Harmony Jones
In a surprise move, Paramount have beamed Roberto Orci off “Star Trek 3”.
Deadline says there is “fire behind the smoke” that he won’t be directing. He remains on as a producer.
Orci, who co-wrote the previous “Star Trek” movies, was chosen to replace J.J Abrams as the new Captain in charge of the “Trek” franchise. It would’ve been quite the career coup for Orci, who is better known for his writing and producing work than helming pictures himself.
Something has seemingly gone awry though.
So who is in line to replace Orci? Deadline says Edgar Wright – who himself was removed from a big studio picture, Marvel’s “Ant-Man” earlier in the year – is in the mix. That would make sense, considering his long-standing working relationship with “Trek” actor Simon Pegg.
Bad Ass Digest says they’ve heard that Orci was dumped because of the script.
I’ve been in touch with some folks and it seems like the script was one of the problem factors. Paramount shut the production down last month, sending home all the design people while they battled over the direction of the screenplay. I imagine all this stuff is gone now
Bad Ass says the script was said to be be more of an adventure film than the last one (“Star Trek Into Darkness”) with William Shatner even rumoured to be making a comeback as [old] Kirk.
My sources tell me that the script Orci was working on saw the Enterprise, the Vulcans and a new alien race competing to get a time travel device. The Vulcans want to go back and stop the destruction of their planet, and the time travel schtick is what would allow Chris Pine and William Shatner to share the screen. Is that still going to be the plot of the movie – a MacGuffin that could wipe out the previous two films?
Doubtful.
