For anyone who missed it yesterday, news broke that apparently Paramount Pictures has tasked Simon Pegg with the task of writing the next installment in their rebooted Star Trek franchise. Now that I've had some time to -- ahem -- digest it, I thought I'd sound off on it.
Most of the web seemed to greet the news favorably. After all, Pegg is clearly a fan of the franchise (or, at the very least, he's certainly a die-hard fan of this reboot). Also, Pegg has an impressive record of writing and co-writing features and television projects like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End. While those are all good, I'm particular impressed with his writing and acting from his Spaced television show. (If you haven't seen it, pick it up on home video DVD, and methinks you'll be equally surprised.) Lastly, one could argue that Pegg has served as the most vocal cheerleader of these current Star Trek movies; thus, why not give him a chance to see what he can do with a silver screen story?
Besides, I've always said that things like casting news and/or director announcements really don't have a whole lot of interest for me at this stage in my life. All too often, I've been disappointed by far too many projects to list here, and that's taught me that what really matters less the star power is what Shakespeare I think it was said (I'll paraphrasing): "The story's the thing." A good story can usually salvage a bad acting choice, whereas I've rarely (if ever) seen a great actor save a bad story.
As to who can write a good story?
Well, as one who practices a fair amount of writing on a daily basis, I've always contended to friends and family that anyone -- and I do mean anyone -- can be a storyteller. Granted, I don't necessarily believe that anyone can be a masterful storyteller all of the time but -- every now and then -- I think the sky parts and the clouds fall away, leaving truly great things to come through on the horizon. I think given the right circumstances everyone can rise to the occasion and do some of their best work regardless of how many big or small ideas are bouncing around like rabbits in their heads.
That said, 2016 will serve as Star Trek's fiftieth anniversary, so I can understand why Paramount wants this picture in-the-can and on its way to the megaplexes by then. A deadline looming can often times help serve as an inspiration to those of us who try to work off of them. Writers tend to be pragmatic people more often than not -- I say this based entirely on my own experiences with them -- and I suspect more of us try to draw inspiration from a due date as opposed to look on them as a curse.
So ... the end result of all of this digestion is that I'm going to stay cautiously optimistic about the decision to put this project in Pegg's hands. He's certainly written enough to know what elements make for a successful story, and audiences seem to embrace what he's done even if those particular visions may not exactly look like Star Trek stories.
If anything, he's definitely got the weight of the franchise on his shoulders at present, and -- loving Trek as much as I do -- I'm going to wish him well.
Keep boldly going, my friends ...
Most of the web seemed to greet the news favorably. After all, Pegg is clearly a fan of the franchise (or, at the very least, he's certainly a die-hard fan of this reboot). Also, Pegg has an impressive record of writing and co-writing features and television projects like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End. While those are all good, I'm particular impressed with his writing and acting from his Spaced television show. (If you haven't seen it, pick it up on home video DVD, and methinks you'll be equally surprised.) Lastly, one could argue that Pegg has served as the most vocal cheerleader of these current Star Trek movies; thus, why not give him a chance to see what he can do with a silver screen story?
Besides, I've always said that things like casting news and/or director announcements really don't have a whole lot of interest for me at this stage in my life. All too often, I've been disappointed by far too many projects to list here, and that's taught me that what really matters less the star power is what Shakespeare I think it was said (I'll paraphrasing): "The story's the thing." A good story can usually salvage a bad acting choice, whereas I've rarely (if ever) seen a great actor save a bad story.
As to who can write a good story?
Well, as one who practices a fair amount of writing on a daily basis, I've always contended to friends and family that anyone -- and I do mean anyone -- can be a storyteller. Granted, I don't necessarily believe that anyone can be a masterful storyteller all of the time but -- every now and then -- I think the sky parts and the clouds fall away, leaving truly great things to come through on the horizon. I think given the right circumstances everyone can rise to the occasion and do some of their best work regardless of how many big or small ideas are bouncing around like rabbits in their heads.
That said, 2016 will serve as Star Trek's fiftieth anniversary, so I can understand why Paramount wants this picture in-the-can and on its way to the megaplexes by then. A deadline looming can often times help serve as an inspiration to those of us who try to work off of them. Writers tend to be pragmatic people more often than not -- I say this based entirely on my own experiences with them -- and I suspect more of us try to draw inspiration from a due date as opposed to look on them as a curse.
So ... the end result of all of this digestion is that I'm going to stay cautiously optimistic about the decision to put this project in Pegg's hands. He's certainly written enough to know what elements make for a successful story, and audiences seem to embrace what he's done even if those particular visions may not exactly look like Star Trek stories.
If anything, he's definitely got the weight of the franchise on his shoulders at present, and -- loving Trek as much as I do -- I'm going to wish him well.
Keep boldly going, my friends ...
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