Rod Roddenberry Has Concerns About 'Star Trek XI'

Eugene Roddenberry Jr. is concerned that Paramount is rushing ahead with an eleventh Star Trek film and worries that "it's always tricky to do a prequel."

Sci Fi Pulse posted Roddenberry's comments from his latest podcast, in which the son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry said that he "kind of wanted to share my point of view on that so more than one person hears it. Basically the deal is that I actually have nothing to do with any of the Star Trek movies."

Roddenberry explained that Paramount has had complete control both financially and creatively of the franchise since his father died. Gene Roddenberry had sold the financial rights to the franchise in the 1980s, yet remained an executive producer on The Next Generation. "I would have kept Enterprise on for a couple more seasons because it was doing better," Roddenberry said. "But then after that was over I probably would have let the franchise rest for 5, 10 and maybe even 15 years because there’s enough Star Trek in circulation to go round and round."

Roddenberry added that he had met new executive producer and director J.J. Abrams and "he seems like a great writer...from what I hear when I talk to people, he’s got the mind to write Star Trek. He knows Star Trek he’s a fan."

However, Roddenberry worries that the new film, like Enterprise, will run into problems with continuity. "It's always tough when you go against pre–established things," he said. "I'd prefer them, when I say them I mean Paramount and everyone to wait a few years. I’m hesitant on the prequel." Roddenberry added that he had not read a script, which he believes is because he tends to speak his mind and "the fans have given my family a lot of clout and I think that to some degree has given me a lot of clout. So I think that a lot of people respect what I say to a degree and if I didn’t have anything good to say about it I think they'd be scared."

The casting of "the guy they’ve got to play Spock, Sylar from Heroes" aka Zachary Quinto does please Roddenberry: "I think he will be a great Spock...and he seems like a really cool guy." Roddenberry closed by saying that he is excited and looking forward to the movie despite his reservations.

The original transcript is at Sci Fi Pulse.

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