[starwarsrcks]

The next Star Trek movie is now expected to arrive in the Summer of 2012, or in about 30 months. Before that happens, it has to have a script written, go into pre-production, then production and then post-production. In a recent Avatar related interview, Zoe Saldana gave an update on when she thinks work will begin on the film.


Pre-production starting in a year?
Saldana offers this update at MTV:

I spoke to J.J. and Bryan Burk, his producing partner at Bad Robot, and they are still in the middle of building the script with Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci, and we’ll probably be going into pre-production around this time next year.

Zoe’s timeline is mostly consistent with recent comments from the film makersi. Star Trek sequel producer (and possible director) JJ Abrams recently told TrekMovie he expects the follow-up to Star Trek to be released in the Summer of 2012. And co-writer Roberto Orci recently told TrekMovie the writers plan on diving into the script in early 2010.
This time shouldn’t take as long
The script for the first Star Trek film was finished in January 2007 and the film was officially announced and went into pre-production in February 2007. Production started in November 2007 and wrapped in March 2008. The original release was to be Christmas 2008 and even though Paramount moved the release to the Summer of 2009, post production was mostly finished by Christmas 2008. The entire schedule was 22-23 months from pre-production start to completion.

However, the making of the Star Trek sequel will very likely be shorter. There is much less work to be done in the pre-production phase as the cast is mostly in place and much of the design and construction work is done for the Enterprise, costumes, etc. Assuming a May 2012 release, then a pre-production start around Thanksgiving 2010 would give them 18 months for pre-production, production and post-production. That is a bit tight, so it would not be surprising if pre-production started earlier than a year from now, and Orci did say they expect the script to be done by late Spring, so there would be time to start earlier if they wanted.
The big remaining logistic question is who will direct the sequel. JJ Abrams has stated he plans to spend much of 2010 directing a different movie he is currently writing. However, in another recent TrekMovie interview, Abrams said he believed he would still be available to direct the sequel. We will probably not have the final word on the director and release dates until the film gets the green light and that wont happen until the script is finished, which should be sometime in the Spring of 2010.

[starwarsrcks]

what do you think of the news

[Captain Tom Coughlin]

Seems to fit with everything else I've seen about it. 2012 sounds reasonable to me.

[Howlin' Wolf]

Originally Posted by Captain Tom Coughlin

Seems to fit with everything else I've seen about it. 2012 sounds reasonable to me.

You think they'll come back in time to save Earth from Armageddon?

Star Trek 2012: The Day After The Day Before The Eve Of The Day After Tomorrow

[Captain Tom Coughlin]

Originally Posted by Howlin' Wolf

You think they'll come back in time to save Earth from Armageddon?

Star Trek 2012: The Day After The Day Before The Eve Of The Day After Tomorrow

Is that Tomorrow?

[kevin]

2012 fits with all the recent information. So would Abrams wanting to squeeze in another project first. However if he shoots this unknown film and Trek 2 (or 12 or whatever) back to back he can get them done.

Depends on how Saldana may be needed (or not) for any possible Avatar sequel that may be put into production.

And given the success of Avatar a sequel seems not unlikely.

[chator]

Originally Posted by starwarsrcks

what do you think of the news

This is not news. What would be news is something like, Kirk and the Enterprise will battle the aliens that helped to build the Mayan pyramids.

[Kaboom]

Originally Posted by starwarsrcks

what do you think of the news

Besides my utter shock at you actually making a halfway-worthwhile thread... Cool. Nice news. Small, but still nice.

[chator]

Originally Posted by Kaboom

Besides my utter shock at you actually making a halfway-worthwhile thread... Cool. Nice news. Small, but still nice.

I agree. The first decent thread by strwrsrocks.

[RabidFan]

Originally Posted by kevin

2012 fits with all the recent information. So would Abrams wanting to squeeze in another project first. However if he shoots this unknown film and Trek 2 (or 12 or whatever) back to back he can get them done.

Depends on how Saldana may be needed (or not) for any possible Avatar sequel that may be put into production.

And given the success of Avatar a sequel seems not unlikely.

I would think her first obligation would be to Trek as she signed on for trek for at least 3 movies. Any obligation to Avatar would come after that.

Also I wouldnt be looking for any Avatar sequel any time soon. As much money as it is making from what all I have been hearing (I havent seen it yet) the only thing it really has going for it is the animation and beautiful scenery. Also it took so long to make, not taking into account the movie had been planned for well over 10 years, that I wouldnt expect a sequel to it for at least 3 to 4 years.

That would give Zoe more than enough time to finish the next Trek.

Of course this is all just my opinion. That and $4.50 at Starbucks might get you a cup of coffee, but forget about getting the biscotti.