Alex Kurtzman

Imagine Entertainment, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci Developing Adaptation of Anne Rice’s THE TALE OF THE BODY THIEF

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 7th, 2012 at 2:39 pm

Ten years after 2002′s abysmal Queen of the Damned, tales from Anne Rice‘s Vampire Chronicles may be returning to the big screen.  THR reports that Ron Howard and Brian Grazer‘s Imagine Entertainment have optioned the fourth book in the saga of the vampire Lestat, The Tale of the Body Thief.  Star Trek screenwriter Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are co-producing and screenwriter Lee Patterson is currently at work on the script.

Hit the jump for more details on the project.

Filming Officially Underway on J.J. Abrams’ STAR TREK Sequel

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 17th, 2012 at 11:24 am

Ladies and Gentlemen, Star Trek 2 is on officially on the way. Paramount Pictures has announced that production has commenced on director J.J. Abrams’ follow-up to the fantastically awesome 2009 sci-fi pic Star Trek. We’ve got John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin all reprising their roles from the first film, and in an inspired bit of casting, Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is onboard as the film’s villain. Joining Cumberbatch in the Star Trek newbie circle are Alice Eve and Peter Weller.

Development on the sequel hasn’t been without its fair share of drama (Benicio Del Toro dropped out of the villain role weeks before filming began), but it’s reassuring to know that production has finally begun. The script was written by Star Trek writers Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Damon Lindelof, and composer Michael Giacchino will indeed return to score the pic (huzzah!). The currently untitled sequel will be post-converted to 3D and is set for release on May 17th, 2013. Hit the jump to read the full press release.

Is Benicio Del Toro Playing Khan in STAR TREK 2? [Updated]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 2nd, 2011 at 7:40 pm

Last month, we reported that Benicio Del Toro would be playing the villain in Star Trek 2.  Even before Del Toro’s casting, there has been non-stop speculation on who director J.J. Abrams and screenwriters Damon Lindelof, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman would choose as the baddie.  The name that kept popping up in fanboy circles was Khan Noonien Singh, the memorable antagonist from arguably the best Star Trek movie, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.  I thought this was a terrible idea, but unfortunately, it may have won the day.

Latino Review is reporting that Del Toro will play Khan in the upcoming sequel.  Hit the jump for more on Khan and why I hope this news is wrong.  [Update:  Abrams has commented on this rumor.  Hit the jump for what he had to say.]

STAR TREK 2 Begins Filming January 15th; Orci, Kurtzman, and Lindelof on 3rd Draft of the Scripts; New Details on Pre-Production

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 16th, 2011 at 8:07 am

Production on Star Trek 2 (unofficial title) is finally about to get underway.  We knew that it would start-up sometime in early 2012, but TrekMovie reports that filming on the sequel will officially begin on January 15, 2012.  Unless Paramount is willing to throw a lot more money at the sequel and everyone is willing to rush, don’t expect the sequel to hit theaters until summer 2013 at the earliest.

COWBOYS & ALIENS Team of Jon Favreau, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman Reunite for Government Sci-Fi Series EX-COMM

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 5th, 2011 at 10:17 am

Though Cowboys & Aliens didn’t really land with much pomp and circumstance, director Jon Favreau and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have plenty of great projects between them like Iron Man and Star Trek. Now Deadline reports the trio are teaming up again for a new pilot called Ex-Comm, a series described as a sci-fi drama with plenty of humor. Kurtzman is only executive producing the series with his collaborator Orci, but the latter will be writing the series with Favreau as well as Seth Green and Superman Returns and X2 writer Michael Dougherty, all of whom will also serve as executive producers.

It’s a strange assembly of writing talent, but the series sounds pretty cool as it’s said to follow a newly-elected President and his top secret Executive Committee (a.k.a. Ex-Comm), the government’s covert team of America’s most elite minds who investigate and protect our nation from the strangest occurrences and “conspiracy theory truths” out there. The series is described as a presidential procedural crossing the paranormal suspense of series like The X-Files and the politics of The West Wing, but with some fun and humor mixed in. Hopefully it turns out better than The Event, a series which seems to share some elements with this new series, but already I’m more confident in this new pilot than the canceled NBC series.

FRINGE Producers and THE SHIELD Writer Sell Western Series to Fox, and TBS Orders Pilot with Comedian Steve Byrne from Producer Vince Vaughn

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: September 30th, 2011 at 10:28 am

Here’s two more new series in development that will be vying for a slot on next year’s TV schedule. First up, THR has word on a new western series that just sold to Fox. The untitled project is said to explore the origins of Wyatt Earp, focusing on the well-known events in his life like the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral and details about his brothers bringing order to a lawless frontier. The Shield writer John Hlavin is behind the script while Fringe producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci will executive produce. With these names attached, it’s makes it much more likely that this will be a big project at next year’s upfronts presentation. Of course, with AMC’s track record, this new project will likely have to work hard to top the forthcoming western series Hell on Wheels.

Details on a new TBS sitcom with comedian Steve Byrne after the jump.

J.J. Abrams Finally Commits to Directing STAR TREK 2; Shooting to Begin This Winter

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 13th, 2011 at 6:42 pm

In what is probably one of the most non-surprising news bits in recent history, J.J. Abrams has officially committed to directing Star Trek 2. It’s been widely assumed for some time that Abrams would return to helm the sequel to his 2009 blockbuster. However, several delays eventually led Paramount to replace Star Trek 2 with G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation in its June 29th, 2012 release slot and the director told us back in August that he wouldn’t officially sign on until “everything was in place.”

Apparently, that time has come as Vulture reports that said delays are now a thing of the past now that co-writer Alex Kurtman has completed work on his directorial debut, DreamWorks’ Welcome to People. Per the report, Abrams and co. are now ready to focus on Trek 2 and are looking to begin shooting the much-anticipated pic this winter. Now that everything is “official,” Trek fans can finally get back to worrying less about who will direct and more about how they’ll be able to cope with “Average Joe Off the Street” enjoying their beloved franchise.

10 Interviews You May Have Missed: Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson TINTIN, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Marc Webb THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, More

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 29th, 2011 at 3:11 pm

As you may have noticed, we’ve been a bit flooded with content for the past week thanks in no small part to Comic-Con 2011. We’ve been posting our full-scale coverage from the convention (I’m still trying to catch up on sleep), which has included a large number of interviews. We know some of you might have missed a few of these interviews, so we’ve compiled a sort of “catch up” list of 10 that we thought you might enjoy.

Not all of the interviews are Comic-Con related, but we’ve got conversations with Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, Damon Lindelof, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Marc Webb, Steve Carell, Patrick Stewart, Don Cheadle, Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays, Nicolas Winding Refn, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, Don Cheadle and Kate Beckinsale. Hit the jump for some quick recaps and links to the full interviews.

Exclusive: Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci Talk COWBOYS & ALIENS, STAR TREK 2, HAWAII 5-0, FRINGE, WELCOME TO PEOPLE, ENDERS GAME and More

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: July 28th, 2011 at 7:03 pm

With Cowboys & Aliens hitting theaters tomorrow, yesterday afternoon I sat down with screenwriters/producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci for an extended interview.  During our wide ranging conversation, we discussed Comic-Con, Cowboys & Aliens, balancing the western genre with Sci-Fi, Harrison Ford, Kurtzman’s directorial debut Welcome to People (which stars Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde and Elizabeth Banks), Hawaii Five-0, Fringe, the potential for TV show crossovers, the Star Trek sequel, 3D, Ender’s Game, the Star Trek video game (which takes place after the first movie), and so much more.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to the interview.

LOCKE & KEY Series Pilot to Screen at Comic-Con

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: June 22nd, 2011 at 9:37 am

Though Fox ultimately decided to pass on the series adaptation of the graphic novel Locke & Key, audiences will still get a chance to see the pilot. Deadline reports IDW Publishing, the company behind the book, is hosting a special screening of the pilot complete with a panel discussion featuring creators Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, the pilot’s writer/executive producer Josh Friedman and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. However, the audience won’t be all that huge since the screening has been set in Room 8 (with the panel following in Room 9) on July 22nd at 10:30am. So if you’re desperate to see the fallen pilot, this might be your only chance. Of course, if fan reaction is big enough, perhaps the network will reconsider. For those just joining us, details on the story are after the jump.

COWBOYS & ALIENS Featurette

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 17th, 2011 at 10:10 am

A new featurette for the upcoming sci-fi/western Cowboys & Aliens has been released. The video includes a number of the creatives involved with the film, including producers Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard, and director Jon Favreau. If you’re trying to avoid spoilers, there’s no need to worry. The featurette doesn’t include any footage beyond what’s been shown in the trailers, and the filmmakers basically just talk about the general idea behind the film. A sci-fi property that’s not a sequel and blends genres with a Western is no easy sell, but the marketing campaign has been pretty spot-on so far.

Hit the jump to check out the featurette. Cowboys & Aliens stars Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Paul Dano, Clancy Brown, and Sam Rockwell.  The film opens (in 2D!) on July 29th.

Hero Complex 2011 Recap: Warren Beatty (DICK TRACY), Richard Donner (SUPERMAN), Jon Favreau & Robert Downey Jr. (IRON MAN), More

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: June 12th, 2011 at 9:55 pm

For the past few days at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, Geoff Boucher of The Los Angeles Times hosted the second annual Hero Complex Film Festival.  In attendance were Warren Beatty for Dick Tracy, director Nicholas Meyer for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, writers/producers Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof for Star Trek (2009), Richard Donner for Superman and Superman II (with an appearance by Geoff Johns), Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. (who was a surprise guest) for Iron Man and Iron Man 2.  Of course they both talked a bit about Iron Man 3, The Avengers and Magic Kingdom.

In addition to the previously announced guests, Captain America: The First Avenger screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely premiered the new trailer and talked about the movie, and Mike Mignola talked about going back to Hellboy.  For more on the Festival, hit the jump.

Update: Added some video of Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr.

First Look at New STAR TREK Video Game

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: June 3rd, 2011 at 8:18 am

With E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) almost upon us, most of the major gaming studios are tying to get the jump on the event by throwing out trailers and images for their upcoming titles.  Today, we received a press release regarding a new Star Trek game for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC.  The new game will take place in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek continuity and be a co-op experience where players take on the roles of Kirk and Spock.  God of War writer Marianne Krawczyk penned the script in consultation with Star Trek and Star Trek 2 writers Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman.  The game is being developed by Digital Extremes (Bioshock 2) and is set for release in summer 2012, which would coincide nicely with Trek 2 if that film still manages to hit its June 29, 2012 release date.

Hit the jump to check out the image along with the press release.

Screenwriter Roberto Orci Talks STAR TREK 2; Says They’ve Written a 70-Plus Page Outline [UPDATED]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 23rd, 2011 at 10:48 am

I feel a little bad for J.J. Abrams.  He spent the past year working on Super 8, a film that isn’t based on a pre-existing property, doesn’t have major stars, and wants to honor Steven Spielberg’s Amblin films even though it will also be judged against them.  And all anyone wants to talk about is “Yeah, that’s all well and good.  What’s up with Star Trek 2?”  With Abrams still busy with Super 8 and the press that film will require, co-writer Roberto Orci (above on the right) is stepping up to talk about where they are in the script phase.  Orci tells TrekMovie:

Just been waiting for JJ to be free to really decide if he likes the story and hear his suggestions before we finish the script. Once he says go, we’ll have it in no time. Meanwhile, our outline is detailed enough (70+ pages!) to do some prep.

I’m not exactly sure what a 70+ page outline looks like.  It obviously extends far beyond plot beats and I’m left wondering what details are included.  Hit the jump for more on what Orci had to say about the project.  Optimistically, Paramount still has Star Trek 2 set to open on June 29, 2012.

Update: Deadline is reporting that Paramount is considering a Holiday 2012 release date for Star Trek 2 due to the script not being ready.  However, nothing is certain until Abrams commits to directing the sequel, which should be very soon.  Original report after the jump.

Fox Passes on LOCKE & KEY Series, Will Retool Ethan Hawke’s EXIT STRATEGY

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: May 11th, 2011 at 9:47 am

Last night came a barrage of news from the Fox network with infuriating news of cancellation of The Chicago Code, Lie to Me and many more along. Of course, out with the “bad” and in the with the hopefully good meant that J.J. Abrams Alcatraz got picked up along with a few other new series for the fall. Well, now we have word on a couple of shows that didn’t quite make the cut as EW learned yesterday that the network passed on Locke & Key, the adaptation of the comic book series from Joe Hill. Despite having names like Steven Spielberg, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci behind it, apparently the pilot just didn’t deliver. There was talk of a limited series maybe coming together instead of a full fledged series, but those hopes have since been dashed by Deadline.

In addition, it appears that another series at Fox, Exit Strategy starring Ethan Hawke, may be retooled in order to be picked up later. The potential series would focus on a team of five experts associated with the CIA and led by Hawke who are deployed when an operation goes bad to extract those in danger before it’s too late. Fox executives apparently thought there was too much action and not enough character development and substance, so there’s a chance it could still get ordered to series down the road. There will be plenty more news on new Fox series and other networks attempts for fall television coming soon so stay tuned.

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