(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)
Setting a New Course
by Michael Logan May 06, 2009
He successfully rebooted “Mission: Impossible” for the movies. Now producer and director J.J. Abrams—the supermind behind Alias, Lost and Fringe—is bringing another iconic ’60s series to the big screen. Only this one comes with tons of intergalactic baggage. “Star Trek,” a hip, sexy, high-octane prequel about the maiden voyage of the USS Enterprise, stars newbie heartthrob Chris Pine as Capt. James T. Kirk, and Zachary Quinto (Heroes) and Leonard Nimoy as the younger and older Spock, respectively. It hits theaters May 8, more than 42 years after it debuted on NBC. Will the masses give a hoot? Though Gene Roddenberry’s rose-colored vision of tomorrow earned global devotion and spawned a multibillion-dollar business—including five TV spin-offs and 10 feature films—enthusiasm for Trek has been on the wane for years. Abrams, who grew up preferring George Lucas’ take on outer space, talks to TV Guide Magazine about his new film and why even nonfans should boldly go to the multiplex and give it a try.
A brief excerpt:
What made you—an admitted non-Trekker—think you were the right man for this job?
As a kid I loved Star Wars because it was pure fantasy and disconnected from everything we knew. Star Trek wasn’t my thing. But when the opportunity to make this film came along, my perspective shifted greatly. I came to realize that—unlike Star Wars—the universe Mr. Roddenberry created is all about us. Not only is his vision still relevant, I would argue that it’s more relevant now than ever.
Also check out TV Guide Magazine's Star Trek photo gallery for more information about the film!
