Shatner Once Again Denied Being In Star Trek Beyond

For some reason this rumor will just not die. No idea why it keeps coming back but for the umpteenth time the rumor emerges that William Shatner will be in a Star Trek film and Shatner has to deny it. I think this is the third or fourth time for Star Trek Beyond. As The Shat tells SFX Magazine that "There was never a conversation. It would have been interesting to see what their fertile imaginations could have done with somebody who is 20 years older than when Captain Kirk died [in 1994's Star Trek: Generations] and how they would have explained the difference in appearance. But that never came up. I’m sure they must have thought of it one time or another, but I never had a substantial conversation about replaying the role." A scene was written for Shatner for the 2007 Star Trek film but he turned it down saying he "doesn't do cameos". Since then he has not been considered to return in the films.

Chaos on the Bridge Covers Early Years of Star Trek: The Next Generation

A new documentary from William Shatner called Chaos on the Bridge explores the early turbulent years of Star Trek: The Next Generation that almost ended the show multiple times, often do to the ego of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Due to Shatner's celebrity and of course Trek connections, he was able to get candid interviews with the cast and crew of the TV series as they discussed many of the problems the series had to deal with in its first two or so seasons (as mean as it sounds, it is no accident that the very best of Star Trek occurred after Roddenberry's 1991 death). The problems were a combination of demands from Roddenberry combined with minions of his that would often take things to an extreme level (not always with Gene's knowledge or consent). The result was nearly as much drama behind the scenes as in front of it. Much of the problems have been covered in The Next Generation Blu-rays but something to be said of seeing Shatner tackle the material. Below is a trailer followed by clips provided by io9.com. If you want you can rent or buy a digital copy of the documentary here.

Pegg: Shatner Not in Star Trek 3

In an interview Simon Pegg confirmed what we all already knew to be true - that William Shatner will not be in Star Trek Beyond. "William Shatner is an amazing actor, and has such an incredible body of work which transcends his time as Captain Kirk. It's always about whether the stories right. It's pointless crowbarring these things in as a gimmick. That does the story and the film a disservice. I have no doubt in my mind that he could play Captain Kirk until the day he goes off to the final frontier", the co-writer told Digital Spy in the video below.

He also objected to stories that said that Roberto Orci's script was rejected for being too Star Trek-y, saying "This Star Trek will be as much Star Trek as it can be." (aka a Paramount mandated action film in space with Star Trek names). Unless plans have changed, Star Trek 3 will take place at some point during the Enterprise's first 5 year mission to explore strange new worlds, seek out..., etc. with the goal of trying to create an original story that doesn't rely on previous Star Trek villains or episodes. As such it would make sense that Shatner would not have a role in the film that wasn't just fan pander. Something Shatner already said he had no interest in when he turned down a role in the first movie.

Shatner Not Confirmed for Star Trek 3

After a two word tweet (since deleted) from William Shatner that said "I'm baaaaccckk!!!", multiple entertainment websites (those with paid reporters) have assumed that meant the actor is officially part of Star Trek 3. Which could be true. But those words do not comfirm it. They could mean a host of other things especially for someone as busy as Shatner who is constantly traveling and going to conventions. End result is it all remains rumor until either officially confirmed or the movie comes out (whichever is first). Until then the speculation is fun and what blogs like this live on. Still it is pretty bad when your average blogger does a better job highlighting an unconfirmed rumor than the mainstream media that has literally gone to school to know better.

Shatner Confirms Star Trek 3 Considering Roles for His Kirk and Spock

After a week of rumors had indicated that old Kirk and Spock could appear in Star Trek 3, William Shatner inadvertently confirmed the rumors. He thought that sources within Paramount had confirmed that he was approached by movie producer JJ Abrams to be in the film and so during his panel this weekend at the Nashville Wizard World Comic Con, he spoke about it.

The weirdest thing has happened and I think I can tell you because it is so weird. So I’m in Australia a couple of weeks ago…and JJ Abrams calls me. He called me in Los Angeles and I’m not there, so my assistant calls me and says “JJ called and is going to call back.” I said “great” and hung up the phone "I wonder what JJ wants?" Because the last time I talked to JJ was before the first movie came out and I went to meet him at his office and he said "are you interested in being in the Star Trek movie?" "And I would play the captain?" "No, no. Not as Captain Kirk. We have a young, handsome guy to do that." But he handed a script and I read it, and it stunk…It is like telling people “You know that little cute baby you got there. It is the ugliest thing I have ever seen!” So I didn’t say that to JJ. This is the worst script I have ever read and it is the next Star Trek movie and the beginning of the whole thing and it was awful! Turns out it wasn’t the script at all…He was assessing whether people were interested in being in the movie and handing them a dummy script because the final movie was really good, but it wasn’t the script that I read.

For Shatner's 82nd Birthday, Free Star Trek

In celebration of William Shatner's 82nd birthday, Hulu is offering free episodes of Star Trek until March 31st. Usually the episodes are behind the Hulu Plus paywall. This is all episodes so that means you can quickly find and enjoy your favorite episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise. That is almost 700 episodes of Trek goodness to engorge on or if a new fan thanks to the Abrams movie, a cheap way to play catch up. If the idea of 700 episodes seems a bit much, use this Google search to narrow down the possibilities. The free Trek can be found here. If interested in reading other Trek cast tweeter well wishes to the Shat, click here.

William Shatner's Bohemian Rhapsody

Below is a rather trippy video with William Shatner citing (singing?) the lyrics to the Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. The result is very odd and probably scary to anyone that watches it while high. (via io9)

SDCC 2011 The Captains Panel

Two weeks ago William Shatner, Avery Brooks (DS9) were on hand to discuss Shatner's documentary "The Captains" at the San Diego Comic-Con 2011 where he interviewed each of the Captains from the various Star Trek series. The panel is interesting if only for the small walk down memory lane of Trek past. If you are interested in more SDCC panels you can find my linkfest of dozens more here.

William Shatner Talks The Captains

In a two part interview with StarTrek.com, William Shatner discusses his upcoming documentary "The Captains" with a brief segway into the death of Kirk. Hit the links for the full interview.
Part I | Part II

If you had a do-over on Star Trek: Generations, would you still agree to let Kirk die? Or, if you were OK with him dying, would you have at least wanted a more fitting death for the iconic character?

Shatner: I would be much more courageous about suggesting, or demanding would be a better word, a more regal exit for this hero. For reasons I can’t fathom in myself, I allowed him to have an ignominious end. I’m not quite sure what the political reasons were for that, but I wasn’t aware (of the implications) on a broader level until afterwards.

Shatner's The Captains Trailer

Below is the trailer for William Shatner's new documentary about Star Trek. As the title, The Captains, suggests, it focuses on the actors that played the key captains in the Star Trek series and movies Patrick Stewart (TNG), Kate Mulgrew (Voyager), Scott Bakula (Enterprise), Avery Brooks (Deep Space 9) and Chris Pine (Star Trek 2.0) all sit down with the actor to discuss Trek, their roles and more. Being a Shatner production, I am sure he remains the focus while creating an amusing and informative show. The Captains premieres on July 21st on EPIX HD, not sure when or even if it will hit home video.

Kirk vs. Kirk

The image to the left was released to help promote William Shatner's documentary called "The Captains" where he interviews all the captains from the the five television series and the movies including J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot with Chris Pine as the new Captain of the Enterprise. Considering both the occasional ego but humor that Shatner brings to his projects, it seems like it will be an entertaining movie. (via Bleeding Cool)

Shatner Wakes Up Discovery Crew

William Shatner briefly reprised his role of Enterprise Captain James T. Kirk to record a new introduction over the "Theme from Star Trek" for the crew of the space shuttle Discovery for mission STS-133. The crew was woken at 3:23AM EST Monday March 7th to Shatner saying:

These have been the voyages of the space shuttle Discovery. Her 30 year mission: To seek out new science. To build new outposts. To bring nations together on the final frontier. To boldly go, and do, what no spacecraft has done before.

The 30 year old shuttle program will end later this year with I believe one more mission. Congrats to NASA, safe travels for the crew and a nod to Shatner for his part is giving homage to the space program. The audio above is thanks to TrekMovie.

Shatner Proud of Star Trek, Not in Sequel

In an interview with the Courier Mail, William Shatner looks back on his career including Star Trek. He speaks of how he is proud of his Trek work and while he would be up for being in the Star Trek sequel, he doesn't expect it to occur. Considering the amount he gets just so a fan can get brief on one time ($1100), well I guess he can stick with not doing cameos.

``The level of Star Trek is both earnest and ironic,'' he says. ``I think of Star Trek at its best as being really good and when I was at my best I was good in it. So I am both proud of it and at the same time I am aware that some people think it was a soap opera and the sets were cheap and the effects - I can't even call them computer effects - were awful by today's standards.

``I would be so interested in doing it, especially with that wonderful director J.J. Abrams, but I don't see how it's possible and maybe we all have gone beyond that,'' he says. But I have shot a wonderful documentary where I talk to all the captains of Star Trek and try to find a common denominator and in the meantime have some fun talking to them about them and their lives.''

Shatner Remains Open to Star Trek Return

In an inerview with Access Hollywood, William Shatner indicates he is open to returning to Star Trek as Kirk for the upcoming movie "but I am very expensive." He also briefly spoke of his "tentative relationship" with JJ Abrams and the Star Trek Captains documentary he is making. Long story short, if you are hoping that Shatner will play Kirk again, I would not hold your breath. The sequel's unspoken goal will be for Abrams and company to blaze their own trail that may acknowledge what came before but that is the extent of it. For all intents and purposes, the Star Trek "Prime" universe will live only in the books being made but doubtful it will be revived for television or movies. (via TrekMovie)

Shatner Reflect on Career, Star Trek

William Shatner's career continues to go strong with a pickup for a new comedy series on CBS called @$@% My Dad Says. He sat down with Hero Complex to discuss his long and legendary career career and reflect some decisions he made. Below are portions as he talks about Star Trek, the full interview can be found here.

GB: There will be another "Star Trek" film coming from J.J. Abrams and his team, and I'm wondering what you thought of the first. For me, I loved the spirit of the movie...
WS: I agree with you. That's my opinion too. It was a wonderful ride. I think J.J. Abrams did a wonderful job in enlarging the franchise and constructing a foundation for the sequel. I don't know anything about that sequel. I didn't know anything about the first one. I know even less about the second one. I know less than nothing about the sequel, if that's possible.

GB: If you look back on "Star Trek" with the television shows, the animated series, the feature films, the conventions, the novels -- you guys have been multi-platform in a very interesting way for four decades now.
WS: Across the platforms, you have a unity, which is acting truth -- storytelling. The technological means by which you tell that story change, but if you can follow that, then you can stay abreast of what's happening.

GB: You've been coming to these conventions for years, and though so much has changed in your own life, I imagine the conversations and contacts you have in these settings don't change much.
WS: You're exactly right. They've come here to say hello to me and for me to say hello to them. It's fan communication. It's Twitter in person.

GB: Well, as James T. Kirk you were no stranger to close calls. You practically invented them.
WS: Hah! The way I look at it, my whole career has been a close call.

Shatner: "Play Hard to Get" for Sequel

It looks like the cat and mouse game that William Shatner has enjoyed playing for the last several years in regards to the Star Trek reboot will continue. On the Red Carpet recently asked Kirk "Prime" what if he will be in the sequel to which he replied:

“JJ Abrams and I are Twitter friends. Twitter friends and acquaintances. He’s a wonderful artist and I would love to work with him,” he said. But as for the sequel? “I would play very hard to get,” he joked. “That’s not a no. That’s not a yes. Yes, no, yes.”

I wouldn't hold my breath on an appearance, partly because Shatner doesn't do cameos and partly because there is simply no reason to invite Kirk "Prime" to the show. That ship sailed when Shatner turned down the first movie. The sequel will likely be a real attempt by all involved to blaze their own trail and will invoke as little previous canon as possible.

Stewart, Shatner Talk Abrams and More

Last weekend, an official Star Trek Convention was held in San Francisco that included a panel with William Shatner and Sir Patrick Stewart. Information wise nothing was revealed, except Shatner has not seen the film but a determined JJ Abrams has set up a screening just for him on the Paramount lot in a few weeks.

The full report can be found here at TrekMovie.com. The highlights mostly include Stewart's joke about rebooting the Next Generation era with a 10 year Riker, Data as R2-D2 and Troi being played by Lady Gaga. Shatner asked for a good word to be put in with the Queen by the newly knighted Stewart for his own knighthood. Shatner, not being an English citizen, will probably remain disappointed.

The Shat in GQ

William Shatner is featured in the January issue of GQ that is essentially the life and times of the acting legend. Written by Andrew Corsello, he attempts to separate the man from the myth:

Near the end of the last century, during a Late Night with Conan O’Brien appearance, Shatner said that for years he’d wondered about this SHATNER he kept hearing about at Star Trek conventions, some kind of mythical presence. A man? A god? Finally, Shatner said, he realized: He was SHATNER.

The article include info about his acting career, how Shatner began to accept or at least stop caring how people didn't take him seriously as an actor after Star Trek, horses and more.

Just as good, GQ has posted up sound bites form the interview were he talks about things like archery, guns, his Kirk "emotive ginormity" and more. Those soundbytes can be found here. The Shat featured issue of GQ hits newsstands December 22nd.

Shatner's Star Trek "Cameo"

The scenes that Star Trek writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman has been released by TrekMovie.com and confirmed as accurate. These scenes have been alluded to multiple times during promotion of the movie and the back and forth between JJ Abrams and William Shatner (who remains angry on not being in the movie as seen by his refusal to see it). Now my understanding is the scenes are in an early draft of the movie but once William Shatner declared he "doesn't do cameos", it was removed from the drafts that followed. Equally important (and lays the blame around), I don't think that version of the script was ever shown to Shatner; therefore he was never given an opportunity to change his mind.

The moments would have been a perfect nod to the fans and a good ending for the film but definitely would have a cameo leading me to think Shatner would have refused anyway. Honestly, I think Shatner's refusal to do even a cameo in the film is basically an FU to the fans as he put his ego ahead of the franchise and the fans that essentially gave him the life he has enjoyed these many years.

For perspective, keep in mind that this movie does follow Star Trek canon by having events begin off screen in the Star Trek "Prime" universe with Nero and the Nerada entering the Star Trek 2.0 Universe and attacking the Kelvin with Spock Prime following 25 years later. As a result, that means Shatner's Kirk remains dead as a result of the events in Star Trek Generations movie so any cameo would have to be through other creative means, in this case with holo-emitter and voice over.

The scene:

Star Trek Wins Six Scream Awards

Saturday Night, the Spike TV Scream Awards ceremony was held at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA and Star Trek took home six awards including the top award of "Ultimate Scream". Star Trek had 17 nominations in 15 categories.

Th wins:
Ultimate Scream
Best Science Fiction Movie
Best Director (JJ Abrams)
Best Science Fiction Actor (Chris Pine)
Best Cameo (Winona Ryder)
Best Fight Scene (Kirk Spock bridge fight)

Probably the highlight of the night for Trek fans was Shatner accepting the Ultimate Scream trophy:

Morgan Freeman presented the Ultimate Scream award (essentially best in show) to "Star Trek" — and William Shatner shocked fans when he stepped on stage to accept the trophy.

"J.J., I'll handle this," Shatner said to J.J. Abrams, seated in the audience, who also won best director and best sci-fi movie for "Star Trek." (via Trekmovie)

"This movie was big," Shatner said. "Imagine how big it could have been with me in it? ... I'll be waiting for your call."

The full list of winners can be found here. The telecast of the award ceremony will air on Spike TV on Tuesday, October 27th from 10:00pm to midnight ET/PT.