Star Trek 2 Might Bring Back Shatner By Genevieve M. Blaber "ScarletScribe" on May 16, 2009 With talk of a sequel to Star Trek going around, director J.J. Abrams has been discussing the possibility of bringing back some old favorites. "The fun of this [new alternate Trek reality] is that the destiny of these characters is in their hands — it's not constrained by the pre-existing films or TV series," stated Abrams. "Believe me, whether it's William Shatner or Khan ... it would be ridiculous to not be open to those ideas." Of course, the circumstances behind either's appearance may be very different from what we've seen before, but Abrams doesn't think that will hinder their characterizations or how they interact with one another. Khan might still hate Kirk, for example. "[Khan and Kirk] exist — and while their history may not be exactly as people are familiar with, I would argue that a person's character is what it is," said Abrams, explaining that new-Khan could be as bad as old-Khan despite disimilar backstories. "Certain people are destined to cross paths and come together, and Khan is out there ... even if he doesn't have the same issues." It's a theme that Abrams already touched upon in the first film, with the Enterprise's legendary crew assembling thanks to seemingly random occurrences, e.g. Sulu replacing a sick crew member and Kirk being stranded on Delta Vega only to find and bring back Scotty. Now, the questions are: Do audiences want Shatner back? And is Khan irreplaceable in their hearts? Source: MTV Movies Tags: Star Trek, News Comments Ughhh! Commented By: Max Power on 2009-05-18 14:28:03 Please, God, no. YES WE DO! Commented By: Ryan on 2009-05-18 14:29:08 OF COURSE WE WANT SHATNER BACK, SHOULD HAVE HAD A CAMEO IN THE FIRST ONE! The Shatner Commented By: Khan on 2009-05-18 15:30:50 Bring back the the Shat. In alternate reality he should be the king of some hedonistic planet full of alien women. Commented By: Cloudman on 2009-05-18 15:50:44 Yeah seriously. What the hell are they gonna do, more time travel? Please, no Shatner. Picard>>>Shatner, but that's beside the point, no more time travel! You've got a good set of characters now, work with 'em. NO on 2009-05-18 15:59:18 This is already one of the best reboots ever made and they have established a better universe that has ever been in a star trek movie so they should go to new places no retread Shatner in next Trek Commented By: Bill Kraft on 2009-05-18 16:02:43 It's time to go forward, not backward. The new characters work fine. Give them new, not rehashed plot devices. Bringing back original Kirk will invite scorn from fans and critics alike unless it is done in a compelling and dramatically plausible way. Tread carefully and do not sully our beloved "Star Trek." Logically Speaking Commented By: Andrew on 2009-05-18 16:06:13 What is needed now is another blockbuster story that time and effort are spent culminating a great franchise - greater than any that ever existed. I don't want to see a failure follow up - that would disgust me. I already think that the movie that just came out (which I have seen 5 times now) is oscar worthy and makes a bold statement. Make another bold statement. When people hear "Star Trek" chills should flow down their necks. People should swarm to the theaters knowing that they are about to get quality and not stupidity.... Logically Speaking Commented By: Andrew on 2009-05-18 16:08:05 What is needed now is another blockbuster story that time and effort are spent culminating a great franchise - greater than any that ever existed. I don't want to see a failure follow up - that would disgust me. I already think that the movie that just came out (which I have seen 5 times now) is oscar worthy and makes a bold statement. Make another bold statement. When people hear "Star Trek" chills should flow down their necks. People should swarm to the theaters knowing that they are about to get quality and not stupidity.... Star Trek is the heart and soul of science fiction and we should nurture it. One idea... Commented By: phred_666 on 2009-05-18 16:30:16 Let Shatner have a part in the next film.... as Tiberius Kirk.... Jim's Grandfather (or maybe a long lost uncle or some other relative) EXPLORE! Commented By: Chiefs Son on 2009-05-18 16:53:34 For god's sake, let them explore strange new worlds, let them seek out new lifeforms and new civilizations. And make them as freaky and interesting as some of those in the original series. No shat, no shat! Commented By: wab1701 on 2009-05-18 17:40:51 Absolutely no Shat, ever. As much as I love him to death and really enjoy watching the old romps, Kirk Prime died. He died twice, in fact. No shat, and for God's sake, NO KHAN! No one can top Montalban and to try would sully TWOK. Absolutely not! NOOOO!!!! Commented By: Eliot C. on 2009-05-18 17:58:35 Please, from the bottom of my heart and the peak of my desires, do not bring Khan back. His role in Trek history is legend, but that's history. Leave history to itself, and lets look to new frontiers. Continue to bring in familiar characters. Continue to develop relationships between the crew. Continue references and odes to the original series and movies. But please, come up with a story that is entirely new like you did with this Trek. You guys are creative. Put your talents to good use. why not Commented By: bob on 2009-05-18 18:46:58 Shatner is a big part of what made Star Trek what it is today. If they could feature Nimoy, it won't hurt to bring back Shatner. It can't be too hard to make it compelling. Abrams the moron Commented By: PJ on 2009-05-18 20:02:21 So not content with pissing all over the legacy, the moron will continue with his crap - Its NOT fun that you have decided to crap all over trek - its tragic. Greed Idiot No Do-Overs Commented By: David A. Young on 2009-05-18 20:13:11 Bringing Shat back in a walk-on -- as someone other than JTK -- would be fun, but NO DO-OVERS of episodes. Throwing in things like having the crew mention in passing how easy it was to disable the Doomsday machine with the info provided by Spock Prime would be neat, but that should be the extent of it. New Universe -- New Adventures. Anything else is just lazy storytelling. Get a trainer! Commented By: Ross on 2009-05-18 20:54:12 Fat Shat isn't going to work - if he wants a part in the new Trek Universe, he's going to have to lose a TON of weight. OriginalTrek Commented By: Ray Guy on 2009-05-18 21:43:45 I have been a fan since the very first episode those almost 45 years ago. First off you must see the new movie at least once at an IMAX since the experience will overtake the senses. Second, go boldly where no one has gone before. This should be the mission of any new Trek movies. Gene would be proud and would agree I believe that we (Trekkies) need to move on. At 60 years of age like Spock it is time for a new generation and new explorations. Enough already with reprising roles. Spock made sense, but the rest no longer exist, they have passed o some literally. Lets hope Paramount and Abrams sees the direction is a path toward seeking what we all hold dear and true and that is one in which the Star Trek world must continue the path of exploration of the final frontier that Gene Roddenberry envisioned for all of us. How about... Commented By: Jerry on 2009-05-18 21:45:54 Harry Mudd? I know.. laugh at the idea. But I think the characer with a little more evil and the same comic quirks would be an enjoybable movie. JMOH. ;-) Movie gets a C+ IMHO Commented By: Kim on 2009-05-18 22:39:02 It was okay. Science was really bad (the whole black hole thingie...not even close. Get's an F!). Premise was good; a good way to restart the series. Acting gets a B+; could have been an A except for the skinhead Romulans yelling with Australian accents and Spock being totally out of Character, I don't care if his mom did .... . Hope the plot is better in the next one with some actual depth. Please....Shatner, no. If you're going to start fresh, then start fresh, already. No slight to Shatner intended; I loved the old series. Hmmm Commented By: OS Chris on 2009-05-19 00:18:11 Shatner back in the next one i would say yes because the director needs to get on him about his speech imitation. That could happen and plus timeline has been changed dramatically. Hopefully, besides i think it would bring humor of this Kirk meeting Old Kirk. Not to mention his death in Generations was still a slap in the face so i say do it. Khan is 50/50 to me. You can't top Richardo... ever. But thanks to them at least leaving him alone maybe. I vote Klingons to some extent but give them some humanity and show the old klingon character with it. But for god sake add some depth to the story No "Class Reunions"!! Commented By: Stephen Goss on 2009-05-19 02:56:23 I love what Shatner had done with Kirk originally, and what he's done with his career reboot. But to bring back a character who's actor persona is larger than the character he played is just plain dumb. As long as JJ and crew keep treating the Trek universe with intelligence and heart, while of course living up to the spirit of Gene Roddenberry's vision, Star Trek will live long and prosper. It's why newer iterations beyond the original crew have all experienced some level of success. Star Trek is an idea and ideal, not a group of actors. As soon as we succumb to the tendency toward nostalgic "class reunion" projects, the franchise will die again. Uh, no Commented By: Friends Don't Let Friends Join The Church Of Shatner on 2009-05-19 07:53:05 Get over it, Shatnerites. And Bob, as Nimoy said to Shatner at a convention about a year ago in response to why Shatner wasn't in the movie, "Do you remember Star Trek VII [Generations]? Well, you were in a Star Trek movie that I was not." There you go. Doesn't make sense Commented By: Daniel on 2009-05-19 08:00:15 I like Shatner, but to have him come back in a sequel AS JTK would make no sense. Spock Prime got here through that temp black hole. How is Kirk gonna get to this timeline? Another blackhole? That'd be silly and incredibly convenient. If you want him as another character, a relative (like the grandfather as mentioned), ok, but not as JTK. It just wouldn't make sense. Keep Chris Pine Commented By: I don't have a name on 2009-05-19 10:11:35 Pine did an awesome job as Kirk, it would be cool for Shatner to come back with cameo BUT THAT'S FREAKIN IT E. Adams Commented By: E. Adams on 2009-05-19 13:33:24 Shatner back doesn't make sense in the time line set for this movie. There are endless possibilities though. In the original series, Vulcan is still a planet, Spock's mother is still alive, etc. The next movie should be and I expect it to be about going back in time to fix the time line so that Vulcan survives and Spock's mother survives. This would open it up to actors from the "Enterprize" TV series etc. Lots of action and tons of thrills if made. WHAT!? on 2009-05-20 07:32:52 no more time travel. leave it be the way it is now set. Move On from Khan... Commented By: Jodeo on 2009-05-20 13:03:20 No Khan. Leave it alone and move on, people. It's more important to look ahead and reflect on the realities this movie leaves us with: * Vulcan gone, and 10K Vulcans looking for a new home world, * 47 Klingon ships destroyed by a Romulan ship (from the future), raising the spectre of war. * Kirk and Spock are different because their lives have been changed. Spock is still maturing as a vulcan/human hybrid and Kirk is more cavalier in this timeline than the original. Kirk needs to fail because of this and fail big to raise the stakes of the movie and the new timeline. Maybe Kirk's decision costs one of the central crew members their life or freedom until the next movie. * Bring back Jolene Blalock (vulcan from Enterprise, though she'd be 300 years old) for a cameo. (Tuvok, the vulcan from Voyager, should be about 23 years young, perhaps on the Vulcan settlement "Vulcanis" - they could really ham up a vulcan mash-up scene with Spock and T'pol). * Carol Marcus, any one? As for Shatner, it feels contrived at this point. They missed a great opportunity to bring him back in this movie and just let the novelists fill in the blanks as to how he was brought back to life (I have my own version, where Q tells his bones to "Get up..." and dispatches Kirk on a mission to get Picard out of the brig at Starfleet to - you guessed it - save the entire galaxy from certain disaster [which involves the Omega particle - but it's a long story].) Kirk should've been helping Spock and been on the ice planet working their way to the outpost when they found young Kirk. Oh well. So much for cheating death. Please NO! Commented By: Andy on 2009-05-20 14:58:54 As a fan of the original series, lets just move on with the new cast. Just because it's Star Trek movie doesn't mean we have to always have cameos... whats next; Jean-Luc and Worf make an entrance? Lets enjoy the new cast "as is" The Shat will return, and none of you can stop him. Commented By: Ben on 2009-05-20 17:28:47 Wow, this thread is packed to the brim with Shat-haters, isn't it? Sorry guys, but Chris Pine didn't make a strong enough impression to make me want to "move forward". Shatner NEEDS to come back. Anybody remember the episode MIRROR MIRROR? Evil Mirror-Kirk could invade Pine-Kirk's dimension. How's THAT for compelling and dramatically plausible? Oh Gods! Commented By: "Check the Circuit!" on 2009-05-20 18:28:52 Say it ain't so! In hindsight, the new movie barely needed Nimoy. JJ accomplished everyting he needed to with a passing of the baton and a new, clean slate for future adventures. Star Trek II (A) must stand on its own. No cameos, no sequels to old episodes/movies. All new...All different. He's sucked us in with his new vision. Now, serve up the second course!!! ... Commented By: brandon on 2009-05-20 22:57:29 Why couldnt Paramount just recreate kirk, spock, mccoy and the gang in cgi...it would be a marvelous project... DO NOT BRING BACK KHAN! Commented By: Hollywood sucks on 2009-05-21 01:35:43 So lame and unimaginative to bring back Khan. So safe. So Hollywood. Khan!!!!!!!!!!! Commented By: ReelWorld on 2009-05-21 07:09:47 Javier Bardem as Khan! Hmmmm Commented By: Holly on 2009-05-21 12:46:32 King of some hedonistic planet full of alien women .... androids? It would be a hoot to see Shatner doing Harry Mudd, hee hee hee DEAR GOD NO SHAT Commented By: David on 2009-05-21 13:13:33 Khan, I wouldn't mind AS much, though I would prefer they stick to new things. Whatever they do, NO Shat. EVER. He's done, and honestly, Chris Pine is a FAR better Kirk than he ever was anyway. Yeah, I said it. But like him or not, there just is no place in this alternate timeline for the Shat. Shoehorning him in would instantly cause this new series to jump the shark, and I want it to continue succeeding as this first one did. on 2009-05-21 13:17:06 If they could do for Khan what they did for the Joker in Dark Knight I'd be sold. ehh Commented By: TRAPT509 on 2009-05-21 19:42:15 i can see why people would want to bring back shatne, and i think its a good and bad idea.. i mean kirk (as stated before) died TWICE and they will just keep bringing him back.. but also everyone saw what they did with spock prime.. not a HUGE role in the movie but enough screen time.. they could do something like that with kirk maybe.. NO KHAN Be Creative Commented By: Goldentrout on 2009-05-21 21:58:37 Abrams did a fantastic job getting us started down this new timeline. Let's not muck it up by rehashing all the old familiar characters. I say no Klingons, no more Romulans, no false deities at the heart of the galaxy. Get the same talent that pulled of this Trek to do it again, with fresh storylines! Shatner as Mudd Commented By: Erisraven on 2009-05-22 01:43:51 I think that Shatner doesn't really bolong in, mucking it up. Frankly, I hope Spock wanders off stage left and doesn't return. This is a new Trek, and to muddy the timelines worse would be disastrous. That being said, I think that if Shatner were to come back in, they should place the Ego in the best spot, as the scene stealing lounge-lizard used-lady salesman Harry Mudd. The great chemistry there could really work. If course, such things would have to be controlled carefully. We don't want to mire our action Trek in ill-conceived humor. I think we should all let go of JJ Abrams' ears, He's proven he knows what he's doing! It's time to step out... Commented By: Jack on 2009-05-22 08:36:05 As a long-time ST fan, this movie was a hoot. But, a remake of Kahn is going to be pushing it too much. When you was there, and seen the movie IRL back in the theater...seeing the death of Spock was a SHOCK. Everyone in the theater was just STUNNED. Long before the internet, you just didn't have spoilers so it hit you so hard. It is the fact that Paramount has DRAGGED through and NOT been willing to get new people to keep moving forward is what KILLED ST. Now its gotten a jolt because SOMEONE was WILLING to do SOMETHING to think outside the box. And going back to KAHN or SHAT is an ABSOLUTE MISTAKE. You've made your $$$ because you was up against the ropes and needed a new life. Ok, you've got that. You screw up and head back into the past for safety, and you'll be nuked by everyone and will lose the momentum that the fans and the critics has given in this reboot. Your Choice... Casting Commented By: Angela West on 2009-05-22 11:17:36 If you asked me to sit down and write this movie, I'd write Khan for one actor: Johnny Mother$(%( Depp. That would be SO AWESOME. It's an alternate timeline Commented By: Shanter's-Wig on 2009-05-23 08:58:47 If it's a good idea or not the Shat can return as an older kirk from the new alternate timeline - wasn't that the whole point of the movie to allow the following movies to do anything they like? Star Trek 2: Bring Kirk back Commented By: mitchell on 2009-05-23 13:34:18 I think that a Star Trek 2 film would be off the chain,It should bring back William Shatner as Kirk's grandfather or Uncle. I was blown away when I saw Star Trek,it's definetly not your father's show. this movie kicks some ass. The next movie Commented By: JD on 2009-05-23 19:21:54 For gods sake don't do a remake of KHAN. Khan left earth in the 1990's so he would not have been effected by the alternate timeline only Kirk and the rest of the future. The past would not have been affected. For got sakes use some common sense when doing new movies. Make new movie plots and new enemies. Go into the fight with the Klingons. I mean if you kill an entire race of people (vulcans) you tend to change eveything. Again no remakes.....Do something great and original with the Characters we have always loved. That will bring new people to the franchise and keep the trekies happy. Remaking Star Trek 2 Commented By: JD on 2009-05-23 19:26:37 Star movies 2, 3, and 4 were some of the greatest scifi movies ever made. Great story line and were very fluid. So don't try and remake those. Be original. I love shatner but not sure about that....maybe give him a cameo. You just created an entire new galaxy to work with. If you can't do something original with that you are pathetic. Remaking Star Trek 2 Commented By: JD on 2009-05-23 19:33:51 I mean when Star Wars came back....They didn't do remakes they continued the story. They did a succesful reboot....but why reboot if you are only going to tell the same story over but with some new some tweaks...and new actors...that is ridiculous. Be Open Minded Commented By: Mando on 2009-05-24 00:25:54 Maybe Shatner or Khan might be pushing it, but even thought he movie did a good job of thinking outside the box and doing it different, they can do those things with Khan or even with Shatner. The use of Leonard Nimoy was a great example. I will give it a chance. I have faith in JJ.Abrams . Khan substitute Commented By: Jan on 2009-05-24 09:05:24 The new Star Trek has got it right with the chance to develop the original characters more deeply. But no old heroes. ST is still male-dominated. Why not introduce a kiss-ass female anti-hero or crew member to stir up the emotions and since this new reality Spock has them, what scope! Khan Reinterpretation Would Be Interesting Commented By: Nathan on 2009-05-24 15:48:44 The only thing I thought was bad about this new movie was that the villain wasn't very intriguing. The whole time I was sitting there I was thinking, "If they make a sequel with a good villain it would be the best movie ever." There simply wasn't enough time to give Nero a good back story, not with all the good guys' back stories that needed to be told. But if you take the Batman reboot as an example, the first movie was about Bruce, but the second movie was about the Joker. We all loved Jack Nicholson's Joker, but Ledger's reinterpretation made the former pale by comparison. I think it's really interesting to hear Abrams dropping Khan's name because that was the first name that came to mind when I was thinking of a good Star Trek villain. Good for the Franchise Commented By: J Walker on 2009-05-24 23:18:03 Star Trek is American Mythology. This new movie is something else. J.J. Abrams may have been the choice to bring Star Trek back to the hearts of the masses but the characters and the writing shows only a cursory familiarity with the characters. They almost seemed like caricatures of themselves or something from a graphical novel adaptation. Spock and Kirk are not Batman and Robin and they don't quite fit being portrayed that way. I'm all for alternate directions but hopefully the next movie is a bit more believable. Oh and to the set designer, It's the freakin' bridge of the enterprise not a Pais fashion runway, ugly sets... Dr. F Commented By: F Hamilton on 2009-06-18 10:56:23 Point about the black hole science. It can theoretically exist as a hole in space time..black hole on one end and white hole on the other. Problem is that in order for anything to pass through it and not be compressed to a singularity there has to be an injection of exotic matter, e.g. something with negative mass etc. Cant say I've ever heard of "Red Matter" but it seemed pretty exotic to me. Khaaaan.. um, no.. Commented By: Robert on 2009-06-18 13:57:02 The comment made in the article that Khan's history wouldn't be the same as before doesn't make sense. Based on Space Seed (the episode where Khan first appeared), Khan was put into a sleeper ship for his crimes long before the 'Kelvin incident' in the new movie which changed the timeline. Therefore, if the Enterprise runs across him in the new timeline, he should wake up as the EXACT same person he was in Space Seed. The reactions of the crew to him might be different, but Khan himself will be the same person he was...