# Spoiler for new Trek Film **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200 "2007-11-13T01:41:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/1 "2007-11-13T01:41:53Z")
It may be “rumor, with his idle tongue.” Indeed, I hope it is. [Read at your own risk.](http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3696&Itemid=99) Mrs. Plant broke furniture when I told her. Try and remain calm. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/2 "2007-11-13T02:33:59Z")
I don’t know. I kinda like it on first reading. It does tie in nicely with continuity. Sorta. I wonder if a certain someone is going to get any shekels out of the idea, seeing as it was his to begin with? Probably not. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/3 "2007-11-13T02:43:27Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] I wonder if a certain someone [/QUOTE] Harlan or the Elvis impersonator? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/4 "2007-11-13T02:44:08Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] I don’t know. I kinda like it on first reading. It does tie in nicely with continuity. Sorta. I wonder if a certain someone is going to get any shekels out of the idea, seeing as it was his to begin with? Probably not. [/QUOTE] I doubt [he](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlan_Ellison) retains any rights, they aren’t using his story, just one plot device. The spoiler doesn’t sound terrible to me. Why the hatred Mr. **Plant**? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/5 "2007-11-13T02:59:52Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Why the hatred Mr. **Plant**? [/QUOTE] Mrs. Plant, World’s Most Informed Trek Person, doesn’t like TOS being messed with. I am reminded of when the Stevens began writing for _Enterprise._ It became a big fan wank. _The Forge_ even had a sehlat. 🙂 If the rumor is true, I hope it doesn’t spend more time making references to Trek canon than telling the story. Time will tell._dammit._ ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/6 "2007-11-13T03:31:07Z")
_shrug_ I’m a casual fan of the first series, it works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/7 "2007-11-13T03:48:15Z")
I doubt Harlan will see much, if any, financial gain. Being who he is, though, he’ll probably have something to say about it. From what I can see, the story seems OK and I like many of the cast members listed on [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796366/). I haven’t seen a Trek movie on the big screen in many, many years. I’d consider seeing this one. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/8 "2007-11-13T03:50:34Z")
If he doesn’t get a mention at the very least, he’ll probably sue. I like Harlan, and he has given me, personally, the gift of his time on several occasions and a number of other items of value, but the man is a litigous maniac. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/9 "2007-11-13T03:57:47Z")
[QUOTE=Hung Mung] I haven’t seen a Trek movie on the big screen in many, many years. I’d consider seeing this one. [/QUOTE] Indeed, I shall see it. I even had a dream that I saw that fan wank film that doesn’t exist, [The Final Frontier,](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098382/) ha ha ha. actually, that wouldn’t be a fan wank film, that would be an anti-fan wank film… ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/10 "2007-11-13T06:41:22Z")
Hmmm. OK. Sounds like the plot of a certain DS9 episode that mixed the DS9 crew and TOS. Only using Mr. Ellison’s contrivance instead of a Bajoran Orb. Still, I like it better than the Academy idea. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/11 "2007-11-13T10:38:05Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] If he doesn’t get a mention at the very least, he’ll probably sue. I like Harlan, and he has given me, personally, the gift of his time on several occasions and a number of other items of value, but the man is a litigous maniac. [/QUOTE] After hearing how Roddenberry dicked him over and the suit who tried to force him to put Aztecs or Incas in his draft for the movie (which never got made), I don’t blame him for suing. When I saw the series finale for TNG, I wondered if they weren’t tipping their hat to him as a way of saying, “Hey, Gene’s gone. We won’t dick ya like he did.” The story _could_ work, but I’d be happier if they weren’t going retrograde on us. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/12 "2007-11-13T14:27:43Z")
Did I read the spoiler correctly, time travel? Again? I was so disappointed in Star Trek: Nemesis and I’m so tired of time travel in the Trek universe that I’m going to sit this next movie out. When it comes to Star Trek these days I only watch it out of habit rather than out of genuine interest. It’s like I’m on autopilot as a fan. Marc ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/13 "2007-11-13T14:33:29Z")
[Here](http://www.syfyportal.com/news424424.html)’s what Harlan had to say about this. He doesn’t sound too pleased 🙂 > [@](#): > > “If [director J.J.] Abrams – with whom I’m currently on strike – or anyone else at Paramount or elsewhere, thinks they’re going to use my creations – whether the City, the Guardians, Sister Edith Keeler or any elements created by Harlan Ellison … they had damned well better lose the unilateral arrogance, get in touch with me or my agent Marty Shapiro and be prepared to pay for the privilege of mining the lode I own.” ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/14 "2007-11-13T14:38:18Z")
I agree with \*\*MGibson \*\* though I will probably catch it at a matinee or at a second-run. My genuine interest in this movie is almost nil and I’m watching more out of inertia than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/15 "2007-11-13T14:41:50Z")
Actually, that spoiler is pretty similar to (but a little more detailed than) the plot summary already posted on the movie’s IMDB entry. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/16 "2007-11-13T14:46:22Z")
Sounds like it has potential. I’m optimistic. This and _Watchmen_ are the two upcoming films I’m most excited about. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/17 "2007-11-13T15:02:59Z")
…Harlan Ellison complaining about someone else’s “unilateral arrogance”?!? The mind, it boggles… ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/18 "2007-11-13T15:19:32Z")
I think it sounds great. But then, it doesn’t really matter to me what it’s about. I’m going to be at the midnight showing on Christmas, tickets firmly in hand, and a smile on my face, regardless of the plot. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/19 "2007-11-13T18:30:05Z")
I wonder if Ellison received any sort of compensation for the TAS episode “Yesteryear,” the one in which Spock is accidentally wiped from history during a mission on the Guardian world. Spock must then use the Guardian to travel back in time and save his younger self. Although the episode was written by Trek veteran Dorothy Fontana, Ellison is not credited, despite the use of the Guardian. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200/20 "2007-11-13T18:53:31Z")
Wouldn’t paramount own the ‘rights’ to future stories based on the same concept (continuing use of) from a story that they already bought the rights to? Also, I thought this ‘idea’ was already covered in a stand alone novel? I’m really hoping this is a swerve, but if done right, could be good nonetheless… I just don’t trust them to do it right. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoiler-for-new-trek-film/426200.md?page=2)