Star Trek sequel news round-up

There’s been lots of chatter about the next Star Trek film over the past week or two. Here’s our round-up of everything we’ve found out...

With JJ Abrams' staggeringly-successful reboot of the Star Trek franchise about to hit the home DVD and Blu-ray market, much talk has inevitably turned to the sequel, which Paramount is understood to be keen to release in just two years' time (although whether that happens remains to be seen).

And, over the past week or two,, some titbits and rumours have started to circulate surrounding the project. So here are the latest updates:

• Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have been talking to Coming Soon mainly about the upcoming DVD release of Transformers 2, but the site snuck some Star Trek questions in there. The pair said they'd consider looking at Next Generation elements (the Borg, perhaps) for the next Star Trek film, although in Kurtzman's words, "I think our instinct would be to first look at the original series before we would consider that, but all of that would be on the table for us, it is on the table." 
• The pair also discussed the idea of doing the next two Star Trek films back to back. Again, in the words of Kurtzman, "It's not ‘Hey, let's do as many as possible.' But rather ‘Let's make sure that they are good' ... So, if the studio wants more than one, then great, but our thinking is going to be very much about the story." He didn't rule it out, though, adding: "Right now we are not thinking specifically about making two and three. It may come up but it's not where our heads are right now." 
• The pair have still not decided on precisely who to include, which leaves the speculation about Khan hanging in the air. 
• Meanwhile, JJ Abrams has been doing press too, and Coming Soon once more pressed him on whether his plans for the franchise were long term. "That's a wonderfully optimistic question and I appreciate that, but the answer is that it's obviously just movie-to-movie." the director replied. 
• Abrams has also confirmed that he's considering the idea of making Star Trek 2/12 (take your pick) as a 3D movie. 
• William Shatner's appearance in the next Trek film is far from a foregone conclusion. Abrams remains adamant that it makes it spectacularly hard to adhere to the canon of Star Trek, yet ignore the fact that Captain Kirk died on screen. Hence, don't expect William Shatner anytime soon, even though Abrams admits he's keen to work with him. 
• Don't rule out more Leonard Nimoy, though. Nimoy has commented last week that "Frankly, I doubt that I'll be called upon again. I think I was useful in this last film to help bridge the original characters and the new cast, but with the new cast in place, I'm sure they'll move ahead with that. I don't see at the moment why they would need me, but I wouldn't hesitate if they asked." Abrams, in an interview transcribed over at Collider, batted that back, though: "I can't imagine a Star Trek movie not needing him." However, he refused to be drawn on whether Nimoy would definitely be in the next movie. 
• In spite of Paramount's aim for the next Star Trek film to hit in 2011, the smarter money is on the year after. Abrams is also working on Mission: Impossible 4, and that may yet be a project that he chooses to direct. If he does, that'll wipe out most of next year and a good chunk of the year after too. We'd expect an announcement on that soon, though.

We'll, of course, keep you posted on future developments...