News, Etc.

Why Was Star Trek Pushed Back Again?

Releasing J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot on Christmas Day always seemed like a bizarre choice for Paramount to begin with. Yes, Abrams is a big name bringing a new energy to the franchise, but the studio is still probably going to have an uphill battle getting non-Trekkies to see this especially after the previous couple of films weren’t that great and had zero crossover appeal.

So, we learned last week that Paramount was pushing the film back to a May 8, 2009 release date and most news reports and blog posts ran with the idea that the studio is now so impressed with how things are going with the movie that they think it’ll be better positioned as a summer blockbuster instead of a holiday film.

Ok, that may be right. Seems more “logical” to release the film in May than on Christmas, correct? However, Paramount made the announcement one day after the Writer’s Strike ended. Way back in November during the early days of the strike, screenwriter John August wrote on his blog about a conversation he had with Abrams:

J.J. was describing a scene he was shooting the day before. Midway through it, he got a great idea for a new line. Which he couldn’t write. Couldn’t shoot. Couldn’t be in his movie.

So, now that Abrams and August are freed up to write — and it was nice to hear a director being so respectful, are you listening Michael Bay? — is the movie actually being pushed back to accommodate re-shoots? Just curious.

© 2008 Cinema Snark.