Star Trek 4 Reportedly Shelved

[Malaika]

The news aren't relevant to trek to the extent some may assume. Br and jj did star wars while they had the deal with Paramount so they can still make trek movies (and movies with other studios) if they want to, and if they get something concrete both parties would have all interest working together with this cast. Paramount never used the deal with them to its fullest anyway (for their fault too) so it makes more sense to reduce it to occasional collaborations.

 

[Rahul]

I thought the reason he didn't do it is money (failing to get the deal he wanted), as sites were reporting. I remember an older interview were he was interested about the pitch..
(Eta with cit: "I've spoken to J.J., and he has an amazing pitch on the whole thing.")

That completely contradicts what was reported before. And Paramount's press release saying he had signed on prior to the (supposed?) last-minute renegotiations by Paramount.

It's all spin, spin, spin.

He's not contradicting himself at all. As Malaika said:

What it contradicts is him previoustly saying he liked the pitch.
Perhaps the actors not liking the material enough was one of the reasons why they didn't sign for a smaller paycheck. Maybe he was offered a smaller role than the one he was supposed to have so he now uses that as reason for saying no. But even in that case money would be the main issue (getting a smaller role because they don't want to pay you for a bigger one is a compromise)

He liked the pitch. Enough to negotiate to appear for a set amount of money (probably "star" money). He does not like the finished script enough to take a pay-cut for that. That's understandable. Actors take roles to make money. And they take roles they really love to do.

I do love Star Trek. But it's just a "franchise blockbuster" after all. Don't expect any actors to be emotionally involved with it like they are for their personal pet projects/indie films or working with their favourite directors/co-stars.

Had the money been there, he would have found a way to work himself into the role - and thus like it in the end. As actors do. Emotional work is their work. But with big budget studio films, it's really often just that - a working relationship.

 

[fireproof78]

I do love Star Trek. But it's just a "franchise blockbuster" after all.

This probably needs to be repeated more often.

 

[Lance]

Yeah, I think the idea that general audiences would be 'confused' by another change of casting or what not is rather overstating the extent to which any of them are invested in the Kelvinverse. Due to a variety of mismanagements over the last 10 years in which no-one behind the scenes is not a little culpable, the reboot franchise ultimately failed to 'take' in the way it had potential to back a decade ago, and when all is said and done and the dust has settled, they're just three more Star Trek movies among 13. Beyond was three years ago. No one in the general audience would care if the next movie hits a reset. Harsh, but accurate. The only people hanging on to the Kelvinverse at this point are die hards who are actually invested in it (and I say that as one of those die hards). Yes, it'd be nice to get at least one more go around for this version of the crew, yes it'd be great to get 'closure' on them. But I don't think it'll ever happen. Those of us who still care are going to have to accept it. The makers of the movies, meanwhile, would be best advised to abandon any notion of Star Trek: Ragnarok, and just move on to telling a fresh story with a clean break.

 

[Khan 2.0]

The makers of the movies, meanwhile, would be best advised to abandon any notion of Star Trek: Ragnarok, and just move on to telling a fresh story with a clean break.

the box office apathy to MiB4 will be the absolute nail in the coffin for any George Kirk ST4 (not that it wasn't dead already but if Endgames 2.7b had made Paramount think for a second about reviving Trek Thor..)

 

[Malaika]

The makers of the movies, meanwhile, would be best advised to abandon any notion of Star Trek: Ragnarok, and just move on to telling a fresh story with a clean break.

That movie is Tarantino's favorite marvel movie apparently.

 

[Belz...]

We knew that whatever shape the next Trek would take, Bad Robot wouldn't be involved. The Bad Robot/Paramount relationship has been toxic since The Force Awakens.

Online, maybe. I'm not sure that translates in meatspace. it's increasingly obvious to me that companies should largely just ignore social media.

 

[fireproof78]

the box office apathy to MiB4 will be the absolute nail in the coffin for any George Kirk ST4 (not that it wasn't dead already but if Endgames 2.7b had made Paramount think for a second about reviving Trek Thor..)

Maybe. Or perhaps they might have more negotiating power.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

What's the trouble between Bad Robot and Paramount?

 

[pst]

What's the trouble between Bad Robot and Paramount?

bad robot used to distribute films exclusively through paramount, but looks to be on the verge of signing a new exclusive deal with warners.

it's not clear if this would affect franchises that are essentially still active, cloverfield and star trek among them.

 

[F. King Daniel]

What's the trouble between Bad Robot and Paramount?

Supposedly and allegedly etcetera... Paramount weren't thrilled that JJ Abrams went to do Star Wars for Disney and it all went downhill from there, with lots of infighting.

 

[Malaika]

Supposedly and allegedly etcetera... Paramount weren't thrilled that JJ Abrams went to do Star Wars for Disney and it all went downhill from there, with lots of infighting.

Rumor also was that JJ had wanted to do much more with trek and make it a cinematic universe (thus allowing spin offs and an animated TV series), he had big projects in mind, but Paramount's laziness and mismanagement tired him.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Well, CBS owned a lot of the territory JJ wanted to get into, and They did care so much to humour him, since JJ is Paramount's boy and not theirs.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Rumor also was that JJ had wanted to do much more with trek and make it a cinematic universe (thus allowing spin offs and an animated TV series), he had big projects in mind, but Paramount's laziness and mismanagement tired him.

JJ's alleged plan from 2013 sounds a lot like what Kurtzman (who worked under JJ back then) is doing now, minus the movie end.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Rumor also was that JJ had wanted to do much more with trek and make it a cinematic universe (thus allowing spin offs and an animated TV series), he had big projects in mind, but Paramount's laziness and mismanagement tired him.

IIRC, it wasn't Paramount but CBS that was the problem. Abrams reportedly wanted to do things with a property that wasn't his and when the actual owners of Trek were later brought in (who likely had ideas of their own), that's when things fell apart.

JJ's alleged plan from 2013 sounds a lot like what Kurtzman (who worked under JJ back then) is doing now, minus the movie end.

Yeah, I think the main difference is that CBS was involved in this from the get-go, IMO.

 

[Malaika]

IIRC, it wasn't Paramount but CBS that was the problem. Abrams reportedly wanted to do things with a property that wasn't his and when the actual owners of Trek were later brought in (who likely had ideas of their own), that's when things fell apart.

Yeah, I think the main difference is that CBS was involved in this from the get-go, IMO.

On the TV front yes, but the movies and other content and better marketing? That's Paramount's laziness and failing to use the potential of what they had.
My understanding also is that, creative wise, they lacked a plan and might have exasperated JJ and the writers a bit because on one hand, he wasn't really free to do what he wanted but the studio didn't have a plan either. He apparently was annoyed by Beyond's marketing too and some things about the movie in general (it speaks volumes for me that he was already talking about trek4 as his favorite story before they even released beyond. It gave the impression he wanted them to be done with beyond asap so he could make the movie he wanted to make)

In Star wars, he doesn't have a lot of freedom but at least those who own the franchise have plans. Unlike what some believe, he never wanted sw to be a replacement for trek. Trek was his baby, he honestly just wanted to direct one sw movie because he's a fan and then move on. He was hired again just because the studio fired the original director and they were desperate (and I guess they made him a great offer) but he made it clear from the beginning that he never wanted to make the whole trilogy.

However, my point isn't to put all the blame on Paramount. Bad robot certaintly shares their own part of blame and mismanagement. And certaintly trek is more complex because of cbs too. They had the cake and ate it too with Discovery etc because they clearly made it thank to the success of JJ's trek, and it feels more like Kelvin trek than any other previous trek iteration, yet it isn't a spin off of the movies so they don't have issues with paramount&co.

 

[Khan 2.0]

. He apparently was annoyed by Beyond's marketing too and some things about the movie in general (it speaks volumes for me that he was already talking about trek4 as his favorite story before they even released beyond. It gave the impression he wanted them to be done with beyond asap so he could make the movie he wanted to make)

I wonder if his original intention was to direct ST4 after he was done with SW7 for around 2018/19 but then for whatever reason SJ Clarkson was hired (maybe Beyond underperforming therefore the less budget for ST4 issue meant it was not possible to have JJ direct fee wise? as then later happened with Pine/Hemsworth) ..

Also wonder if the Orci/Payne/McKay ST3 being reworked into George Kirk instead of Shatner Kirk was done at the behest of JJ favouring a more Spielbergian father/son plot (possibly still involving timetravel/timelines)? and building on what was the most successful/powerful scene of JJ Trek (and the potential box office draw of Hemsworth pleasing shareholders/moneymen etc )

So many questions..

 

[pst]

I wonder if his original intention was to direct ST4 after he was done with SW7 for around 2018/19 but then for whatever reason SJ Clarkson was hired

i sincerely doubt he ever intended to direct another trek after into darkness given there was some hemming and hawing about him even directing that. abrams strikes me as the spielberg type, not that interested in toiling in a franchise as much as building a world and moving on -- whether or not that means someone else stepping in to carry that franchise on.

 

[C.E. Evans]

On the TV front yes, but the movies and other content and better marketing? That's Paramount's laziness and failing to use the potential of what they had.
My understanding also is that, creative wise, they lacked a plan and might have exasperated JJ and the writers a bit because on one hand, he wasn't really free to do what he wanted but the studio didn't have a plan either.

I think it really was more of a case of studios squabbling over who had the rights to what.
https://www.thewrap.com/how-web-star-trek-rights-killed-jj-abrams-grand-ambitions-91766/
One camp reportedly wanted all future merchandise, licensing, movies, and TV shows to be based solely off the Kelvin Timeline and CBS wasn't entirely on board with that for whatever reason. There seemed to be ongoing talks between Paramount, Bad Robot, and CBS, but they seemed to break down over the usual issue of money.

 

[ISS Enterprise]

i sincerely doubt he ever intended to direct another trek after into darkness given there was some hemming and hawing about him even directing that. abrams strikes me as the spielberg type, not that interested in toiling in a franchise as much as building a world and moving on -- whether or not that means someone else stepping in to carry that franchise on.

Agreed n 1 step further I'm not sold he knew how to take it further. Just IMO n feeling