Shatner was originally in the script for a cameo in J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" '09 but the notion was nixed. According to the report, a sequence in the Trek 3 script reunites Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as Kirk and Spock for their first canon appearance together since 1991's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country". Kirk Prime's appearance is said to be 'plot-driven' rather than some throwaway cameo which means it will likely stay in the script despite the further polishing being done.
During an appearance at Wizard World Nashville over the weekend though, Shatner told attendees: Abrams called him directly saying: "I'm calling because the director of Star Trek, the next movie, has had an idea where you might be involved, so I'm calling to find out whether you would be interested."
Shatner told Abrams, "It depends on what you do with the character, but I would be delighted."
After that he was sworn to secrecy, and then the story made its way online. Now, there's not much point in denying it: "So the news is out that they have an idea that they want Leonard and myself…they might want Leonard and myself in it. But I would love to do it. But how do you get me fifty years later into the movie? I mean how do you rationalize it. I know it's science fiction, but even I couldn't come up with an idea. So that's the news on that."
Roberto Orci co-wrote and produced Abrams' "Star Trek" '09 and "Star Trek Into Darkness" with longtime partner Alex Kurtzman is tipped to helm. Abrams commitments to the Star Wars: Episode VII kept him from coming back. Names like "Attack the Block" filmmaker Joe Cornish, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" director Rupert Wyatt and G.I. Joe: Retaliation" director Jon M. Chu were in the mix to call action.
"Thor" and "X-Men: First Class" writers and "Fringe" producers Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz were eyed to script the sequel but opted not to do it.
Now J.D. Payne, Patrick McKay and Orci are co-writing the next film. Orci confirmed the first draft of the screenplay was completed last month and will be closer in tone to the original 1960s show than the previous two films.
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin and John Cho are all expected to return to the Final Frontier in their respective roles as Kirk Spock Uhura Dr. McCoy Scotty Chekov and Sulu.
Abrams Bryan Burke and David Ellison will produce the film
Skydance is reportedly behind Orci directing the film, but Paramount wasn't so sure at first.
The sequel is going to move forward quickly to make a 2016 bow coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the "Star Trek" franchise. Filming on the next "Star Trek" hopes to begin in the Spring with pre-production aiming to start at the end of this year or in very early 2015.
I am so glad that this is now out there and out of the way rather than trying to keep it in the Cone Of Silence and now we can move on to speculating about the plot subtitle and a million other things about the film. Abrams and the team have indeed learned the hard way after the whole "Star Trek Into Darkness"/Benedict Cumberbatch's "John Harrison"/Khan Noonien Singh secret miscue.
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