JJ Abrams Revamps "Star Trek"

Let it be known that I'm not one to squee lightly. That said, I feel utterly compelled to convey the following, if nothing else, relative to the subject of this post: OHMIGODYOUGUYS SQUEE!1!!!!!!

Sorry, sorry. I'll try to contain my unseemly geekitude for the remainder of this post. [clears throat]

First, a little personal backstory. When I was a kid back in the 1970s (yes I'm fucking old, what of it?), I watched a whole lotta TV. And my relationship with TV back in the day was, indeed, very different from the average kid's today, seeing how parents are now told that letting their children marinate in front of the tube for hours on end is tantamount to releasing evil, brain-sucking hobgoblins of developmental FAIL into their tender young minds, while simultaneously injecting them with a vat of ADD serum. Thankfully, none of these ideas were even vaguely on the radar of parents in the 70s. No, when I was a kid I happily ate, played, slept and basically lived a good heaping portion of my early life in front of the TV, with my parent's unqualified blessing. TV was a part of my daily life, like an exotic pet or very talkative schitzophrenic sibling, and it definitely informed my childhood sensibilities, tastes, and interests. But for all those hours of zombification viewing, there's only around four shows that I actually remember watching now, shows that clearly made a permanent imprint on my mind and who I am: Monty Python's Flying Circus, Doctor Who, In Search Of, and, of course, Star Trek.

Which is why when I heard that JJ Abrams -- my man of Lost, a show I feel equally geeky about -- was working on a Star Trek film prequel, I all but shat myself.

Young, hot, and spacey.

Warning: Mild plot spoilers below!

Naturally details of the new film are being kept mostly on the DL, but Entertainment Weekly imparted the following brief plot summary in a recent cover story, which I'll quote from here at length for your edification:

Star Trek's time-travel plot is set in motion when a Federation starship, the USS Kelvin, is attacked by a vicious Romulan (Eric Bana) desperately seeking one of the film's heroes. From there, the film then brings Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) center stage and tracks the origins of their friendship and how they became officers aboard the Enterprise. In fact, the movie shows how the whole original series crew came together: McCoy (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoë Saldana), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Sulu (John Cho), and Chekov (Anton Yelchin). The adventure stretches from Earth to Vulcan, and yes, it does find a way to have [Leonard] Nimoy appearing in scenes with at least one of the actors...

Other potentially enlightening tidbits: Abrams wasn't a fan of the show when he took on the project, and so apparently takes some liberties with established Trek lore (angry Trekkies, ahoy!), adding that he basically wanted to make a Star Trek movie that grabbed him viscerally in the way movies from the Star Wars series did, while retaining the franchise's trademark optimism and idealism. Also, somewhat cryptically, the now-wasted-on-Heroes awesome that is Zachary Quinto has said of the new film:

''This is a franchise that offers hope for unity — and so does Barack Obama... When this movie comes out, and Obama is president, hopefully there will be some parallels.''

Make of that what you will. Or, you know, not.

DUH-NUHHH!

Sadly we won't be seeing the finished product until May 2009, but if you're like me even this oblique teaser trailer will get your heart pumping:

Brand spankin' new trailer to be released on the movie's website in five days, and early reports from journalists who viewed about 20 minutes of footage from the film at a press event in London yesterday sound very promising. Mark your calendars, fellow geeks! 05.08.09! WOOT!

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Comments

[Maria]

My husband has been waving his boner around for this movie for months. I'm just in it for Zachary Quinto and co. looking fine even in their silly outfits.

Also I guess I hope Spock and Kirk make out or something?

[JennC]

Ok, Maria's comment wins the internet.

[BaltimoreGal]

I was happy with Zachary Quinto! Perfect casting. Plus Sylar as Spock is just fun to say. But Eric Bana as a Romulan? MMM.

[BaltimoreGal]

And Maria, DAMN. Almost peed my pants- at work, no less.

[FM]

Trying to think of something funny to say re: Sylar's new eyebrows..

[Asha {Parent Hacks}]

It will not surprise you to know (after all my Star Wars and BSG comments) that I grew up watching Star Trek, can quote many lines, and watched every movie and TV series followup. This is AWESOME. I don't know who the hell Zachary Quinto is, but I'm hoping for some hot Kirk action.

Nice touch: that's Leonard Nimoy's voice in the preview.

[Marmite Breath]

Simon Pegg! Looooove!!!

[karma_musings]

I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around Sylar being Spock. OK, I just had to say that. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll get over it by the time the movie actually comes out.

[Robyn G]

My hubs and I are psyched for this, but I must say that the potential deviation from canon is... worrisome.

But hey, we said that about BSG too. And look how that turned out.

[Peeved Michelle]

They must have shaved off Zachary Quinto's eyebrows. There is no way they could have plastered over those atomic caterpillars.

[BaltimoreGal]

SIMON PEGG!!! I didn't even see that one!
I am NOT a Star Trek person and I'll be seeing this one.

[Becca]

Chekov wasn't an original crew member. He was brought on to counter the Davy Jones faction. You lose, JJ.

[Kerri Anne]

OK, so I totally just squealed "SYLAR!" when I saw his face on that first promo poster. AND Simon Pegg! GENIUS casting right there.

I grew up watching Star Trek with my dad; I am SO excited for this. And JJ Abrams! Brilliant, that one.