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Roberto Orci Not Writing 'Star Trek 3,' Defends Alternate Timeline

by Ethan Anderton
December 26, 2014
Source: Trek Movie

Depending on which side you fall on as a fan of the new Star Trek franchise, we have either some good news, or some bad news. After falling away from Star Trek 3 as director, Roberto Orci was supposed to stay on as writer and producer. However, it appears that he'll only have one of those jobs now. Orci himself has gotten kudos from fans for taking to the TrekMovie message boards to talk about the franchise, and in a recent visit over there, he confirmed "I’m producing, [nothing] more or less." So the scripting duties will only be credited to Patrick McKay and John D. Payne now. So how does he feel about the project now?

Well, one of the fans asks whether or not Paramount Pictures hiring Fast & Furious franchise director Justin Lin to direct is reason for them to boycott the film, which was just slated for release on July 8th, 2016. Thankfully, Orci isn't bitter about the project just because he's not writing and directing, but he's cautiously optimistic at least. The producer answers the question about boycotting, "I won’t lie, I don’t know yet, but the story we are talking about would be awesome, hang in there!” If you're the kind of fan who needs someone to determine how you feel about a developing project, then you're a terrible fan.

In addition, for anyone out there who has had a bug up their ass about the alternate timeline that was created in the 2009 franchise reboot from director J.J. Abrams, the writer isn't backing down from defending that narrative element. He says, "Stop blaming [Bad Robot for the alternate timeline]. It was my idea so that you would not know what was gonna happen next. Nothing more or less. I stand behind it. And it, again, is the reason why I make movies and you don’t.” Honestly, I think that's one of the best things he did with this reboot. It ensures fans won't be expecting certain things to happen.

Of course, that all went to shit when they made Kahn the villain in Star Trek Into Darkness, so he really doesn't have much of a leg to stand on there anymore. And frankly, that last arrogant comment about him making movies and not fans is just a little too much. Last time I checked, Orci hasn't been making very good movies lately. And even though he's not directing or writing the sequel anymore, the fact that Paramount Pictures has set a summer 2016 date already while they're still figuring out a story and had trouble getting the right director has me worried about the quality of this project already. Thoughts?

Find more posts: Development, Movie News

17 Comments

I'll withhold judgement until a trailer is released, which is a long ways out.

Quanah on Dec 26, 2014

Any hope for the movie is swiftly fading.

Brian Sleider on Dec 26, 2014

Completely agree

Joker's hideout on Dec 29, 2014

This makes me happy.

Nielsen700 on Dec 26, 2014

Thoughts: Yes, Ethan you DO make some good points: nu-trek "fans" ARE sycophants, boborci IS arrogantly delusional, and hasn't been making very good movies (to say the least) (lately?) (it all went to (?) shit).... ...worried about the quality of this project (already)?!? ROFLMAO =D yeah, no... I'll be surprised if this cluster-trek makes it back into production =P

I am not Herbert on Dec 26, 2014

yeah, let's cobble up a completely new script... go into (new) production in a few months... rush it through post... market some lies... slap the BR label on it... collect that fat check from paramount... =P HIGH FIVES ALL AROUND!! =D

I am not Herbert on Dec 26, 2014

Just don't let him around the new Star Wars movies.

Jbob on Dec 26, 2014

Who cares we got Star Wars again.

IamSlave on Dec 26, 2014

Hmmm....I agree with Quanah...this is still way too far out to make any kind of informed judgments. I guess a lot of people do not like Orci, so for their sakes this is good.

DAVIDPD on Dec 26, 2014

It's nothing personal. Simply every movie script he wrote so far is AWFUL.

Butchy Butch on Dec 27, 2014

Why is Justin Lin directing such a terrible thing? Has anyone actually watched the last 2 Fast and Furious films and actually paid attention to the way they are directed? Forget that the inherent nature of the films and that you might dislike about it. They are car oriented action films. They are a little cheesy and over the top, and etc. But look at the way they are directed and put together. The action, the editing, the way the ensemble cast meshes. It is all handled very well. I'm excited to see what Lin can do with the Star Trek franchise. He is certainly more qualified and capable than Orci to direct it.

Chris Groves on Dec 26, 2014

"In addition, for anyone out there who has had a bug up their ass about the alternate timeline that was created in the 2009 franchise reboot from director J.J. Abrams, the writer isn't backing down from defending that narrative element." What a great journalist. You really have a way with words Ethan

rolyjimenez on Dec 27, 2014

"It was my idea so that you would not know what was gonna happen next." Here's the problem with that statement. One of the pinnacle "high stakes" stories that Star Trek usually tells is the "Earth is in danger!" and the crew have to save it. That is exactly what they did with Trek09. Destroying Vulcan doesn't really change anything since the one planet that Star Trek has been clinging to for action focused stories is always the one we show up in time to save. Even happens with Star Trek Into Darkness. And what kind of milage do you get when you're working with a crew who have had decades to establish themselves? Expectations about what makes those characters their own thing already defeats the whole "not know what was gonna happen next". If you're going to honor these characters, we already know how it will all end. Kirk and Spock bicker at each other? I bet they'll end up the best of friends in the end. Oh, look. It happened. Will McCoy shout at someone? Yep. Will Scotty say something goofy and funny? Yep.

Jeyl on Dec 27, 2014

Looks like Star Trek is about to go down the tubes again. Really enjoyed the first reboot, in particular the alternate timeline. It was an interesting move that liberated them to tell new stories so that...they could make a sequel and shoehorn Khan into it and fill it with unforgivable fan-service instead of focusing on story. So yeah...

earthlingdave on Dec 27, 2014

The new timeline is a bunch of horseshit. Modifying the James Kirk origin story with an inconvenient Romulan and nearly throwing him over a cliff in a Nokia-equipped Corvette was a pretty egregious sin, IMHO. Silliness all around. Would have much preferred they go another generation beyond TNG and tell THAT story. Play in the same universe but tell OWN story. Don't get all unoriginal and rape the old stories because you lack for original content that Paramount would fund. I hope this is the end of Orci and Kurtzman (or whatever the fuck his name is) telling mediocre stories. It probably won't be.

denverchris on Dec 29, 2014

I would have bought into that... even an *eventual* Khan. But the re-visit to Original Spock as well as Not-Khan-but-is-Khan has left a sour taste in my mouth. I'm all for alternate timelines in long-standing franchises - lets new TPTB do what they want to without taking a big ole' crap over the original material. But yeah... better see something new for ST3 or I'm done.

VAharleywitch on Dec 29, 2014

I dunno, I like them just fine. Wish Khan had just been John Harrison, but I'm not that bothered. I think this will be good too. Everyone gets so angry.

OfficialJab on Dec 30, 2014

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