how Hollywood thinks, make money in as many different media as you can.

If they'd cast Adrian Brody as Spock, I'd be more skeptical that TV was in the future (or, TV with Kirk and Spock anyway). You wouldn't invest a lot in building up Damon and Brody as Kirk and Spock, with the hopes that movie actors of their caliber would ever do TV. But casting a TV actor in a movie role sends a VERY different message. Yes, I think they have TV in the back of their minds as a long-term strategy.

A TV series doesn't have to 'burn out' anything. Mis-management is what killed Star Trek, not over-exposure per se. So far, it looks like Abrams is making good decisions and saying the right things, to convince me that he isn't another Berman. If you want to pursue a multi-media strategy, part of the job is to make sure you don't burn the franchise out in the process. The right manager can accomplish that if he knows what he's doing.

JJ's one of the most talented people in Hollywood. I was a big fan of both Alias and still am a big fan of Lost. But he doesn't linger with his stuff. He's always involved in more and more projects so we'll see how long he sticks around with Trek. I don't think he's even involved anymore with Lost. Just an observation.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

As long as Abrams sets things up nicely, he can hand the reins over to some competent manager. I've noticed that other guys - Piller, Behr, Coto - have been able to come in and manage their portions of Trek quite well. So that bodes well for the future, we just need Abrams to resurrect the thing, and there should be any number of other people who could take it from there.

 

[Warp Coil]

DarthPipes said:
JJ's one of the most talented people in Hollywood. I was a big fan of both Alias and still am a big fan of Lost. But he doesn't linger with his stuff. He's always involved in more and more projects so we'll see how long he sticks around with Trek. I don't think he's even involved anymore with Lost. Just an observation.

This is true - JJ Abrams is the kind of guy who comes along, gets a project going, and then after a period of time, steps back. He was really involved in the first two seasons of "Alias" but then seemed to fade away, let other showrunners take over, while he looked at other projects. Same thing with "Lost." I would prefer that JJ stay involved with his projects a little better.

However, with "Lost", Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse are doing an amazing job so the show is just fine. As long as JJ continues to surround himself with talented people, it'll be okay.

Also, I really think Trek is going to be strictly on the big screen for the next several years, so maybe it will be easier to lure JJ back to do the occassional film instead of having to do the weekly grind of a series.

 

[PowderedToastMan]

i believe the only thing related to cbs with regards to the new film is the licensing (and therfore likeness) rights. Paramount are making movies. if CBS make a TV show they will do something on their own.

 

[Flake]

Please god don't let there be another TV show. Have mercy!

It would do the franchise no good.

A movie every 3 years is quite enough thank you.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Since CBS and Paramount are now separate companies, television options for actors in a movie could be ridiculously complicated and very unlikely.

There will be more "Star Trek" on TV someday, somehow. But it ain't gonna spring directly from this movie in the kind of "it's all one Franchise" way that it did in the past.

That version of "Star Trek" is dead.

 

[Sec31Mike]

When did CBS and Paramount part ways? The Star Trek website still has the CBS info on it. Trek was a Paramount property before the merger.

 

[Mr J]

Personally I think that if Star Trek is successful at the box-office then the future of this particular Abrams franchise will carry on being on the big-screen. As others have said, CBS might decide to do something different with the TV side of things but I think that it is doubtful that a TV incarnation would spawn directly from the movie side. I could see the TV version being a spin-off of sorts with different characters in the same time period or maybe even something in the far-flung future of the movies but I wouldn't expect Quinto as Spock or whoever else appears in the movie to play a significant role in it. CBS might even decide to do their own version of TOS with another new set of actors in the key roles ala Stargate SG-1, Blade or the recent failed Mr & Mrs Smith pilot. Who knows at this point.

At the moment, I say that this sort of speculation is just too early to comment on really. Let them make a good movie and see how it does and then if that happens think about sequels, spin-offs, TV shows, etc. For now I'll settle for one good ST movie.

 

[Tom]

Well we will see if they cast any 'big movie' actors for the remaining crew, if they don't then this topic will still be lingering around.

 

[Flake]

Ok the fanboy in me has decided I can stomach some TV-Movies or miniseries, but god please no 26 episode per season 7 year trek on TV. Not yet!

 

[PowderedToastMan]

FleetLord said:
Well we will see if they cast any 'big movie' actors for the remaining crew, if they don't then this topic will still be lingering around.

there is no reason for this topic to linger...Paramount make movies...full stop. That is all they want to do and all they will do. The hiring of non movie star actors is certainly not driven by anything CBS may want to do some day, but by their budget and the objectives of the producers

 

[Temis the Vorta]

If there's money in it, they'll find a way. The lawyers can worry about the contracts.

 

[Tom]

PowderedToastMan said:

FleetLord said:
Well we will see if they cast any 'big movie' actors for the remaining crew, if they don't then this topic will still be lingering around.

there is no reason for this topic to linger...Paramount make movies...full stop. That is all they want to do and all they will do. The hiring of non movie star actors is certainly not driven by anything CBS may want to do some day, but by their budget and the objectives of the producers

Understood, but this is no ordinary film this is Star Trek a billion dollar franchise that has Movies and TV series under its belt.

It is mostly likey that the contracts have conditions for movie sequels (like most films these days), and since CBS is a seperate legal entity it perhaps does not contain wording about TV series (but who knows for sure?). My thought was, do Abrams and TPTB have in the back of there minds to cast the film with "non big movie stars (but not unknowns either)" just on the off chance of this film spawning a series. Clearly the #1 goal is to make the best movie possible and worry what happens later, that said is there still some thinking of the future (beyond 2008) involved here also?

 

[Tom]

Temis the Vorta said:
If there's money in it, they'll find a way. The lawyers can worry about the contracts.

If the film is successful the bigger money will be in a movie sequal and not a TV show. After a sequal well who knows.

However another line of thought is that with a film most of the money will go to Viacom and less to CBS, with TV show CBS will be getting most of the money. Since the now 2 seperate companys have various sharing agreements with Star Trek its hard to say how that would work in terms of profit etc..