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November 21, 2007

William Shatner on Being Left Out of 'Star Trek' Film: 'It Doesn't Make Sense'

As the film-adaption of "Star Trek" continues to make headlines, William Shatner says he can't understand why he wasn't asked to make a cameo.

“How could you not put one of the founding figures into a movie that was being resurrected? That doesn’t make good business sense to me!” Shatner said at a signing for his book, "Star Trek Academy: Collision Course" in Hollywood.

Director JJ Abrams has offered Leonard Nimoy and several past cast members the chance to make a cameo in the sci-fi spectacle.

Shatner told “Extra” that he would have been great for the film, insisting, “I’ve become even more popular than I was playing Captain Kirk. I’m good box office and I get publicity….But, they are going in a different direction and it’ll be a wonderful film."


NEXT: Hillary Clinton Talks Turkey

 

I have just returned home from viewing the new Star Trek movie and although I found it to be a wonderful experience I must say that the absence of William Shatner left an enormous void in both the thread/integrity of the movie… and my heart. He is so much the essence of Capt. Kirk (and such an excellent actor) that the film simply screamed for his presence in some form. That, Mr. Abrams, was the true “Black Hole” you created in your new Star Trek endeavor!!!


- Anne
Posted 05/12/09 02:50 AM
 

Kirk DIED and was dead when the older Spock and Nero do the time travel bit. kind of hard to be there when you’re a long dead corpse. Know whut ah mean Verne?

No place for a Shatner version of older Jim Kirk.


- Oddzball
Posted 05/10/09 11:34 PM
 

AS YOU KONW WILLIAM ALWAYS LOVE TO GET ATTENTION FROM THE REST OF CAST AND HE LIKE TO BE NUMBER 1 BUT THERE ARE OTHER ACTORS WHO ARE VERY GOOD AND I LOV LEONARD NIMOY AND HE IS BETTER ACTOR THAN W.SHANTER . SO WILLIAM TIME TO GROW UP YOU CANT ALWAYS HAVE YOUR WAY ALL TIME AND STOP CRYING WA WA WA ALL TIME BE THANKFUL YOU WORKING IN BOSTON LEAIAL ON TV AS YOU HAVE A JOB ANYWAY . KIRK IS DEAD SO GET USE TO IT .


- alison Bucher
Posted 01/11/09 01:36 PM
 

OK - Here’s the solution. In the prequel, there is a scene where one of the new main characters laments the passing of his great grandfather and discovers that he was in fact cryogenically frozen back in 2012 with a disease now quite curable (Mad Cow). The new crew member’s name? DENNY CRANE VI.

Hey, it could work!

CD


- Chuck D.
Posted 10/16/08 08:31 AM
 

Respectfully, Joanne doesn’t get it. It DOESN’T make good business sense…for $$$ or for fans. Shatner IS a large reason for ST’s success, as is Nimoy, Roddenberry, etc. All should be respected. If NONE of them had been contacted and just invited to the premiere as honored guests, that would have been understood…but to offer roles and cameos to others and NOT Shatner. Bad. Bad. Bad.


- ST Fan
Posted 01/27/08 10:34 PM
 

This is a STAR TREK geared for my KIDS - not gared for me. My daughter can not “believe” Mom & Dad actually watched that “hokie TV show” (SHD tapes of old TV shows can be held against you by your kids!) and thought it was GREAT special effects. You have to realize those of us who “grew up ” watching the first Star Trek TV series were PRE STAR WARS special effects kids and this is just another step forward for our kids that actually had nothing to do with making movies for “US OLD FANS” enjoying a new movie with them - If they do not find it “hokie” which is always a risk trying to reinvnet something from the 60’s for kids of the late 1990’s early 2000’s! :-)


- Sammi
Posted 01/23/08 10:17 AM
 

William Shatner as Capt Kirk should have never been written out of any movie
of course they can bring him back like they did Leonard nimoy in star trek the search for spock using the genesious devise,
So why can’t they do the same and recreate the genesious devise and write it into an upcoming star trek movie.
i would like to see William shatner come back as captain kirk in a future up coming movie after all he was the Captain that started it all give Bill a chance please.
Hollywood has made some great star trek movie’s but its still not the same with out The
William shatner as captain kirk, I’m shure many trekkie’s would agree.
sign Curtis Brown from philadelphia pa,


- Curtis L Brown
Posted 01/22/08 04:51 PM
 

I can understand him being mad but did he not get killed off in one of the movies. Did he want to come back as a ghost


- barb
Posted 11/29/07 10:50 PM
 

I think Bill has every right to feel slighted or what have you. I mean, He WAS captain Kirk guys. The character obviously means a lot to him, as much as it does to any of us trek fans. And I think as a rule of etiquette he should have been included in the loop when it comes to a Kirk portrayal. I don’t think his issues are as much with not being present in the movie, as much as the fact that he’s not been informed of what the heck is going on ith Star Trek XI


- glengemen
Posted 11/26/07 04:51 AM
 

I guess Rodney Dangerfield isn’t the only one who gets NO R E S P E C T….


- Calvin Saylor
Posted 11/24/07 08:01 PM
 

I think Mr. Shatner should create a different role for himself in the new “Star Trek” movie other than his TV series character if he really wants to do something about being left out of the movie.
Just a thought…..


- Anonymous
Posted 11/24/07 02:40 PM
 

Kirk is dead. What part of that is hard for Shatner to understand? We all loved Kirk, but manufacturing an excuse to bring him back to life is a distraction the movie can do without.

Maybe he could do a narration or something…?


- CT
Posted 11/23/07 05:01 AM
 

Without Shatner is film is going to bomb. JJ Abrams is a complete tool for not getting him in this dumb prequel!~

Boycott STXI!


- Scorned
Posted 11/21/07 05:25 PM
 

wether they used shat attack or not they could have mabey called him and if he really felt that serious shot him in a scean if it does not work out leave it out of the final cut and put it in with the dvd extras. Then atleast he does not feel slighted and his fan base does not have to see him say stuff like that personelly i think star trek is cool the second third and fourth film and the borg one other than that im more a Star Wars fan.


- Daniel Gentry
Posted 11/21/07 03:58 PM
 

Leonard Nimoy is not playing the role of Spock in this film. He is playing a role as a vulcan mentor. Perhaps there is not a role for Shatner that would play a vital part in this movie. I think Shatner should just get over it and stop his whining. Shatner seems to me to be more concerned about making lots of money and using Star Trek as the foundation for all of this. It is time for Shatner to make way for others in the realm of Star Trek and stop being so selfish. He has commented it is “not good business sense” for Abrams not to use him in the fil, that seems to be all he is concerned about and not the fans. Shatner seems to want all the credit yet the credit is really due to the creator and that is Gene Roddenberry. I think Mr. Roddenberry would be ashamed of Shatner’s behavior.


- Joanne Lyson
Posted 11/21/07 03:20 PM
 

Leonard Nimoy has an actual role in the film as far as what’s been stated publicly from everyone connected with the film - it is no “cameo.” As for “several past cast members” being offered cameos, nothing like that has been made public by Abrams, Paramount or classic Star Trek cast mates.


- TNW
Posted 11/21/07 10:52 AM
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