I know some of you weren't happy when Roberto Orci signed to direct STAR TREK 3, so this must be good news for all y'all.
Orci's out of the gig he took on when J.J. Abrams abandoned ship (for some mumblecore indie we haven't heard much about). Filming was set to start during the first half of 2015, to make the 2016 release date that would correspond with Trek's 50th anniversary. If that is to happen, they need to find a new director quick, and it seems that Edgar Wright is their top pick to jump into Orci's shoes.
Now, before you all get excited (or disappointed?), the idea of Wright, who famously left ANT-MAN in the hands of Peyton Reed when his relations with Marvel soured, jumping in and replacing another director when he jumps ship seems…mildly outlandish at best. But then again, ANT-MAN had been his baby for years, and watching Feige & Co. meld it in with what they were doing might've been a camel's back-breaking straw that wouldn't be an issue here. If he (or someone of his caliber) would be willing to jump onboard and work with the materials Orci and Paramount have ostensibly already cooked up, then we could maybe have our most visually alive and outside-the-box TREK movie to date.
As for what happened with Orci, it's anyone's guess. His relationship with J.J. Abrams was obviously a huge factor in getting him the gig, and his removal this far along implies some sort of choppiness with the powers-that-be. He does have something of a reputation for conspiracy theories, and it's possible Paramount didn't want to worry about him running his mouth off while promoting the flick. Maybe it's as simple as the fact that he was a first-time director, and they didn't want to trust their franchise with a freshman (who didn't also happen to be a crucial cast member like Nimoy, Shatner, or Frakes). Presumably, they'll still be going off the script co-written by Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Patrick McKay, and J.D. Payne, but I'd expect at least a once-over to be done by whomever ends up occupying the director's chair.
If Paramount is dead set on getting a TREK movie out there for the 50th anniversary (and it's a pretty safe bet they will), then expect to hear who'll be replacing Orci fairly soon. Let's just hope it's someone we can all rally behind to give us a badass third go around with this incarnation of the U.S.S. Enterprise and its crew.
So...does this have any impact on that alleged Shatner appearance??
