STAR TREK - J.J Abrams takes the helm...Fantastic news about J.J Abrams taking control of the Star Trek franchise for Paramount Pictures. Abrams is the writer-director behind TV smashes Alias and Lost. He's just broken out into movies with Mission: Impossible III to early acclaim (it's the best movie yet, according to most reviews).
So, he's clearly a very talented man that has already proven his worth on television -- making Jennifer Garner a global star, and Lost into the world's most talked-about drama. The fact he's seemingly breathed life into Mission: Impossible, following the lacklustre sequel from John Woo is even more amazing (don't forget, it was also his first movie gig...)
Following the failure of TV's Enterprise, Star Trek will return to the movies with the franchise's eleventh feature. However, Abrams' producers from Lost and screenwriters from M:I-III have been charged with creating a prequel movie focusing on Capt. Kirk and Mr Spock in their early years. Sounds like the basis for the infamous Starfleet Academy TV series, doesn't it?
Interestingly, the old Star Trek: The Academy Years Pilot script was recently reviewed on Ain't It Cool News here, and actually sounds like a decent adventure with a genuine love and understandig of the Original Series characters and chemistry. It's intriguing that a few ideas written there later took shape in Enterprise, too...
Above all else, the Academy Years script proves that the silly idea of a prequel Trek series with a new cast playing younger versions of Star Trek's iconic first crew, might not be as embarassing as you'd expect. One thing's for sure, with the combined talents of the guys behind Lost and M:I-III given total support from Paramount, with no sign of meddling producer Rick Berman to be found this time, the future of Trek hasn't been brighter since the glory days of Deep Space Nine...
Incidentally, Dan's Movie Digest Issue #169 has been released by DVD Fever. This week it features news on Ocean's Thirteen, The Chronicles Of Narnia, Alien Vs Predator 2 and Star Trek XI. The usual US/UK box-office charts are also there, as well as a list of upcoming movies.