Friday, November 20

• Karl "Bones" Urban on Star Trek 2

  After a notable role as Eomer in the second and third chapters in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Karl Urban went on to star in the ill-fated Pathfinder, Marcus Nispel's Vikings-versus-Native Americans action film.

  Urban followed up his little-seen Pathfinders starring role with the supporting role of Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in J.J. Abrams' revamped Star Trek, a role that promised to put him back in the spotlight. However, Abrams' film focused primarily on the relationship between James T. Kirk (played by Chris Pine) and Spock (Zack Snyder), rather than on the the Kirk-Spock-Bones trinity that served as the basis for the original series. In a recent interview with IGN, Urban said that he hopes that his role gets beefed up for Star Trek 2, if only to pay homage to the original.

  The structure [of the new film] wasn't really the traditional triumvirate that you've seen on the television show. It was really more a movie about establishing everybody. I certainly hope that [screenwriters] Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman and J.J. continue to strengthen and evolve those characters into those directions.

  I would love to play scenes being essentially Kirk's moral compass or point of conscience. The way McCoy was written, he really sort of verbalized the war going on in Kirk's conscience, and I certainly would love to see more arguments of passion versus logic with Spock because they're always fun.

  Urban also offered his opinion on the direction the second Star Trek film should take.

  I think the challenge is to come up with the most important mission, the mission that literally tears these people apart. The mission that is the definitive Trek mission. We have to come up with something akin to a Dark Knight or The Empire Strikes Back. Something like that.

  Urban recently shot And Soon the Darkness, which is in post-production, and is currently filming Priest.

  
  
  

  Star Trek - Trailer 2

  J.J. Abrams Directs - Releasing May 8, 2009

  Posted 11/20/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Chris Pine | Roberto Orci | J.J. Abrams | Alex Kurtzman | Karl Urban | Zachary Quinto | Star Trek | Star Trek 2 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Pathfinder

Wednesday, November 4

• Star Trek Sequel To Feature Khan?

  When it comes to iconic villains in Star Trek movies, there's none more memorable than the late Ricardo Montalban's Khan. In a recent interview with MTV, Star Trek director J.J. Abrams didn't say for sure whether Khan would appear in Star Trek 2, but he also didn't rule out the possibility.

  Dealing with Khan would certainly be a challenge, but we had an equal challenge in finding our crew of the Enterprise. While I don't want to approach the second film as a remake of episodes we've seen in the past, and, you know, I don't think any of the other writers and producers are interested in just rehashing, or throwing characters in for the sake of it, and Khan is certainly the most obvious one in the history of the series for me.... Nothing is off limits in terms of what we're discussing.

  Star Trek screenwriter Roberto Orci has said that Khan's chances to appear in the sequel are about "50/50." Javier Bardem could be he front runner for the role should it be written into the sequel.

  
  

  Posted 11/04/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Ricardo Montalban | Roberto Orci | J.J. Abrams | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | Star Trek 2 | Star Trek

Wednesday, October 28

• Star Trek Writers Are NOT Producing Doc Savage

  

  Contrary to our previous report that Star Trek screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman would be producing an adaptation of Doc Savage written by Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang's Shane Black, it looks like Neil Moritz and Ori Marmur (The Green Hornet) are producing it instead.

  AICN originally named Orci and Kurtzman as the producers, while Collider pointed out the error, maintaining that the rest of the original report is true. Doc Savage will be penned by Black, who may direct, and the movie will take place in the 1930s instead of being updated for modern times.

  Whoever produces Doc Savage, we can't wait to see the pulp world's first physician/surgeon/scientist/adventurer/inventor/explorer/researcher/musician in a better movie than 1975's camp classic Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.

  
  

  Posted 10/28/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Neil Moritz | Shane Black | Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze

Monday, October 26

• Lethal Weapon Writer Penning Doc Savage Script

  One of the few remaining legendary pulp fiction characters to receive a modern retelling may be headed to the big screen, courtesy of the wonder team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. The successful writing team has managed to turn the stale Transformers cartoon and toy line into a blockbuster film franchise and successfully reinvented Star Trek for a new generation. Now there is talk that they plan on producing a live-action Doc Savage feature.

  Originally published in Doc Savage Magazine in 1933, the "Man of Bronze" was a popular staple of the pulp magazines of the '30s and '40s and went on to appear in radio programs, comic books, and a poorly received 1975 feature film by George Pal. According to AICN, instead of writing the Doc Savage screenplay themselves, Orci and Kurtzman have hired Lethal Weapon writer Shane Black to pen an original script, which is expected to take place in the '30s and feature a number of supporting characters from the Savage mythology, including his "Fabulous Five" adventure companions.

  
  
  

  Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze - Trailer

  Posted 10/26/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Shane Black | Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze

Wednesday, October 21

• Cowboys & Aliens Unlike the Comic Book, Say Writers

  Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman can focus on the script for Star Trek 2 now that they're finished adapting the comic book Cowboys & Aliens for director Jon Favreau. However, their version, Kurtzman told IGN, won't be completely faithful to the graphic novel.

  We went away from it. We took the elements we all loved about it and took our own story, which I can't tell you too much about.

  And what is the biggest change according to Orci?

  Tone. How do you make it so it's not too funny? You hear the title Cowboys & Aliens and think, what is it? Is it Wild, Wild West? The exact same structure and story can kill you if you have the wrong tone. That's the hard part.

  Kurtzman agreed, saying the movie is " not a comedy" but rather like "watching Unforgiven and then the aliens from Alien land." The movie is currently in pre-production and the duo are having a great time working with Favreau. "He's the greatest," says Kurtzman. Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard are producing the movie.

  
  

  Posted 10/21/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Jon Favreau | Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Cowboys and Aliens

Tuesday, October 20

• Star Trek 2 More Likely in 2012

  There's some confusion in the Star Trek universe over when Star Trek 2 will arrive in theaters. Karl Urban, who played Dr. McCoy in the reboot, told Collider that "the hope would be mid next year ... mid to end next year," adding that it "would be great to have another Star Trek out for 2011."

  Urban admitted he has heard that screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman were turning in a script in December. Kurtzman confirmed to IGN that December was the date, but says that the deadline date has been moved.

  Originally we were thinking we'd have to have it by Christmas, but the release changed. Certainly I'd say in the next eight months.

  The writers continue to remain mysterious about what story the sequel will follow, with Orci saying they have no idea what the Star Trek 2 will entail.

  We're in the process of re-reading some of our favorite Star Trek novels and looking at the [original TV] show again. We have some basic themes. The honest answer is we don't know yet.

  Orci did say that the characters in the sequel will be more like the original characters.

  They're established. They're finally a crew. It will resemble more of what you've seen in terms of they're already how they are.

  Orci and Kurtzman have also said that the sequel won't be about torture or split into two movies.

  
  

  Posted 10/20/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Karl Urban | Star Trek 2 | Star Trek

Tuesday, October 13

• Star Trek Sequel Not Being Split Into Two Movies

  

  Previously, Star Trek screenwriters Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman had mentioned that the studio asked them to possibly split their idea for the sequel into two separate movies. At a recent press junket, though, Kurtzman stated that it is not in their current plans.

  It's very, very important to us to make sure that each movie is good, not "Hey, let's do as many as possible." We feel like we've inherited this incredible honor and this mantle of Star Trek, and the most important thing is to make sure that we're protecting that first.

  So, if the studio wants more than one, great. But, our thinking is going to be very much about the story and whether the story prescribes that there will be more than one. Part of what is great about Star Trek is that it's a continuing adventure, so you naturally think that there will be many, hopefully, but we only focus on what comes next, and then build off of that. Right now, we're not thinking specifically about making 2 and 3. It may come up, but it's not where our heads are at right now.

  
  

  Posted 10/13/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Star Trek | Star Trek 2

• Star Trek 2 Not About Torture After All

  

  At a press junket for the upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray release of Star Trek, director J.J. Abrams and screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman gave a few details on Star Trek 2. Orci and Abrams have said that the sequel will deal with "modern-day issues" such as torture or the economy, but Orci is quick to clarify their allegorical intentions.

  The torture thing was just a for instance. Someone asked, "Modern day issues?," and we said, "Yeah, sure, modern day issues." But, we're not doing a story about Gitmo. I read on some site that it was going to be about Guantanamo Bay. But, now that we've established the characters, we can have a more philosophical allegory, where what's happening in the future represents our world, like the best versions of it in the 60s did with women's rights and racial equality.

  Abrams agreed that Star Trek 2 won't be about making an overt political statement.

  It's not like we're looking to make the second movie some kind of heavy political allegory. I think that it's important that there is metaphor to what we know and that there is relevance, and I think allegory is the thing that made shows like The Twilight Zone and Star Trek resonate and still be vital today.

  But, because the first movie was so much about introducing these people, and it was very much a premise movie about how to bring these people together, it made it difficult to also have the film go as deep as it could, about certain conflict, certain relationships and the heart of who some of these characters are. I think it was successful in what it needed to do, to introduce these people, but I feel like, now that we've done that, it is the job of the next film to go a little bit deeper. It shouldn't be any less fun or take itself too seriously, but consider who these people are now and grow with them, and just examine them a little more closer, now that we've gotten through the pleasantries and introductions.

  
  

  Posted 10/13/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Leonard Nimoy | Roberto Orci | J.J. Abrams | Alex Kurtzman | Star Trek 2 | Star Trek

• Gary Ross to Direct Matt Helm Before Venom

  The last movie Gary Ross wrote and directed was 2003's Seabiscuit. Except for a little scriptwriting duties for The Tale of Despereaux, Ross has remained relatively quiet in Hollywood. But that's all changed.

  While still finishing the script to Spider-Man 4, Ross was hired to rewrite and direct the Spider-Man 3 spin-off movie Venom, but that's not all. ThePlaylist reports that Ross will also direct Matt Helm, a project previously associated with Steven Spielberg.

  A 33-volume, pulp novel series about a suave super-spy that began in the 1960s, Matt Helm was written Donald Hamilton. The series has already been adapted into four movies with Dean Martin in the 1960s (The Silencers, The Ambushers, Murderers Row, The Wrecking Crew), and a TV show in the '70s with Anthony Franciosa in the title role.

  Paramount is currently seeking Bradley Cooper for the lead, which will be updated from the swinging '60s to the modern day by Paul Attanasio (Donnie Brasco). Star Trek screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are producing with Paramount eying a summer of 2010 start date should everything fall into place.

  After Helm, it is believed Ross will take on Venom.

  
  

  Posted 10/13/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Bradley Cooper | Paul Attanasio | Roberto Orci | Gary Ross | Alex Kurtzman | Matt Helm | Venom | Spider-Man 4

Wednesday, October 7

• Orci and Kurtzman Are Done with Transformers

  There will be no Transformers in the future for Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the the writing team behind both Transformers films. The news was dropped on producer Don Murphy's website yesterday when a forum poster asked Orci if it was true that the writing duo would not return for another round of Transformers. Orci responded simply, "It's true."

  Orci said that writer Ehren Kruger, who assisted with the script for Revenge of the Fallen, would be handling writing duties on the sequel. When asked if Kruger knew enough about Transformers to handle the writing duties alone, Orci commented:

  He does. He really did his homework. He's awesome.

  Orci also addressed the humor in Revenge of the Fallen. A forum poster commented that some parents didn't even want to take their kids to see the film because of the humor and Orci responded:

  I can’t blame them.

  Director Michael Bay recently confirmed that plans were in motion for a third Transformers movie and that he and actress Megan Fox would be returning.

  
  
  Next Showing: Transformers 3 is scheduled for release July 1, 2011
  

  Reelz Clip

  Dazzling trailer for this special effects extravaganza

  Posted 10/07/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Ehren Kruger | Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Transformers | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Transformers 3

Wednesday, September 23

• Dreamworks in Negotiations to Purchase Xombie

  It seemed as if the current vampire craze that started with the phenomenal success of Twilight would result in zombies being supplanted as the monster-of-choice in American cinemas. But the necrotic shamblers are making a comeback. First, Quarantine (2008) offered up a frightfully possible real-world explanation for zombies, while next month's Zombieland takes a more light-hearted approach. Now, it appears as if Dreamworks is hoping to get in on some zombie action, as well.

  Dreamworks and the Star Trek and Transformers writing team of Alex Kurtman and Roberto Orci are considering purchasing cop-turned-screenwriter Will Beall's Xombie script, based on the cartoon and Devil's Due comic book by James Farr. Farr's story revolves around Dirge, a cop who happens to also be a zombie, and his attempts to save what is left of humanity after zombies run amuck. If the deal goes through, Cindi Rice and John Frank Rosenblu of Epic Level Entertainment would executive produce, along with Bobby Cohen and Steven T. Puri.

  
  
  

  Zombieland - Trailer

  Woody Harrelson Stars - Releases Oct. 9, 2009

  Posted 09/23/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Zombieland | Quarantine

Wednesday, September 16

• Zoe Saldana to Kick Butt in Star Trek Sequel

  Zoe Saldana admits she enjoyed working on Star Trek, but feels she got left out on the action. She told Cinematical that the sequel will be a different experience for Uhura.

  In Star Trek, I had so much fun, but the boys got all the action! J.J. [Abrams] promised me that I'm going to — [that] in the sequel, she will have at least one little fight. I mean, just [let me] kick a guy in the groin or something!

  Few details are known about the sequel, but fighting will likely be involved. The LA Times spoke with Abrams and Trek screenwriter Roberto Orci, who says that while he and co-screenwriter Alex Kurtzman are still working out the final story, one clear theme will need to be addressed in the sequel:

  We haven't decided anything but we're starting to circle around some ideas. We got a lot of fan response from the first one and a considerable amount of critical response and one of the things we heard was, "Make sure the next one deals with modern-day issues." We're trying to keep it as up-to-date and as reflective of what's going on today as possible. So that's one thing, to make it reflect the things that we are all dealing with today.

  So that means ... a bad intergalactic economy? War? Terrorism? Not too far off, actually.

  Well yeah, those are the kind of issues we're talking about.

  Abrams doesn't think that the movie will be specifically about society's current issues, but will be contemporary.

  The ambition for a sequel to Star Trek is to make a movie that's worthy of the audience and not just another movie, you know, just a second movie that feels tacked on. The first movie was so concerned with just setting up the characters — their meeting each and galvanizing that family — that in many ways a sequel will have a very different mission. It needs to do what [the late Trek creator Gene] Roddenberry did so well, which is allegory. It needs to tell a story that has connection to what is familiar and what is relevant. It also needs to tell it in a spectacular way that hides the machinery and in a primarily entertaining and hopefully moving story. There needs to be relevance, yes, and that doesn't mean it should be pretentious. If there are simple truths — truths connected to what we live — that elevates any story — that's true with any story.

  As long as Saldana gets to kick someone where it hurts.

  
  

  Posted 09/16/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Zoe Saldana | Roberto Orci | J.J. Abrams | Star Trek 2 | Star Trek

Tuesday, August 11

• The Cowboys & Aliens Script Is In, but Robert Downey Jr. Might Be Out

  It was quite a coup for upstart publisher Platinum Studios to have its Cowboys & Aliens comic book picked up by Dreamworks for adaptation into a feature film. It was an even bigger coup when it was announced that the movie script was being written by the dream team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek), and that Robert Downey Jr. might star in the picture.

  However, since that original announcement back in 2007, there has been little to report about this project, except that Downey Jr. might be too busy to star in the film. In April, Orci said:

  (Robert's) one of the busiest men on the face of the Earth. If the schedule can line up, we'd absolutely love it.

  The screenwriting duo recently updated the project's status, announcing that they — along with writer Damon Lindelof — have completed the screenplay for Cowboys & Aliens, and that now it's just a matter of time. During a group interview last week, Orci said:

  We're waiting to hear from the principals. We try not to turn it in until we think it's ready. Obviously, there are always things you can improve.

  We're just literally waiting to hear if they hate it or what.

  
  

  Posted 08/11/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Robert Downey Jr. | Damon Lindelof | Cowboys and Aliens

Wednesday, July 29

• Next Star Trek the Start of a Two-Part Story?

  

  The screenwriters for Star Trek, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, are already working on a sequel and at the San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend, Orci was able to share that the sequel might be only the beginning of a two-movie storyline:

  Nothing was decided [at the last meeting] ... [The studio said to us] "We thought maybe you could do that as like 2 and 3."

  Two-part storylines are not unusual in the Star Trek universe, with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan wrapping up in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. While Orci doesn't give a lot of details away, clearly he and Kurtzman have something big in mind for the next Star Trek.

  
  

  Posted 07/29/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | Star Trek 2 | Star Trek III: The Search for Spock | Star Trek

Monday, June 29

• Sky's the Limit for Star Trek Sequel

  With Star Trek on track to become one of the most successful movies of 2009, if not the most successful, talk of a sequel has already begun.

  Director J.J. Abrams thinks that the next Trek movie has no limitations and told SciFiWire that the sequel could either be entirely new or a remake of past adventures:

  The great thing is we're all open to anything. I think the fun of where we are with Trek is that it can and should just be fully explored. So I think to limit ourselves to only new adventures would be a mistake. But I also think we want to take advantage of this moment and figure out what's the most exciting version for the new audience as well.

  Trek screenwriter Roberto Orci concurs:

  As you can imagine every kind of opinion has been expressed in relation to the movie, so there have been both red lights, green lights, yellow lights, the gamut. What they have done is very quickly identified the fork in the road, which is to do a completely original story or to harmonize with canon the way we did in the first movie, where some of the events overlapped with the original universe and were the same even if time travel hadn’t happened and some of the harmonies were reversed, like Spock with Uhura instead of Kirk.

  So if the sequel can cover previous material does that mean fans will get to see Khan in the Trek sequel?

  50/50? Is that a boring answer?

  Most Trekkies would say, "No." Especially if Javier Bardem plays the role.

  
  

  Posted 06/29/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Javier Bardem | Roberto Orci | J.J. Abrams | Star Trek | Star Trek 2

Friday, June 19

• Star Trek Screenwriters Discuss the Success of the Reboot and the Sequel

  Star Trek is still in theaters, but screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have already agreed to write the sequel. Both writers agree, the success of the Star Trek reboot came as a surprise, as Kurtzman told SciFiWire:

  Well, you know, it was sort of stunning for us, actually, because ... we did not know how people were going to react to the movie in general. In aiming to make a movie that both reached a broad base and satisfied the fans, ... A, we weren't sure we were going to be able to accomplish both, and, B, we just didn't know if people were going to show up.

  The strong performance at the box office for Star Trek, a much-needed hit for Paramount, allows both writers to feel a little less pressure when writing the sequel, although they still want to appeal to the fanbase. Said Orci :

  I think the major lesson we learned is that fans were willing to accept differences and surprises, provided that they were somehow echoes or inspired by canon. We still have to be true to Star Trek the next time around, but we've also been blessed with being able to be unpredictable. And that doesn't mean we can just be shocking for no good reason and just throw everything away.... It still has to echo everything that Star Trek has been. We could still cross some lines [if] we think, "Oh, we can do anything now." And a savvy fan will go, "Well, technically, [you can't]."

  As for the sequel, Orci and Kurtzman are not sure whether to write something based on one of the movies or TV shows or to write a story that is completely original:

  Well, that is the debate, literally. And that is going to be one of the first conversations that we have. But we're still just having a mental sorbet before we jump back in. And, you know, just seeing all the reactions to the movie. We want to make sure we take it all in and really figure out what worked and what didn't and proceed from there. But now that we have an open canvas ... anything can happen.

  In the meantime, both writers can worry about the success of their other script, a small little movie called Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which opens June 24.

  
  

  Posted 06/19/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Star Trek | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Star Trek 2

Thursday, June 11

• Transformers Robot Rundown: Autobots

  

  The first Transformers movie had a good cast of robots, but given the enormous size of the Transformers universe it only featured a fraction of who it could have. Luckily, its sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen attempts to rectify this problem, adding a whole slew of new robots looking to save, or destroy, the world. Want to know if your favorite Transformer will be featured? Check out the Transformers Robot Rundown to see which Autobots made the cut and come back on Tuesday for the Decepticons.

  
  
  Next Showing: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen heads to theaters June 24

  Posted 06/11/2009 by reelz

  Related: Megan Fox | Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Michael Bay | Mark Ryan | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers: The Movie | Transformers | Transformers: The IMAX Experience | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen