‘STAR TREK’ Begins Shooting!
J.J. Abrams commenced principal photography on his new Star Trek film, which will feature Bruce Greenwood as Captain Pike and (maybe) Rachel Nichols as...?
On Wednesday, November 7, at an undisclosed Southern California location site, director J.J. Abrams "made it so" by rolling cameras on the simply-titled Star Trek, the first Trek film in more than five years.
According to Trek Movie's ANTHONY PASCALE, Abrams plans to shoot on location as much as possible, using soundstages only for starships and locales not reproducible on Earth. Though the first Paramount lot shots are scheduled for next week, most such shooting will be reserved for the latter half of principal photography, which is expected to last until March '08.
Pascale's sources say that, although WGA picket lines will be found in front of Paramount Studios "for the foreseeable future," the strike is not expected to affect production for Star Trek. (Ironic note: the last major writer's strike occurred during production of Star Trek V in 1989, during which time director William Shatner conceived the idea for his TekWar franchise.)
In the meantime, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Paramount has signed Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood (I, Robot) for the role of Captain Christopher Pike in the new Trek.
The 51-year-old, a favorite of director Atom Egoyan (Exotica), certainly can play a leader: he portrayed JFK in Thirteen Days, and plays the U.S. president in the new Nicholas Cage flick National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
Pike was originated by the late Jeffrey Hunter (The Searchers) in the un-aired first Trek pilot "The Cage." After Hunter declined to return for the second pilot (some reports suggested that his spouse pushed for too much money), Shatner beamed aboard as Captain Kirk.
In other (potential) casting news, Rachel Nichols (P2) seemingly confirmed the rumor that she will be in the movie.
"I’m very restricted on what I’m allowed to say," the 27-year-old actor told the Toronto Sun, "but yes, there’s a good chance you’ll see my shining face in the new Star Trek."
Nichols, a veteran of Abrams' series Alias, said she didn't know what character she'll be playing. The most likely candidates (among Trekkers) are Capt. Pike’s First Officer "Number One," Dr. Carol Marcus (the mother of Kirk’s son), Nurse Christine Chapel, and Yeoman Janice Rand.
Nichols' new thriller P2 opens this weekend.
Star Trek warps into movie houses on Christmas Day '08.