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Don't Worry, Star Trek 2 Won't Be Like Transformers 2!

by Alex Billington
July 29, 2009
Source: io9

I'm probably stepping onto thin ice here, but this is worth mentioning only for fun, not for real news. Sci-fi site io9 caught up with screenwriter Roberto Orci on the red carpet of the Entertainment Weekly party at Comic-Con (which I was also at). Their brief conversation focused slightly on Transformers 2, then jumped to Star Trek 2. As was announced previously, Orci and writing partner Alex Kurtzman are writing the sequel to J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. They also wrote Transformers 2, which despite earning $382 million at the box office, hasn't settled well with critics or fans. But you don't have to worry, Star Trek 2 will be very different.

"Star Trek 2 is different in that you have a crew that's committed to what they're doing, and so that's going to lead you to different kinds of storytelling. These people are not reluctant heroes, they're hoping to get out there and do what's right."

What I'm trying to say here is that you shouldn't be so worried about Kurtzman and Orci writing the Trek sequel. If you're one of those people who didn't like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen at all, but loved Star Trek, and are now worried about Star Trek 2 because of Transformers, well, don't be worried! It's a completely different franchise and, even at the base, is an entirely different kind of story, as Orci said. If anything, this just proves how versatile Kurtzman and Orci can be. And how much influence a director like Michael Bay has on the story in the end. I'm still very excited to see what they'll cook up for us in Trek 2!

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dave

Thank god. The first star trek was way to good to kill with a transformers 2 like sequel.
David

Oh..It's not gonna have non-stop action? It's not gonna be one of the best movies I've seen? & your telling me not to worry?
Mac. M

orci said that? or you did?
Al

I never understood why people make fun of Michael Bay, because its just not right to make fun of someone who is retarded, thats just mean. Anyway, even if Trek 2 is one of the worst abominations that history has ever known, it'll still be better than Transformers 2....I mean that bar is so low, we shouldnt even worry.
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

^ As I said David, this is for those people who hated Transformers 2... You liked it, so you don't have to worry anyway. Don't take this that seriously anyway...
jesse

I don't know these guys are still bad writers with or without alot of time.
http://MYSPACE.COM/ESOPHUS JEFFREY

Kurztman and Orci are the luckiest guys in Hollywood cause quite honestly their screenwriting skills suck! I couldn't stomach the whole season of FRINGE...and I will not place myself in front of anything showing Transformers 2. Star Trek was entertaining but again that's within the whole imagining realm cause if asked to stick to the guidelines of it's predecessors they would have failed! I don't know how these guys are getting so much work when their plots are so unoriginal. They have yet to come up with something that is mind blowing and epic,but you don't have to take my word for it (Dig the Reading Rainbow reference I just threw down)...Bah Lee Dat!!!!
Blue Silver

This is STILL hogwash! Anyone can say anything...but it's the end result that'll matter! After watching "Transformers 2", I thought these guys had suffered a terrible case of writer's block! Btw, what did Ehren Kruger contribute to this awful script??? Personally, I think it's time to bring in fresh talent who is willing to honor the original source material and not TRY to PASS themselves off as inventive! Orci and Kurtzman need a long vacation!
HostleNCombat

All you guys are fuckin critics...Are u serious? Transformers 2 was a good ass movie. What the hell were u expecting. A health ledger performance or somethin. Its based off a cartoon. OMG get wit it.
muggins

think #7 and 8 hit the nail on the head...
Tra la la la la di da

I was worried about Star Trek and my worries came true, so how is this good news? lol
http://manxome.tumblr.com/ manxome

it's only versatility if they did it on purpose but i have faith in them
David

Yeah Well Transformers 2 & Star trek were both very good movies. There 2 of the best movies I've seen..
one

David....ha ha is all i have to say. Transformers 2 was a joke...no real story...too many robots you didnt know. what made the first one awesome was that you knew the robots as actual characters in the film and that made a huge difference. T2 was just sex comments and explosions. And what the crap is with the evil robot looking like a human girl? I didnt know we were watching Terminator!
Janny

i liked transformers 2 a lot more than transformers 1... that said both of them are not movies as more as fx on display... and the director influences how a script is portrayed and JJ did a good job with star trek (which lacked a story moreso than transformers 2 imo) so i would expect star trek 2 to be good as well
http://www.superhausdesign.com Superhaus

I loved Transformers 2. I thought the story of The Fallen was great and really stuck within the parameters of the Transformers universe. Was it perfect? No, not by a longshot but at the end of day, I can honestly say that I had a hell of a time watching it and that's what I look for while watching a movie. It seems like people think that being negative and picky about movies makes you a credible movie buff but, it just makes you pathetic lemming who forgot the real meaning movies. I'm just keeping it real my children! Let your inner child enjoy some movies for once.
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2408/blackbabyjesus.gif Crapola

They should have been executed for writing Transformers 2, why didn't you punch him in the throat if you got that close?
http://twitter.com/gimmesumsuga Mathieu

They'd better not have the cheek to call it Star Trek II. There's only one Star Trek II, and The Shat is front and centre in it. Give it a subtitle, not a numeral. And I think they should let it rest for a couple of years anyway now that things are back on track, rather than just cranking them out.
SlashBeast

I agree that these guys are still terrible writers, even Star Trek was so full of plot holes they told us to read the comics to get answers. I'm surprised that they weren't shot for writing that cinematic disaster known as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Bob

Look at the pained pursed lipped smile the guy is wearing. It's like he's saying "Oh man, I have to fake solidarity with these Star Trek loser geeks. Remember the money. Remember the money." LOL
Meatcarnage

Oh, Alex... you naive movie lover... Lets wait until the trailer for it before we jizz in our pants. Do you even remember what speilberg said about TF:2? Lets try not to taste too much media bullshit
http://www.thespeculative.com Marty Martin

I don't think these guys are terrible writers by any means. There are a lot of moving parts in a Hollywood production that could result in a bad film. A good or decent script can often be twisted during production into something terrible. That being said, Alex, you constantly say stuff like "you shouldn't worry... this will be different..." but you have no idea whatsoever. Just my two cents.
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

^ You're right Marty, I know what you mean, and it's obviously way way too early to tell... But I'm saying that based on the statement that Orci made about how it will be different. And if he says that it definitely won't be the same, then I'm sure we can believe him?
Voltemand

thank God for that! Transformers 2 was a real pile of Crap ... with a capital "C". such a waste of time.
DoomCanoe

Star Trek 1 sucked hopefully the second is better. but i doubt it will be
DoomCanoe

and is it me... or does Roberto Orci have extremely tiny fingers?
Buggy166

transformers 2 was awsome...so long as you dont TRY to make sense of WHY things are happening and WHEN or HOW. It requires a suspension of disbelief BEYOND huge giant robots transforming cars fighting eachother...and thats its problem. The first step there is doable...going any further than that results in you becoming retarded and its why most people didnt like it. I'm all for robots, cars, explosions and tits...im also for chicken wings and beer and cupcakes...but something's gotta give. Star Trek is a difference franchise but it doesnt have an imaginary force shield around it that will protect it against bad . Only time will tell. As for Fringe...its actually just..."okay" with a decent concept thus far. Like everyone who watches or pays to watch something, someone somewhere isnt gonna like something you do. Generally speaking Fringe has been accepted by the masses as a decent "x-file" type of show (excuse the reference but there's not many shows to compare to where government agents hunt aleins or discover worm holes)
Mark

Dude, Alex, I thought you enjoyed Tranformers 2 man. This kinda reignites the flame forum that you guys usually stay clear of. Transformers 2 was a fun but incohesive movie. Still, almost everyone I know has seen it now and felt mostly favorable towards it in the end. Most in fact simply loved it, especially the ones who watched it on IMAX, and have gone back for 2nd and 3rd viewings. Age group was 30's-60's here, and I doubt the younger folks saw a lot to hate. Why not let this senseless fighting die. Last I checked it was in the top 10 all time domestic films already, and so it has to be doing a lot right.
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

^ Mark, I did enjoy Transformers 2... But it has some big problems. And I'm trying to speak for the majority of people here. Out of all my friends and almost everyone I talk to, not a single person liked Transformers 2 except one of them... So I was addressing this post for what I perceive is the majority of moviegoers, but who knows? Maybe a lot of people did like it that much?
Jonathan

I've always been surprised that the guys who wrote Transformers wrote Star Trek. Transformers is kind of fun, but it is undeniably poorly written, while Star Trek was, well, a masterpiece, and written wonderfully. Strange, but I guess if you really love Trek enough...
simple simon

Roger Ebert said it best (and I paraphrase here): if you think Transformers 2 is a good movie, you're just wrong. Unequivocally wrong. Transformers 2 is objectively bad, horribly bad, and though you may have enjoyed it, it is unquestionably an insipid piece of trash.
Terence

Transformers 2, was a steaming pile of you know what. The only thing that I gave it props for, is the design and visual effects guys. They were spot on. Some of the overall character design was weak, but overall I was pleased with the effects, and that the only thing to come out of that god awful mess. Get down to brass tacks though, and look at it. Now, correct me if I'm wrong you Hollywood know it all types, but in the realm of writing a screenplay and getting credits, the person who writes or contributes the majority gets top billing, am I right or wrong? (Hence, the lack of Jonah Nolan credit in Terminator). Ehren Kruger got first billing in the credits. Let's look at the filmography. Kurtzman and Orci: Transformers, an enjoyable show. Star Trek, an enjoyable show. Mission Impossible III, didn't want to gouge my eyes out with a fork. The Island, wasn't horribly bad. Transformers 2, possibly the worst movie I've ever seen. Now, what's the missing component from the others, Ehren Kruger. Look at his IMDB page: Blood and Chocolate, disembowelment would have been preferable. The Skeleton Key, Ugggg. Ring Two, cut out my tongue with rusty scissors please. The only saving grace was The Brothers Grimm, but I probably only thought it was decent because Terry Gilliam was there to save it. Kurtzman and Orci knew this movie was going to be a flaming bag of poo when it was released. Hence, their early warning shot that they were not going to write another one! You want to blame someone for Transformers 2, Ehren Kruger should be on your list of people to "not slow down while they're crossing the street".
Me

Star Trek was good. Transformers 2 was INCREDIBLE, AMAZING, FANTASTIC!!! Looking forward for both sequels! More for Transformers 3
Cat

Not like transformers 2? That sucks. Probably mad lens flare.
The One

Alex, I'm sorry but just because he said it... doesn't mean that "we" can believe him. As a journalist, haven't you learned that lesson yet? Don't even get me started on the countless false statements that's been made on how much a movie is going to be like this or that, and never follows through. Transformers 2 was enjoyable for me mainly because of the great graphics and some of the action scenes. Besides that, it sucked @$$!!! Horrible story, plot holes, and no character development within the robots. Might as well been called: Sam Witwicky and the Transformers.
Lee

I really loved Star Trek, I can't wait til the sequel. Now to Transformers 2, I actually found it more entertaining, easier to follow, and way more entertaining than the first transformers. Now that is not to say it wasn't without its flaws but whatever. It was a great popcorn movie and all the people that had a problem with it had too much high hopes. It was never going to be Lord of the Rings or whatever.
9mm

Transformers 2 was SICK... The movie was executed perfectly... I dont know what all the fuss is, seriously. The ONLY weak parts of transformers2 were the parts with the robots.
http://the-pop-culture-junkie.blogspot.com/ Armand

It still puzzles me at how "Transformers 2" lovers are still ranting on us who despise the movie. Its been 1 friggin' month. Get over it. Most of us hate it, unfortunately some of you like it can't we just leave it at that? And for some to go as far as saying "JJ did a good job with star trek (which lacked a story moreso than transformers 2 imo)". Star Trek lacking in story in comparison to Whackjob TransFormers 2 (WTF2)? Wow! You must be a diehard Bay fan to go as far as saying that. Orci and Kruztman might not be the greatest writers in the face of the planet, but at least they can carry a decent script. Might not be the best, but nothing can be worst than TF2 crapfest 09. #4 Al said it best "I mean that bar is so low, we shouldnt even worry". 'Nuff said
Jeremy

Shitty TF2 movie aside, I think Star Trek succeeds, IN SPITE of its writers. The screenplay is full of coincendences and contrivences. Kirk just so happens to be born when his dad dies, Old Spock just so happens to be on the same planet Kirk lands on, Simon Pegg just so happens to be a few blocks down the road from Old Spock, the entire Federation just so happens to have no actual defenses for anything, including angry Romulans. Also, the entire backstory of exposition about Old Spock and timetravel and shit, its told through a big flashback, not a natural character beat. Also, they had a very weak villian. The movie ROCKS though, because it has an energy and pace that rivals Raiders of the Lost Ark, great direction from Abrams, and a fantastic cast of actors that make you want to see more of them. Its not that the writers just didn't suck on ST like the do in TF; they still suck on that too. Its just that Abrams and all the actors/characters in ST are MUUUCH better than the ones in TF2.
Stephen

Its complete hypocrisy to not like transformers 2 for not holding true to the source material , but turn and say that you liked star trek under that standard.
d1rEct

as long as though two are penning it you will see the same thing again.
http://the-pop-culture-junkie.blogspot.com/ Armand

Here's a guy who wasn't brave enough to comment here so he had to email me personally to vent his frustrations on why most of us hated transformers 2 and Mr-Die-Hard-#1-Fan over here absolutely loved the movie. So I'm posting it on his behalf... Author: christopher soto Comment: all of u think transformers sucks well let me tell u something I GREW UP WITH TRANSFOMERS CARTOONS IF U DONT LIKE IT THEN U ALL SUCK DICK AND GO TO HELL. hey some of u who like transformers 2 your cool and 2nd u people u dont shit transformers dont even think of saying the movie was crap all of u are son of the bitchs dont known shit about g1 cartoon damn u people need to get life you fucking worm. Unfortunately for us Mr Soto, most of us aren't as blessed with your acute sense of movie judgment. That's why we hated the movie. Forgive us. Just a pointer Mr Soto, next time before running your mouthing off do check your grammar. Makes you sound more stupid than you already are.
George

Transformers 2 was so bad, the worst movie of the year, however Star Trek was great! and I´m 28 years old and grew up with transformers too. A great grinding garbage disposal of a movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen isn't so much a narrative film as a cacophonous series of explosions intermittently interrupted by needless dialogue. Call me old fashioned, but I like a little side story and character to go along with my order of big, loud special effects.
SlashBeast

These guys are still terrible writers, even Star Trek was so full of plot holes they told us to read the comics to get answers. I'm surprised that they weren't shot for writing that cinematic disaster known as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Then again, Star Trek was every bit as brainless and one-dimensional as Transformers.