Bennett Advocates 'Starfleet Academy' Premise

If Wrath of Khan producer Harve Bennett had his way, the next step for the Star Trek franchise would be to go back to the beginning of the Kirk/Spock relationship.

Asked by Seattle Times reporter Mark Rahner about how he would pilot Trek's future, Bennett cited his rejected movie premise, The Academy Years, which follows the adventures of cadets James T. Kirk and Spock at Starfleet Academy.

"Spock is the first Vulcan to attend the academy," Bennett said. "It was a story of prejudice against Spock, who almost dies in it. It's the story of Kirk's first and last love, with a cadet lady who dies heroically saving the planet or something similar. But its undertone is about racism. It's about redbloods vs. bluebloods vs. greenbloods. And at the end Kirk is alone. He and Spock part, and you understand why Kirk is going to run around the galaxy chasing illusions and skirts."

The premise was reportedly pitched to Paramount a few years ago. A studio executive rejected the idea, according to Bennett, because they were "planning a new series that goes back in time like this. And that turned out to be Enterprise."

To read the complete interview, in which Bennett also talked about how he joined the franchise, can be found at the Seattle Times. Thanks to Patti Skoda for this!

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