J.J. Abrams Talks STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS; Plus New Lupita Nyong’o Still

We still haven’t seen the alien character that Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave) will play in Star Wars: The Force Awakens — unless you count that brief glimpse of her handing over the lightsaber in the latest trailer — but thanks to Vanity Fair’s recent coverage of the movie, we now know her name and profession at least: Maz Kanata, space pirate.

Above we have a new behind-the-scenes snap of Nyong’o performing a mo-cap scene as Maz, but below we have a new excerpt from J.J. Abrams’ interview with the mag. The director reveals that his film will recall certain things from the earlier instalments in the saga, but suggests that they also held back on including some stuff that could have seemed forced.

“We’ve obviously had a lot of time [during the development process] to talk about what’s happened outside of the borders of the story that you’re seeing. So there are, of course, references to things, and some are very oblique so that hopefully the audience can infer what the characters are referring to. We used to have more references to things that we pulled out because they almost felt like they were trying too hard to allude to something. I think that the key is—and whether we’ve accomplished that or not is, of course, up to the audience—but the key is that references be essential so that you don’t reference a lot of things that feel like, oh, we’re laying pipe for, you know, an animated series or further movies. It should feel like things are being referenced for a reason.”

Starring original cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker and franchise newcomers, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o and Max von Sydow, Star Wars Episode VII is set to be released on December 18th, 2015.

Source: Vanity Fair

Simon Pegg Will Give Idris Elba A Kickass Role For STAR TREK 3; Possible Title?

The crew of the starship Enterprise always hopes to go where no one has gone before. For the third movie, that might be “Beyond.”

The third film in the recently rebooted Star Trek series now has a likely title. After Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Trek 3 is likely to be called Star Trek Beyond. Read more about the Star Trek 3 title below.

TrekMovie.com is reporting the Star Trek 3 title news.

Cornered by MTV at CinemaCon, Simon Pegg seemed to underscore the comments he made last month to SPINOFF, noting that while the films can’t recreate the original TV series, they can embrace its “essence.”

“We can certainly invest in it the spirit of the show and get back to the essence of what it is,” he explained. “What we’re hoping to do is make a ‘Star Trek’ for today that doesn’t forget where it came from.”

Pegg also at least unofficially unconfirmed Elba’s involvement in “Star Trek 3″ — ““Idris is an extraordinary actor and we’re trying to write him a kickass role” — but shot down speculation he’ll play a character from the series.

“This is a five-year mission now, we’re out there,” he said. “We don’t always have to keep bumping into the same people. It’s a massive universe […] so we’re going to try to reflect that in the movie.”

And finally, in the wake of the new Star Wars trailer, Pegg was asked if he thought The Force Awakens would be better than the prequels. Without hesitation, he responded:

“I think the trailer is better than all of the prequels combined.”

Beginning production in June, “Star Trek 3″ features returning cast members Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho and Anton Yelchin. It opens July 8, 2016.

KINGSMAN’S Sofia Boutella Lands Lead In STAR TREK 3

After a sharp turn as the sexy blade-legged assassin in the Matthew Vaughn-directed hit Kingsman: The Secret Service, Sofia Boutella has been set for a lead role in Star Trek 3, which Justin Lin is directing from a script by cast member Simon Pegg and Doug Jung (creator of the TNT series Dark Blue).

Prying loose info on this project is difficult, so I’m not sure whether she’s on the side of good or bad, but I’m told she’s got a lead role in the Paramount/Skydance film produced by Bad Robot that’s based on the Gene Roddenberry series. Paramount has dated the pic’s release for July 8, 2016.

Source: Deadline

Simon Pegg Shoots Down Idris Elba Klingon Rumours For STAR TREK 3

Last week brought a major rumor that Idris Elba would be playing a Klingon villain in Star Trek 3. So inevitably, this week brings a stringent denial of said rumor. Star Trek 3 star and writer Simon Pegg says in no uncertain terms that the talk isn’t true — the Klingon part of it, anyway. The Idris Elba part might still be.

Pegg shot down the Idris Elba Klingon rumors in a chat with Absolute Radio:

That’s not true. No, no, no. I heard there’s a rumor he’s been spoken to about stuff, so he may be in the film but he won’t be a Klingon. [Laughs.] Or maybe he will!

If anyone should know whether Elba will be playing a Klingon in the next film, it’s Pegg. Not only is he a star and a fan, he’s writing the damn thing. But just because he knows doesn’t mean he’s willing to say. Remember, this is the same guy who insisted that those Benedict-Cumberbatch-as-Khan rumors were just “a myth.”

At least we can trust Pegg when he says he’s working hard to deliver a satisfying movie. “It’s enormous pressure. I’m barely able to speak right now I’m so terrified,” he said. “We’ll just keep plugging away at it, and hopefully come up with something that the fans like — everybody likes, not just the fans.”

To that end, Pegg wants to pin down what makes Star Trek special. He said in a previous interview:

I have to try to take on the spirit of the show, rather than fill it with stuff that people will just go, “Oh, yeah, that’s from episode something or other.” It’s more than that.

The Star Trek 3 script will be done by June “come hell or high water,” and shooting will get underway this year for release on July 8, 2016.

Source: Absolute Radio

Idris Elba In Talks For STAR TREK 3 Villain; Simon Pegg Describes The Writing Process As "Terrifying!"

Idris Elba is in early talks to play the villain in Star Trek 3. Elba would be one of the new additions to the third installment of the franchise, which is in pre-production with Justin Lin at the helm.

Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, John Cho and Simon Pegg are reprising their respective roles. Pegg, additionally, is writing the script with Doug Jung.

Details of Elba’s role are being kept under wraps. Early rumors suggest that Klingons would be the main villains in this movie, as they have not had a full presence in previous installments, but sources would not confirm if that was the case. Paramount and Skydance had no comment.

Elba is on screens with Sean Penn in The Gunman and his African drama Beasts of No Nation was picked up for distribution by Netflix.

While attending a press event for his upcoming film Kill Me Three Times, Simon Pegg spoke with Collider, and discussed the writing process for Star Trek 3, why he took on the writing duties, and when the script is due. Pegg was first asked by Collider what it felt like writing the script for Star Trek 3, his answer: “Terrifying!”

The actor would then explain in more detail what made made the writing process so frightening saying  “the timeframe we’re working in is extremely tight. It means we’re having to come up with the goods. We can’t be lazy about it. We can’t procrastinate. We have to come up with the stuff because the production is hammering on the door” 

Pegg also reveals that taking on the writing duties weren’t otiginally his idea, but producer Bryan Burk’s, who asked Pegg if ihe was up for it. “I owe J.J. [Abrams] and Bryan an awful amount. I love those guys. I want to do right by them, so I felt like I should man up and do it,” Pegg said, revealing why he took the job. Along with this Pegg also reveals that the script is do by this June, but it will ultimately continue up until next year, because “never really, truly start writing a movie until the edit.”

Source: Collider / Variety

STAR TREK 3: Simon Pegg Will Co-write

Simon Pegg has been set to co-write Star Trek 3, the film that just got Fast & Furious director Justin Lin aboard after Roberto Orci exited the helmer chair. He will co-write the script with Doug Jung, creator of the TNT series Dark Blue. Pegg’s already a pivotal player in the JJ Abrams-produced Paramount/Skydance pic; he also will reprise his role as Scotty, the engineering wiz originated by James Doohan in the original 1960s Gene Roddenberry series. Don’t be surprised if Scotty beams up further on the call sheet. Jung also wrote for Bad Robot and Paramount a film called Diamond, which is how he got the gig. They are just getting underway.

Source: Deadline

STAR TREK: Justin Lin Will Direct Star Trek 3

Fast & Furious 6 director Justin Lin will take on directorial duties for Star Trek 3 following the recent departure of Roberto Orci, Deadline reports.

Lin, who is generally credited with salvaging the floundering Fast & Furious franchise and turning it into one of the biggest box-office draws in Hollywood, directed four of those films and has become one of the most sought-after big-franchise directors in the industry, attached to Universal’s The Wolf Man and an untitled Bourne Identity sequel, the fate of which is uncertain following the recent revelation that star Matt Damon and filmmaker Paul Greengrass will return to the series.

He’s also directed episodes of Sony’s acclaimed sitcom Community and HBO’s award-winning True Detective.

Deadline says that while Paramount’s Star Trek wish list featured a number of high-profile names, Lin was the only one actually offered a job. Fan-favorite candidate Jonathan Frakes, who starred in Star Trek: The  Next Generation, was reportedly not on the shortlist.

Early reports indicated that Shaun of the Dead’s Edgar Wright was a candidate for the gig, but he wasn’t on the official shortlist either, reportedly having rejected the offer out of hand when he learned the nature of Orci’s departure.

Recently, it was revealed that Orci — who will stay on as a producer — exited as director when the studio wanted a fairly major tonal change to make Star Trek 3 feel more like Guardians of the Galaxy.

STAR TREK 3: Expect Elements Of "Guardians Of The Galaxy" IN Next Installment Of Star Trek

When Robert Orci was relieved of his Star Trek 3 directing duties Badass Digest offered some reasons behind his exit, and now they have a few more. One, Paramount wanted the film to be the next Guardians of the Galaxy.

Guardians of the Galaxy changed things, forever. According to Badass Digest, one of the main reasons Robert Orci was relieved of his Star Trek 3 directing duties was Paramount demanding “Star Trek 3 to feel more like Guardians.” Orci didn’t concur, and off he went. Apparently the studio thinks Star Trek 3 could benefit from following Marvel’s playbook when it comes to odd and unusual creatures, so be ready for more of Scotty’s alien sidekick Keenser.

“They want the third film to be huge, and they want it to be huge overseas especially. They look at Rocket and Groot and then they look at Keenser and they wonder why he doesn’t have more of a role.” – Devin Faraci

Also of note; Devin says Paramount offered the director’s chair to Edgar Wright (“Hot Fuzz”), but he turned it down. The assumption is that Wright passed on it because he didn’t want to takeover a film that someone had already started. You know, like what Peyton Reed did with Marvel’s Ant-Man. That’s just an assumption, but it’s probably on the money.

STAR TREK 3: Potential Directors For The Third Movie

Deadline is reporting Paramount Pictures, Bad Robot, and Skydance Productions have a list of five directors they are considering to replace Roberto Orci on Star Trek 3.

The list includes of Rupert Wyatt, who directed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and who is reportedly the current frontrunner. The Imitation Game director Morten Tyldum is also on the list, along with Safe House and Child 44 director Daniel Espinosa. Fast & Furious director Justin Lin was added to the list, when his schedule opened up due to production delays on his Bourne Legacy sequel. Moon and Warcraft director Duncan Jones is the final name on the list.

The report also notes that Edgar Wright, whose name was mentioned in early rumors following Orci’s departure, was not mentioned as being in the running.

Orci vacated the director’s chair for Star Trek 3 earlier this month, after reportedly campaigning hard to get the job. Orci co-wrote the first two Star Trek reboot films and as tapped to replace director J.J. Abrams when Abrams left to film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Both Orci and Abrams remain involved with Star Trek 3, as producers.

Star Trek 3 is expected to be released in 2016, but still has no official release date.

Robert Orci Leaving Star Trek 3

According to Deadline Robert Orci is set to leave his directorial role for the third movie of the Star Trek Franchise. But he will still be a producer of the third itself.

The report also claims that names like Edgar Wright are in contention to take up the director mantle. Now Paramount Pictures have not yet confirmed if this is true or not but Deadline are quite the reliable source so it more than likely is.

Robert Orci was given the director’s chair when JJ Abrams was announced as the director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.