# Star Trek (the new cinematic reboot) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 7, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278 "2009-04-07T18:11:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [April 8, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/41 "2009-04-08T19:16:11Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > We all remember where we were when Fred Sanford finally had The Big One. > > -Joe Coincidence, or…? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/42 "2009-04-08T19:21:51Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > as Star Trek fans can be a nit picky bunch That statement annoys me even more than the extremely out-of-character expression on the third Nazi from the left in the group reaction scene during act three of “Patterns of Force.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/43 "2009-04-08T20:00:59Z")
Is this movie based on the book _Star Trek Academy Collision Course_ by William Shatner? If so, then (a) it isn’t a rewind and (b) I want to see it. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/44 "2009-04-08T23:27:45Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > Is this movie based on the book _Star Trek Academy Collision Course_ by William Shatner? If so, then (a) it isn’t a rewind and (b) I want to see it. The screenwriters, Roberto Orci and Alan Kurtzman, have admitted to using elements from the novels Prime Directive, Spock’s World, and Best Destiny. They haven’t confirmed whether they consulted the Shatner novel. They describe it as a “prequel” since Leonard Nimoy portrays his Spock character from the original series. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/45 "2009-04-08T23:49:53Z")
Ooh. The first two are really good novels, and I’ve read Prime Directive at least a half dozen times. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/46 "2009-04-09T00:01:18Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > They describe it as a “prequel” since Leonard Nimoy portrays his Spock character from the original series. Isn’t it a prequel simply by virtue of the timing of the events in the setting of the movie and not because a certain actor appears in the 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:** [April 9, 2009, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/47 "2009-04-09T07:20:05Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Isn’t it a prequel simply by virtue of the timing of the events in the setting of the movie and not because a certain actor appears in the film? In my opinion, not necessarily. Wikipedia describes a reboot as “a discarding of much or even all previous continuity in the series, to start anew. Effectively, all previously-known fictive history is declared by the writer(s) to be null and void, or at least irrelevant to the current storyline, and the series starts over.” Many fans have been fearful the new movie would be a reboot. Especially with the element of time travel thrown in. The mere fact of setting it earlier than TOS does not necessarily make it a prequel. The fact that the writers have declared themselves to be respectful in preserving the continuity and the producers’ convincing Nimoy to get on board help to cement it as a prequel more than the simple timing of placing one event before the other does. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/48 "2009-04-09T08:37:07Z")
> [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](#): > > Excuse my ignorance, but has it been confirmed that ths is a reboot or is it just a prequel that messes with established continuity. Continuity is a word absent from the Star Trek vocabulary. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/49 "2009-04-09T11:13:45Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The fact that the writers have declared themselves to be respectful in preserving the continuity Where’d you hear that? I thought I had read the opposite from the writers. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/50 "2009-04-09T13:10:14Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > George Takei was about 28 years old when he was first cast as Sulu in the Original series. > > John Cho, who plays Sulu in the upcoming film, is **36**. So? You note the single character who isn’t being played by someone years younger than the orginial actor. Old Kirk was 35, new Kirk is 29 Old Spock was 35, new Spock is 31 Old Bones was 46, new Bones is 37 Old Scottie was 46, new Scottie is 39 Old Uhura was 34, new Uhura is 30 Old Chekov was 30, new Chekov is 20 ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/51 "2009-04-09T13:12:16Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Where’d you hear that? I thought I had read the opposite from the writers. > > -FrL- For given values of “continuity.” ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/52 "2009-04-09T16:34:38Z")
Don’t the Romulans make an appearance in the movie? And aren’t the issues with continuity and the Romulans tough to work out as a direct prequel? After all, in “Run Silent, Run Deep” (oh, sorry, I forgot they gave that episode a different name when stealing the plot! :smack:), it’s stated that the first Earth - Romulan war was fought with nuclear devices and that they were unable to see each other, so the whole treaty was done by non-video communication. That already caused trouble with the _Enterprise_ episodes involving the Romulan Empire. Sounds to me like it’s gotta be at least a partial re-boot. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/53 "2009-04-09T16:58:45Z")
“Balance of Terror” ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/54 "2009-04-09T17:17:10Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > I’m sorry if it’s inappropriate, but – damn! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a nose that looks so much like a penis as JJ Abrams’ does in that picture. :eek: I’ll tell my friend, he worked on the makeup! 😃 ---
**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:** [April 9, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/55 "2009-04-09T18:13:10Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Where’d you hear that? I thought I had read the opposite from the writers. > > -FrL- [Trekmovie.com interview with Roberto Orci](http://trekmovie.com/2007/10/08/interview-orci-talks-casting-characters-canon-and-more/) > [@](#): > > [TrekMovie.com](http://TrekMovie.com): You guys have said this will respect canon and ‘fill a gap’ but you are also trying to make a new movie for a new audience. Why aren’t you doing what they did with Batman Begins and just start over and avoid opening yourself up to the critiques on breaking with canon? > > Roberto Orci: The reason we aren’t starting over is because the people involved, both fans and behind the scenes, have worked so hard to specify what is canon - then to simply ignore it would be unnecessary. There is so much about The Original Series that is worth continuing. It is not like Batman where you can ignore everything. That being said there are some things that have never been specified fully in canon that we take liberties with. > > [TrekMovie.com](http://TrekMovie.com): I imagine that it is all a matter of degrees. Some fans are pretty flexible and others can be ’strict constructionists’…just like different constitutional viewpoints. > > Roberto Orci: It is funny you should say it that way. We very much treat these decisions like the Supreme Court and previous Supreme Court decisions are not turned over lightly. If they are overturned it is with the spirit of Star Trek as the guiding principle. Part of the reason we are purposely not saying if it is a reboot or not is that the solution we have for maintaining canon while liberating us is inherently part of what the story is and something we are reluctant to give away. > > … > > [TrekMovie.com](http://TrekMovie.com): You once told me that you will be putting in ‘continuity nuggets’ as little Easter eggs for the fans. Will some of those be related to the other series like TNG? > > Roberto Orci: We got some TNG stuff in there for sure. I made sure of that. And there should be a little something from everything, but for me personally it is all about Next Generation and The Original Series because those are the shows that really set down the rules for Trek that the other shows picked up on. We are also trying to do a lot of what Enterprise was doing in terms of a prequel and some of the corners of Star Trek which were mainly defined by Deep Space Nine are covered to a certain degree. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/56 "2009-04-09T19:27:46Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Isn’t it a prequel simply by virtue of the timing of the events in the setting of the movie and not because a certain actor appears in the film? Interestingly, the new Bond films \*did \*keep a certain actor (Judi Dench), and yet were still a reboot. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/57 "2009-04-23T19:03:41Z")
Even thought the redesigned _Enterprise_ looks goofy to me, the movie just might be worth seeing, I’m thinking: ['Star Trek:' To boldly go where no prequel has gone before - CNN.com](http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/04/22/star.trek.screening.room/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/58 "2009-04-23T19:08:11Z")
I wasn’t interested for the longest (and would have vastly preferred something DS9 related instead of another prequel), but I’m as excited as I ever get about a movie for it. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/59 "2009-04-23T19:23:47Z")
[There’s a thread on the film already](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=513267). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278/60 "2009-04-23T19:25:44Z")
[Variety](http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117940096.html?categoryid=31&cs=1)liked it. So did the[Hollywood Reporter](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film-reviews/film-review-star-trek-1003964428.story). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-the-new-cinematic-reboot/492278.md?page=4)