News The ongoing next Star Trek movie thread

[F. King Daniel]

"Mum can we go see Star Trek?"

"We have Star Trek at home and I already have to pay monthly for that!"

-Why Future Star Trek Movies Are a Bigger Risk Than Ever, a short story by F. KingDan.

 

[FederationHistorian]

Well, I have to hand it to you -- you got very specific! There are elements I don't agree with, but I credit where credit's due -- you developed a full story outline there and have a well-articulated artistic vision. Which is more than Paramount has been able to figure out for itself yet!

If I may ask, what elements don't you agree with?

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Since they can't seem to get anything going on the next movie, I don't see why they couldn't do a Kelvin verse limited series (or two, three four ) of six, seven episodes. Bring back Pine, Quinto, Saldana, Pegg, Cho, and Urban. TV work isn't below any of them. Pine - I Am The Night, Quinto - American Horror Story, Saldana - Rosemary's Baby, Pegg - Spaced, Cho - The Exorcist, Urban - The Boys. Come up with a good enough story (preferably by Pegg) and release on Paramount +

 

[FederationHistorian]

Someone at Paramount would think the audience would be confused of their being two Kirks. two Spocks, two Uhuras, and possibly - depending on the story - two Pikes.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Someone at Paramount would think the audience would be confused of their being two Kirks. two Spocks, two Uhuras, and possibly - depending on the story - two Pikes.

Pretty sure we've had like 6 Batmen and 3 or 4 Jokers in the last 5 years, people somehow survived.

 

[M'Sharak]

Someone at Paramount would think the audience would be confused of their being two Kirks. two Spocks, two Uhuras, and possibly - depending on the story - two Pikes.

We kinda have that already, do we not? Yet, the world has thus far failed to end and audiences seem no more confused than usual.

 

[FederationHistorian]

Pretty sure we've had like 6 Batmen and 3 or 4 Jokers in the last 5 years, people somehow survived.

We kinda have that already, do we not? Yet, the world has thus far failed to end and audiences seem no more confused than usual.

Yes, but I’m point out if Kelvin crew had a limited series on P+ airing around the same time as SNW. It’s silly, I know.

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

Yes, but I’m point out if Kelvin crew had a limited series on P+ airing around the same time as SNW. It’s silly, I know.

That I can actually understand.
It's probably easier to separate a movie version of a character from television, but having two Spock's on two streaming shows airing at the same time played by two different actors does strike me as overkill.

 

[Markonian]

I wonder if a movie can be made before most cinemas close down.

 

[CaptainWacky]

I wonder how Harry Styles spitting on Chris Pine will impact the next movie.

 

[Ovation]

I wonder how Harry Styles spitting on Chris Pine will impact the next movie.

Might whet the appetite…

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Someone at Paramount would think the audience would be confused of their being two Kirks. two Spocks, two Uhuras, and possibly - depending on the story - two Pikes.

I wouldn't think it'd be any more confusing than Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland meeting as Spider-Man.

Maybe the story could even deal with a Prime/Kelvin universe anomaly that joins the two universes together and forces everyone to interact and work together

 

[Richard S. Ta]

God, I thought we were a long way out of worrying about audiences being ‘confused’?

That’s the kind of reductive thinking that led a lot of creatives into making lots of bad decisions in the past.

The so-called ‘audience’ is actually way more savvy, informed and clever than was generally thought. Nobody’s head imploded in confusion last December when we had three Spider-Men on screen at once.

 

[fireproof78]

God, I thought we were a long way out of worrying about audiences being ‘confused’?

That’s the kind of reductive thinking that led a lot of creatives into making lots of bad decisions in the past.

The so-called ‘audience’ is actually way more savvy, informed and clever than was generally thought. Nobody’s head imploded in confusion last December when we had three Spider-Men on screen at once.

If my 10 year can follow it then yeah, audience confusion is greatly overblown concern. Assumes the audience is incredibly stupid.

 

[FederationHistorian]

I wouldn't think it'd be any more confusing than Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland meeting as Spider-Man.

Maybe the story could even deal with a Prime/Kelvin universe anomaly that joins the two universes together and forces everyone to interact and work together

I agree that would make for a great movie.

Paramount’s reductive thinking has resulted in them being behind the times; the dam broke with No Way Home and showed that the audience were far from confused. Ironic since the multiverse is a thing in the Star Trek franchise. What do they think the mirror universe and these various alternate timelines are in Star Trek?

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I'd lay money that the audience are more clued in to what they are watching than many of the executives involved in making those kinds of decisions.

Also isn't it funny how supposedly clever or confusing movies tend to endure? Hitchcock, Kubrick, Coppola, Stone, Spielberg, Garland, Nolan... all have made careers out of making odd or offbeat movies and audiences loved them then and loved them now.

I like clever movies. I quite like to feel confused, as long as whatever I'm watching resolves what is confusing me (or makes inroads to).

I remember Alex Garland going to battle with execs over Annihilation, resulting in it being pulled from the cinema schedule and sent to a kind of Streaming Hell as a punishment, but he was right to fight for his vision. It's a better movie for not providing all the answers and the fact it's a puzzle box of a film is what makes me remember it all these years later.

And believe me, I'm not particularly smart. There are way smarter audience members era than me including my wife.

It makes me wonder where these people get their audience samples from.

 

[fireproof78]

I'd lay money that the audience are more clued in to what they are watching than many of the executives involved in making those kinds of decisions.

I honestly think it comes down to fear. It isn't that they want the audience to be stupid but that they are afraid that it will be confusing for one person, who will complain and put people off the movie. it's an irrational fear, as fears go, but they don't want to risk audience members leaving.

It makes me wonder where these people get their audience samples from.

My guess is some are part of the industry and see things way differently. It reminds me of watching a lecture from the game designer of one of my favorite games. He discussed the lessons learned when the second game of the series pretty much appeared to completely ignore what made the first game a success. And the reason was because they leaned on people either in the industry or close to it for feedback rather than gamers and fans.

 

[shapeshifter]

My theory is, ST09 and ID spoiled General Audiences with big budget Blockbusters they were happy to plop down big money for, for their efforts.

Then Beyond came along lowering the bar back to TOS movie era standards, the crowds responded with Nope. Regardless of its budget, it obviously came across as mediocre to them.

Lesson: Don't spoil audiences with Blockbuster Trek movies you cannot continue to deliver.

Solution: Create new Blockbusters they will flock to see again or go back to the old formula of reduced budgets designed to make modest profits. May be too late for the later though.

 

[fireproof78]

Solution: Create new Blockbusters they will flock to see again or go back to the old formula of reduced budgets designed to make modest profits. May be too late for the later though.

It is for the most part. Much of Hollywood has shifted from less films with bigger budgets for a bigger bang, instead of more films, variety of budgets, with one big "tent pole." Going back to smaller budgets means a lot more patience.

 

[FederationHistorian]

It makes me wonder where these people get their audience samples from

Its geared towards their audience. By that I mean those aged 18-34, because they spend money the most, including at the movies. Studios might aim older or for a specific gender group, but the 18-34 demo is the aim.

They don’t do test screening based on whether the audience is smart, very smart, or not smart at all; generally, they don’t care about that stuff. They care about feedback regarding what parts of the film are well received and what parts aren’t, and may allow them to elaborate on their thoughts at a second test screening. So, if most of the audience at the test screenings don’t like confusing in its plot and don’t understand what’s going on, its out. If they like it, its in. There’s no way to quantify if its a very smart audience or not at the screenings when they are deciding on the parts of the films they like and don’t like. But producers and the directors rarely overrule them.

An issue with the Kelvin films is that the majority of their target audience has aged out of the films because Paramount has taken so long to make them. An 18-year-old in 2009 will be 32 in 2023. Meanwhile, when Iron Man came out in 2008, the MCU capitalized on the 18-34 demo over the next decade and it paid off with four of the top ten highest grossing films of all time being MCU films; three Avengers movies, and No Way Home.

Has Paramount considered an animated series or animated films with the Kelvin crew?