More Trek Movie News (From Scifi.com)

[Hugh Casey]

Yelchin Is Trek's Chekov

Anton Yelchin (Alpha Dog) is in negotiations to play Pavel Chekov, the Russian-born navigator of the USS Enterprise in J.J. Abrams' upcoming 11th installment in the Star Trek film franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Russian-born Yelchin will join Zachary Quinto (Heroes) and Leonard Nimoy, who will both play the role of Mr. Spock in the film. Casting is under way in New York and London for Kirk, Bones, Uhura, Sulu, Scotty, the film's villain and the Federation captain. Abrams, who will helm the untitled film, is expected to sign bigger-name actors for the latter two parts.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the storyline is believed to chronicle the early days of the Enterprise crew during their time at Starfleet Academy.

Chekov was played by Walter Koenig on the original Star Trek TV series, and he is a key member of the Enterprise crew.

The film is scheduled to open on Dec. 25, 2008.

And the bolded parts of the story are mine.

My thoughts:

First, go look at Yelchin's IMDB profile... they actually got a Russian to play Chekov! Maybe we'll get a real Scotsman to play Scotty!

Second, we find out just a LEETLE more about the plot... they're apparently going to be on a ship with another captain, up against a Big Bad Villain (TM) . And they want BIG NAMES (TM) for the Captain and the Villain. Interesting how that dovetails into the rumor that Tom Cruise was approached to play Capt. Christopher Pike...

OK, so what you YOU think?

[Mazza]

I'm finally going to say it. I think the whole concept of recasting the original cast is horrible, and I couldn't think of an idea for a Star Trek film in which I could possibly be less interested. Sorry. I just really wish they'd do something, anything, else.

I find the whole argument that "they're classic characters like in Shakespeare and therefore can be recast" that gets trotted out over and over again to be really willfully stupid. Are they classic characters, or was it the portrayals which made them classic? Honestly, there is so much of the actors in Kirk, Spock and McCoy - any depth those characters had was injected into them by the actors.

I have been waiting for a long time for the studio to proclaim from on high that Star Trek XI couldn't recast the original actors, or waiting for Abrams to say "Uh... where did you hear that? That's bogus." for ages. As time goes on it becomes increasingly unlikely that either of those things is going to happen.

I will try to watch this thing when it comes out with an open mind but I have a horrible feeling that it will be the last time Star Trek graces the screen, and that it will be the last nail in the franchise's coffin.

I'm sorry to be a negative jerk about this, but I had to vent this somewhere, and so I finally did so here. I really don't want to kill the enthusiasm of those of you who actually think this is a good idea, so please feel free to ignore my post. I just had to say it.

[C5]

I am not very enthusiastic either about this project, mainly because I'm growing tired of prequels - it seems now movies and series only think about going into the past. This movie also reminds me of the "Starfleet Academy series" project, which I thought was the worst thing that could happen to Star Trek.

But I also can't escape this nagging feeling that fans will love this movie. Search me why (maybe that's because Berman & Braga have nothing to do with it )

[Renny]

I'll watch it, and then decide if recasting was a bad move. I mean, seriously, I love Shatner and Nimoy and the others, but do I want to kill Star Trek stone dead just because i can't bear to watch anyone else in those roles? No, frankly.
I know that it might have been better to come up with new stories and new characters and all of that but the fact is that to Joe Public, it ain't Star Trek unless it's got the fella with the pointy ears in it. Now that we're set on this course, I just want them to make the best damn movie that they can, so that when I walk out of the cinema on Christmas day 2008, i'll be smiling from ear to ear.
So far, the casting has been encouraging, just look at pictures of Zachary Quinto and Nimoy together.

Bottom line is, i've got my fingers crossed for this movie to be massive. I don't want to contemplate the alternative.

Renny

[KillerWhale]

I think the cast choices seem fine so far. I believe Quinto could make an amazing Spock and, if he has Nimoy's blessing, that's very good for me.

I don't have a problem with the recasting. The characters are what they are: characters and, if played well and faithfully, the actors will disappear, leaving only the acting.

However, like many, I would prefer they go forward in time with the Trek universe rather than revisit its past.

We'll have to wait for ST Online...

[spyone]

[SIZE="5"][B]
Casting is under way in New York and London for Kirk, Bones, Uhura, Sulu, Scotty, the film's villain and the Federation captain. Abrams, who will helm the untitled film, is expected to sign bigger-name actors for the latter two parts.

While I can understand the desire to include all of the TOS characters we know and love, ....
Chekov was born 4 years before Spock entered Starfleet Academy (Encyclopedia, p.690). This makes it highly unlikely that any story set during Kirk and Spock's Academy days would feature Chekov. When Chekov first appeared on the Enterprise, he was about 22, and likely recently graduated from Starfleet Academy (he would have been about 21 at the time of "Space Seed", so if he was just lurking offscreen at that time then Enterprise was likely his first post after graduation).

Of course, they may be planning to do a capsule-history kinda thing: we do a long montage of Kirk's career, showing him graduating, him meeting Scotty, him meeting Uhura, and so on.
Personally, while I like the idea that Picard may have selected all his Senior Staff personally, I also like the idea that Kirk just made the best out of what was given him: Uhura wasn't Kirk's choice for his Communications Officer, she's just what Starfleet gave him. IMO, YMMV.

For those keeping score at home, at least according to the Encyclopedia:
Scotty is the oldest member of the TOS main cast, being 11 years older than Kirk.
McCoy was 6 years older than Kirk, and attended the University of Mississippi. (IIRC, D.C.Fontana got it put into the TOS bible that McCoy joined Starfleet in the wake of a painful divorce, and had a daughter about Chekov's age.)
Spock is 3 years older than Kirk, but was only 1 year ahead of him at Starfleet Academy.
Sulu is 4 years younger than Kirk.
Uhura is 6 years younger than Kirk.
Chekov is 12 years younger than Kirk.

Also,
Spock began serving aboard USS Enterprise a year before he graduated, and was serving aboard the year after he graduated when the ship went to Talos IV under Christopher Pike.
David Marcus was born 6 years after Kirk graduated from Starfleet Academy.

So, ... There are 3 years where both Kirk and Spock are at the Academy. And if McCoy joined Starfleet after both college and medical school, depending on how long he spent in Medical School (it varies) he may have been at SFA during part of that 3-year window.
None of the others are likely to have been at the Academy at the same time (Sulu would be a freshman the fall after Kirk graduated).

[Hugh Casey]

I don't think that it's a "Starfleet Academy" movie. I think that it's more of a "First Voyage Together" movie.

Here's the casting breakdown sheet for the movie (as posted on Ain't It Cool News):

STAR TREK
Feature Film
SAG
PARAMOUNT PICTURES/BAD ROBOT

[JAMES KIRK] 23-29 Handsome,cocky self assured and earnest. Great physical condition. 6 ft or less

[LEONARD(BONES)MCOY] -28-32 Medic on the Enterprise. Smart, clever and a bit danger-loving. Dark hair, blue eyes.

[UHURA] 25ish -African American. Brilliant, beautiful, heroic and FUN!, Uhura is almost tom-boyish - as if she grew up in a houseful of brothers.

[SULU] 25-32 -Asian American male (preferably Japanese). Helmsman on the Enterprise. Extremely fit, capable and dedicated. A bit of a wildcat

[MONTGOMERY(SCOTTY) SCOTT] -28-32 a brilliant ship's engineer. Must be able to do a flawless Scottish accent!

(For those unfamiliar, a breakdown sheet is sent out to casting agencies and actor's agents, so that they know what the filmmakers are looking for and can refer the appropriate actors to the studio.)

Note the ages... I don't think that they're going for "in the Academy".

This is a reboot.

[IceGiant]

Rumor has it that Abrams wants Tom Cruise as Pike. Someone shoot me now.

[Mazza]

Uhura is tomboyish? What? Am I the only person who finds this incredibly inconsistent with Uhura?

[tonyg]

Uhura is tomboyish? What? Am I the only person who finds this incredibly inconsistent with Uhura?

No. From what I saw on TOS it more like she is nice and sweet on top with a bit of a tough side.

She also got alway with one of the most suggestive prematiral sex lines in the series. I still don't know how they got the...

SULU: I'll protect you fair maiden!

UHURA: Sorry, neither.


...line past 60s censors.

[PGoodman13]

However, like many, I would prefer they go forward in time with the Trek universe rather than revisit its past.

I think the past is a better choice, personally, since the vast majority of "the future" (i.e. the 24th century as a whole) left me plenty cold. Loved Enterprise, though, and think this has the potential to be a rockin' movie.

[PGoodman13]

Rumor has it that Abrams wants Tom Cruise as Pike. Someone shoot me now.

I could live with this if, in fact, it's a cameo, as the rumors suggest.

[Sea Tyger]

Well, I think that the vehement reaction to this news is just further proof that the Trek community is as fractured as the American voting public is over politics. Everyone seems to want their little niche covered, and they spit fire upon any concept that isn't precisely what they want.

But, there are a few of us who want every Trek venture to succeed. We may not like everything that the franchise puts out (I couldn't watch Voyager, for example, and have been disappointed by three movies), but we remain hopeful the next one will work, regardless of what era it's in.

My personal preference is for the NX and TOS eras, but I don't mind going forward. I don't think I want a Trek movie/series in the mid-25th Century or beyond, but I'll give it a chance if they decide to make one.

The point is, let's avoid any hasty judgements on the movie until we've actually seen it. This is the only Trek we have for the time being, and if Abrams wants to reboot the franchise with the original cast of characters, then let's give him the support to do so. At least we can rejoice in the fact that B&B aren't involved.

[tonyg]

I've got this strange premotion that when we finally get to see the castlist someone will make up a clip from THE ENEMY WITHIN with Shatner going postal saying "I'M CAPTAIN KIRK!"

I'd bet Latinum on it.

[Evan van Eyk]

When the first Teaser poster appeared, I suggested that the Academy story is once more postponed, like it has been since ST V, becuase the logo short Enterprise' emblem, which had not become Starfleet's one for some more decades.
The fact that we have a Chekov now in the movie suggests that indeed we won't see an Academy story, because Chekov and Kirk are too different in their age to share time there.
The fact that Pike is rumored to be in the movie was well, adds to that impression. Since cruise is supposed to make a cameo, I assume he will hand over command to Kirk at the beginning of the movie.
There is just one problem. The story of Kirks first mission on Enterprise is already told ( in a book ) and I doubt they are just filming that said book...