re that picture: My Lord, they’ve cast Grunberg in the Shatner role for TJ Hooker XI.

TJ Hooker: Remastered?

Well, Grunberg CAN hear thoughts….. perhaps he knooooooowssss!

oh mighty Grun-berg,,,mind-reader….
What will the title and thrust of Star Trek XI be?

” The fan boys have mis-read the tea leaves…. Kirk will be barely a thought in this prequel.”
(he peers into a crystal globe with a tiny grey (not blue or white) Enterprise suspended there…nacelle tops spinning…)
“… I see a title…. Star Trek… yes, STAR Trek… he mumbles over his doughnut…”
(he leans closer, closer….stretching his powers to the limit…)
“yes….. it becomes clear …Star Trek: Empress Sato Strikes Back…!”

“More doughnuts for all! Hail Mighty Empress!”
…. and another 15 minutes of fame for me!!!!!! Muahh- ha-ha!

Kudos to #1 for best laugh of the day.

No, no, no…you’ve got it all wrong. The photo of Grunberg in a police uniform is his way of “copping” an attitude until Abrams gives him a juicy role!

I love the comments here.

Honestly, if Abrams is still vacillating that much over directing, I kind of think he won’t do it, and I also kind of think that might be a good thing. The director of Trek XI should probably want the job 110%.

People, people, people…

Abrams is probably negotiating a fee to direct, that’s why he’s not “committed” to the job yet. Of course he wants to direct it, he’d be a complete fool if he didn’t, but he’s not letting the studio know this until they’ve settled on terms.

Yep #7.If he was that confident in the script and wanted to be known as the man who’s vision brought back the Star Trek franchise he should direct.but if he’s not so sure he’ll probably go with the director for hire route.That way if the picture is a flop the director for hire can be the fall guy,and abrams can produce the sequel and stay in the producer’s chair

#4 — Bwah-ha-ha-ha!!!

Frakes, Meyer or Abrams to direct.

Hey, didn’t Bryan Singer say he would love to direct a Trek film? Why not him?!

Good to see JJ is happy with the script. If he directs good, if not I,m sure they’ll pick a good director.
LLAP

Urgent Trek related news!!!!

The Associated Press is reporting none other than former franchise head Rick Berman has signed on to direct the Eleventh film in the famous series!
“Rick Berman the once and future shepard of all things ‘Star Trek’ since the passing of series creator Gene Roddenberry in 1991, oversaw three spin off series and four motion pictures, has landed the prestigious directorial reigns on the starship Enterprises’ newest mission.”

When asked his thoughts on this tour de force coup da ta’, Berman was qouted as saying, “It’s good to be back. I am very pleased. The fans and I have a very comfortable, mutually beneficial and productive history together. ‘Star Trek’ is a very viable and profitable entertainment franchise and product. I look forward to the oppurtunity of interpreting this wonderful universe I was fortunate enough to borrow awhile. ”

When questioned how he will approach the work that has already been done on the film by Producer J.J. Abrams, Berman hesitated clearly not wanting to ruffle any feathers, “Well, I haven’t seen the original series so I’m sort of relying on J.J. to ’serve’ as quality control. I like Star Trek. It’s kind of fun. I’ll be disregarding the current script and bringing in several wonderful writers to help me flesh out my ideas. ”

When asked if he could offer any tantalizing clues as to the storyline of this new Trek endeavor, Berman gave his customary mealy mouthed stock response, “Oh shucks, that would be telling wouldn’t it? And I’m not telling. I’m very pleased. The fans will just have to wait awhile. However, I will say this: It will be a Prequel to the episode with Berlinghoff Rasmutin, which I wrote. The film will feature a new crew , all sorts of neat new gadgets…and things. We are getting away from the starship Enterprise. The general consensus is ‘been there done that.’ We are going with a new ship and crew. I am very pleased. The ship will be called the U.S.S. Redundancy. It’s fun. I like it Star Track alot. It’s a posh job and pays pretty decently.”

Finally when questioned as to how he was able to convince Paramount to permit him to once again command the multi-billion dollar industry that is Star Trek, Berman rolled his eyes and retorted thusly, “Look pal, Star Track has been very good to me, and I owe the fans, and the share holders a very great deal. All of these rumors about Bill T. Kirk and Spock, and things, well, they were mcguffins to throw the fans off. You know, sort of like red herrings, but not really. Just kinda. I am greatly pleased I have this job. I’m presently enrolled in evenings classes at USC film school and I intend to do my best to make this the best darn Track film ever. Made. Period. ”

When pressed further Berman let out a sudden, maniacal bellacose roar of laughter and winked. He maintained his smirk as his left eye curiously crossed , ” Here’s the lesson for the kids, never, EVER throw nude negatives away.”

Ignoring the typical and unwarranted Berman bashing above and moving on…

I’d prefer Mr. Abrams direct his own film (if they use his people’s script). Trek is very important to a whole lot of people and its a bit of an insult **IF** he feels it isn’t worth his while after having been involved in the story to follow through and direct it.

Having said all that, I’d wonder if he really feels that way and tend to agree that this is probably posturing to make sure he gets paid an appropriate amount of money. Paramount shouldn’t have recruited him if they didn’t want to pay him what he deserves for his time.

Hollywood is such a closed-door, incestuous, in-bred community, I’m surprised that most of them don’t look like members of the Royal Family! Ba-bump-bump!!

Guys who shouldn’t direct for a plethora of reasons, in some cases because they are taking dirt naps:

1. John Waters

2. Ed Wood

3. Robert Altman

4. John Boorman (circa Zardoz)

5. Zardoz

6. David Carson or anyone else associated with the spinoff shows

7. Renny Harlin

8. Micheal Bay

9 McG

10. Micheal Cimino

11. Woody Allen

Dream directors:

Ridley Scott
Peter Weir
James Cameron
Frank Darabont
Chris Nolan
Robert Zemeckis
Alfonso Cuaron

If Abrams decides not to direct that doesn\’t mean he necessarily thinks the script isn\’t all that great. He is fairly new at directing, after all. He might decide the project\’s too big or there\’s too much riding on it and that there\’s somebody else who has a better chance of pulling it off.

I should’ve included Ridley Scott on my list as well.

Nice pick up AdCoâ„¢.

#18 - Adam

I agree with you about Alfonso Cuaron… I mentioned him in the other thread, but it seems a bit dead, so I’ll jump over here instead…

I also suggested either Jean-Pierre Jeunet or Sam Mendes as well…

Nick Meyer!!! Please!!!

He directed the greatest Trek movies in history.

It’s not going to happen but you know who I’d like see direct Star Trek? Robert Rodriquez. He is just so off the wall - so willing to go places you don’t expect - it would be cool to see what he’d do with Star Trek.

Here\’s the thing about the really big directors, though. They\’re going to have the oversize egos that will compel them to put their personal “stamp” on the movie (think Tim Burton\’s Superman). Definitely they\’d be the sort of person to ride roughshod over the canon, if that sort of thing is important to you, but I\’d be worried even more about them changing the core DNA of Trek. Maybe not really getting what Trek\’s about at all.

Ideally, I\’d like someone who is really talented but is still humble enough to make the movie fit to the best of Trek, instead of their own “personal and unique vision.”

Grunberg’s too fat to be a Vulcan.Vulcans are discipled and eating more than is required is not logical.Conehead maybe,Vulcan no.

ok… Woody Allen would be a good Trek director. Soon-yi could be Sulu.
John Boorman is always interesting, even if he’s not right for Trek. (although George Takei could convincingly tell Grunberg to squeal like a pig — sorry for the double stabs at Sulu.)
I agree with Adam’s list… any would bring a new approach. I don’t agree with the worries over maintaining canon. Trek has a heart. Lose some canon if necessary, just keep it optimistic thought-provoking and fun. (That’s a helluva big task already.)
Mostly, I think it will be JJ. I hope he occassionally samples these threads, but he’s probably too busy auditioning starlets for the pivotal role of Rand.

#25 “too fat to be a Vulcan”. #26 “to squeal like a pig”. What the….hey, now look guys…the next post will probably defend chubby people because they provide “more cushion for the pushin’ “. This all reminds me of a fat waitress I once knew….have any of you ever had a fat waitress? Ah, memories…light the corners of my mind….GUH!…uh, anybody got a cigarette?

There was a fat Vulcan in last night’s Sci-Fi rerun of ENT.

I agree that it didn’t look right, but we *should* all be able to attest that there are such things as fat Vegetarians and Vegans.

Not that I’m a huge Grunberg fan…

Loose connection to Grunberg..
Did anyone see the licence plate number on George Takei’s car on Heros last night?
NCC1701

Fat Vulcans don’t make sense to me because overweight people are usually compulsive eaters which implies an emotional driveness.

I really wish they’d can this Idea of a prequel now, it sounds so absurd that they think people want to go back to the campy TOS era of weak Female characters and cringingly bad dialog. With ENT’s existance how do they intend to brige the canon chasm? What stories are they that need telling?

If they want Kirk use Shatner! If they want Spock use Nimoy!

This idea feel so bad it makes me want to cry.

To boldly go backwards is NOT TREK!

RED light it please!!!!!!!!!!

Ok stop with the fat bashing, just look at Scotty in his latter years. And those of you above who mentioned directors are just dreaming even though i’d go see Star Trek V if it were directed by James Cameron. Star Trek XI needs the impossible director who is a fan, can throw his unique vision in and remain true to canon to satisfay everyone. But the most important thing is to make a good movie, one that will get me to spend ten bucks and talk my drunk frat brothers into going to see.

For Star Trek to survive, it must grow and if that means reimagining someo of it then so be it. I couldn’t imagine living in a world without it. When I was a kid I would beg my mom to let me stay up on Sunday nights to catch reruns of TNG and TOS. Now with ENT reruns on Mondays, DS9 and TNG on Spike every afternoon, TOS on TV Land every night and TOS-R Sunday nights where I’m at. I love it, pure and simple. Embrace Star Trek my friends because maybe just one day we will have to live like the Trekkers of yore that had to wait ten years for a movie.

Live Long and Prosper

#32 “fat bashing” and “just look at Scotty in his latter years”. Are you kidding?! In ST:IV,V+VI Doohan was so fat he deserved his own zip code! The doctors diagnosed him to have that flesh-eating disease and gave him twelve years to live! He was out sunbathing one afternoon wearing a Malcolm X T-shirt and a helicopter tried to land on him! People said what’s the difference between Scotty and an elephant; Answer: about 40 pounds and a Starfleet uniform! In ST:IV when he said, “Admiral, there be whales here!” , if anyone had asked how many , he would have had to say 3! Shall I go on?

Josh T. , I did NOT appreciate your little farce.

I thought it was a real quote, until I got halfway through it, and it had begun to make me feel depressed and disillusioned.

Please, DON’T do that again.

32 .OK .Let’s use the word overweight.An actor’s body is his tool.Would you hire a carpenter to build your house who was lax about his commitment to tha project?It’s not like “fat” is an identity .one can always lose weight to adapt to a part,or gain weight for that matter.

“There are no small parts, just FAT actors”, or something to that effect.

And who in the world wants a skinny Santa?

Weight is harder and harder to manage as one gets older. Some people are genetically mastered for higher metabolism and some are not. I for one will not be too worried about the weight issue–unless they turn up with a 400 pound Orion slave girl.

#37 “a 400 pound Orion slave girl”. Talk about too much of a good thing! As the Jolly Green Giant would say, “Ho, ho, ho…” as in who was that ‘ho I saw you with last night?

All I have to say to the GG knockers is I’d be happy to see him in XI, no matter what part he plays. The more eps of Heroes I see him in the more I like him.
LLAP

#39 “the more I like him”. How convenient for you that there’s more of him each episode to like!! Look, I know T.V. adds 15 lbs. to an actor, but jeez, this guy could lose a few pounds, don’tchathink? I mean, when he sits around the house, he SITS AROUND the house!!

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