"We’re hopefully going to have everyone, obviously, from the first cast,” says Abrams. “I keep trying to spread this rumor that I’m going to recast Kirk as Greg Grunberg, but no one ever prints it.” Ok, there you go, Mr. Abrams.

He says that Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci have started work on the script, but he didn’t spill much about it. “Yes, we know the direction, but it’s very early. We’re working on a script right now still. I can tell you it’s cool. We have some really cool ideas, but it’s too early."

As for a “Mission Impossible 4” film, Abrams says this script is also in the works. “Yeah, we have a really cool story. It’s being written right now by Andre Nemec and Josh Applebaum. We’re hoping to get [a draft] soon, like by the end of the year."

Sounds good on all counts. I’m a big “Fringe” fan (read my “Fringe” reviews over at TV Squad), and I’m usually all over anything by Abrams.

Excited for “Star Trek 2” and “Mission Impossible 4”?

Image: INF

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I enjoyed all of the “M:I” movies, but the first was probably my favorite. By the box office numbers: “MI:1” – $452 million; “MI:2” – $545 million; and “MI:3” – $395 million.

I’ll look forward to seeing what they do with a fourth movie. Abrams has been successful rebooting “Star Trek,” so I expect he’ll bring back “Mission: Impossible” from its low numbers on the third movie.

And interesting that so many of these franchises are coming back with the original stars, like Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones” and Bruce Willis in “Die Hard,” to name two.

Any thoughts on this? Are you onboard for a fourth “Mission: Impossible” movie?

Image: © Paramount Pictures; Source: Hollywood Reporter

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"The fun of this [new alternate 'Trek' reality] is that the destiny of these characters is in their hands — it’s not constrained by the pre-existing films or TV series," Abrams told MTV News. "Believe me, whether it’s William Shatner or Khan … it would be ridiculous to not be open to those ideas."

If you’ve seen the new movie, you know there’s an alternative timeline involved in the story. Sure, Capt. Kirk died in a previous film, but that doesn’t mean he can’t come back to life in future movies.

And what of Khan Noonien Singh, the evil villain played by Ricardo Montalban in previous films, including "The Wrath of Khan"? Abrams says he may NOT have been stuck on Ceti Alpha V. You know, different timelines and all. Writer/producers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are already talking about bringing Khan back.

Who would play him, though? How about Ruben Blades? Or maybe Gael Garcia Bernal (pictured)? I guess they wouldn’t have to be of Latin descent, unless the filmmakers follow along the Ricardo Montalban ethnicity.

Of course, who knows when or if a sequel will be made. Says Abrams, "We’re all still coming down from making this movie." I can imagine!

Images: INF; William Shatner, Runway For Life Gala benefiting St. Jude Children’s Reserach Hospital, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, CA, Oct. 11, 2008; Gael Garcia Bernal, Premiere of 8, 2008 Rome Film Festival, Oct. 23, 2008.

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It’s not often you get a reboot that takes you right back into the story and characters without being cheesy. But "Star Trek" manages to do just that. Under J.J. Abrams’ skillful directing, the movie is funny, sweet, and engaging, with good special effects that keep you hooked through to the end. I wasn’t sure he’d be able to pull it off, but he did.

The story takes us back to the time of James T. Kirk’s dramatic birth. His father, George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) suddenly finds himself promoted to the captain of a Starfleet vessel. During an attack, he saves his wife (House’s Jennifer Morrison) and new baby, as well as the rest of the crew. It sets the tone for the movie and James’s life. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.

The tone immediately picks up with James aging a few years and nearly driving his mother’s boyfriend’s (or perhaps husband’s?) hot sports car off a cliff. The scene is gripping and intense, and gives some insight into the young boy and his brash, impulsive behavior we’d come to know and love/hate later on the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Jump ahead a few more years, and James (Chris Pine) is getting into a bar fight and being recruited by Capt. Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to enroll in Starfleet Academy. James isn’t interested, but Pike is persuasive in his own way. As the movie hurtles along through space and time, we see how he meets Spock (Zachary Quinto), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban), Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Sulu (John Cho), and Chekov (Anton Yelchin).

Spock’s parents, Sarek (Ben Cross) and Amanda (Winona Ryder) also play a pivotal role in the story, as does the villain Nero (Eric Bana) and his henchman Ayel (Clifton Collins, Jr. – read my interview with him here).

I appreciate that the actors who took over the familiar roles somehow manage to put their own spin on them, while at the same time paying homage to the originals. Karl Urban probably comes closest to DeForest Kelley; if you close your eyes and just listen to his voice and inflections, it really does seem like he could BE Kelley. There’s a few moments where Chris Pine certainly channels William Shatner, too. It’s remarkable really.

And because of some space-time continuum shenanigans, we also get to see the original Spock, played, of course, by Leonard Nimoy. I can see why he had to be talked into doing the role by J.J. Abrams – you don’t want to mess with a good thing, after all – but his presence really brought some legitimacy to the movie, helping to launch the reboot in just the right way. I don’t even mind the time-jumping, because you can’t have a good "Star Trek" movie without it.

The movie is also very funny, bringing in nearly all of the pop culture "Star Trek" references, like "Live long and prosper," "Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a [insert job here]," and "I’m givin’ her all she’s got, Captain!"

Whether you’re a fan of the original series or a newbie just getting your Trek feet wet, "Star Trek" is definitely worth the price of a movie ticket and some popcorn. Sit back and enjoy the ride at warp speed. I look forward to the next "Star Trek" movie with anticipation (yes, I’m sure there will be more). 

NOTE TO PARENTS: There’s quite a bit of violence, including fist-fights, explosions, and encounters with Romulan war vessels. There’s also one scene where a character is chased by an alien being, but you get the feeling he’s not in any real danger. Overall, most of the action is sci-fi violence, and the PG-13 rating is spot on.

Images: Copyright, Paramount Pictures

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What Gives You the Right:

Space Jump:

Kirk Meets Uhura:

Enlist in Star Fleet:

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What do you think of these images? Do they make you want to go see the movie (in theaters May 8, 2009)?

Image Credits: © Paramount Pictures

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Zoe Saldana, Chris Pine, John Cho, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg and others showed up at the UK Premiere in London (Empire Leicester Square) and press conference (Claridges Hotel) on April 20, 2009. The movie hits U.S. theaters on May 8, 2009.

Zoe Saldana (Uhura):

Chris Pine (Capt. James T. Kirk):

Chris Pine (Capt. James T. Kirk) and Zachary Quinto (Spock):

Simon Pegg (Scotty) and his Mom!:

 Eric Bana (Nero), John Cho (Sulu), Chris Pine (Kirk) and Zachary Quinto (Spock):

Zoe Saldana (Uhura):

Photos via Image.net, Jorge Herrera

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Read on as he talks about whipping Jason Statham’s ass, being awed by Leonard Nimoy, working with Andre Braugher on “Thief,” and the magic that is “Grand Theft Auto.”

JANE: You play a Mexican mob boss in “Crank” High Voltage.” Did you study other movie mob bosses to get a feel for it?

CLIFTON: I studied the two brothers in the original piece. I watched them attempt to be sort of a modern day “Scarface” imitator, and I say ‘modern day’ because my two younger brothers would have NO knowledge of the Howard Hawks’ “Scarface” [circa 1932].

That said, I turned to tradition. I mentioned to Mark [Neveldine, director/writer] and Brian [Taylor, director/writer] that I would be Old School, from the Motherland of Mexico, not some Cuban hybrid drug dealer from a movie. My influences would be more real, coming from Mayan and Aztec influences, Sinaloa Gangsters, etc.

I discovered the Patron Saint Jesus Malverde through my research, the Saint of all drug traffickers. A Mexican Robin Hood of sorts who was turned in by his best friend for 10,000 pesos and hung from a Hickory Tree in 1914. That is where most of my attire in the film comes from, that and Elvis Presley circa ‘68-’71.  If there ever was a charismatic bad guy to study, check out Glen Ford in “3:10 To Yuma” [circa 1957]. NOBODY can touch that!

JANE: Totally agree on that! So talk a little about your character. Do you interact with Jason Statham and/or Amy Smart?

CLIFTON: I do interact with Statham in the film and also Amy, but only at lunch! I have a beef to settle with Statham’s character in the film because he killed my brothers. I asked Mark and Brian to let me have my Cat o’ 9 tails ASAP so that I could bring an original spin in how I use it. Also so that I can have an ease with it, making it mine. In acquiring the weapon early on, I was able to incorporate Nunchaku techniques to an ancient weapon giving it a new spin, something very different than what was seen in “The Passion of the Christ.”

JANE: Did you have to buff out for the role?

CLIFTON: Not for this one, but the cat o’ 9 tails was made out of Cocobolo wood or maple, I can’t remember anymore. They’re both very dense, heavy woods, incredibly hard on the forearms and shoulder blades. So I had Robert Alonzo – stunt head on “Star Trek” and an old friend from Loyola High School – come down and work out all my muscle injuries on the spot, so that I could continue whipping the crap out of Statham!

JANE: It looks like you’ve play a lot of bad guys. What’s more fun to play – good guys or bad guys?

CLIFTON: Hmmm, I’ve had this conversation time and again, and I must say it’s fun to be the bad guy. It really depends on the material, but I’m usually not the good guy.

JANE: I read where you almost got a role in “Saving Private Ryan,” but that Steven Spielberg has his eye on you. Any Spielberg films coming up?

CLIFTON: I said that back in ‘96 after learning a German monologue in three days that’s still stuck in my head! To answer the Spielberg question, not yet, but I have read a few of his pieces. We just haven’t found the right one.  In due time; until then, I’ll be patient and continue to work hard at my craft.

JANE: You’re a fan of Gary Oldman. What is it about his work you like?

CLIFTON: You go all the way back to “Sid and Nancy” and then to his directorial debut, his choices always say something. He’s not afraid to take big chances. Gary was always doing these amazing things, just watch him in Phil Joanou’s film “State of Grace” as the troubled brother Jackie Flannery! Constantly on the edge!

JANE: You play another bad guy – Ayel, right-hand to Eric Bana’s Nero – in “Star Trek.” What was it like being part of a  “Star Trek” movie and part of “Star Trek” history?

CLIFTON: I’m not a Trekkie, but I’m a huge J.J. Abrams fan, kid dynamite for real!  I don’t believe it hit me until I got to set and J.J. was talking me through the scene. It was then that I casually looked around and thought it all to look very sci fi … I thought this is kinda like a “Star Trek” set, “wait a minute … it IS STAR TREK!!!” And then my heart started racing. To add to it, I could hear Leonard Nimoy talking to somebody on set. “Is that the voice of ‘In Search Of’?? “No, you idiot, that’s f’n SPOCK, and YOU’RE SHOOTING STAR TREK for J.J.!!! I took a little breather, calmed my heart, and reminded myself that I’ve made a movie or two before! In regards to me knowing what it’s like to be a part of “Star Trek” History, I’m not sure yet. Ask me again when I’m 50!

JANE: It’s a deal! So do you think your character will come back for any other (possible upcoming) “Star Trek” movies?

CLIFTON: I have no clue, but if I do, I hope my character gets to meet a really hot Romulan!

JANE: You also voiced a part in “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.“ What was it like being part of a GTA game?

CLIFTON: GTA rules! I love this game, so when my lawyer called me and told me about it, I was like “YEAH I want to do GTA!” It was a very different process. The game was still being made, so I was watching stuff that wasn’t yet complete. My original dialogue was to be done in a day. I had never done this process before, so I asked for it to be broken up into two days so that I could come home, think about what I did, and come back the next day and be even better. I hope the fans liked it!

JANE: You’ve done both movies and TV, including “Alias” and “Thief.” Any preference? Would you like to do another TV series?

CLIFTON: I look for challenging projects and interesting characters to play. One reason I opted to do “Thief” was that being on FX, I knew it was the closest to film without being film and, of course, to have an opportunity to work with the gracious uber talented Andre Braugher. Collaborating with him was such a joy and fun part of the process that I looked forward to every single week, an hour or two on the phone discussing our places in this piece and our truths. Norman Morrill was also the show runner and here’s a man who really cares about his work. I was lucky. If I were to do TV again, it would probably be on my own Internet channel, with all my friends writing and directing our own stuff, just having fun doing what we love to do. I will always continue to make films.

JANE: Anything else you’d like to add?

CLIFTON: I just got nominated for two CMT awards for directing The Zac Brown Band’s video “Chicken Fried,” and I’m wrapping up The Soul of John Black’s video “Betty Jean.” Tonight, I’ll be leaving to go to Texas to start a documentary on my Grandfather, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez.

I also have a film called “Extract” with Ben Affleck and Jason Bateman being released by Miramax on September 4, 2009. And I’ve finished working on “Boondock Saints 2″ and the next Broken Lizard film “Freeloaders.”

JANE: Thanks so much for your time!

Below, Clifton Collins Jr. honors his grandfather, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, who received a posthumous Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Images: PR Photos; Lionsgate Films

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J.J. Abrams (director), Eric Bana (Nero), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Zachary Quinto (Spock), and Chris Pine (Capt. Kirk):

Zoe Saldana (Nyota Uhura):

Eric Bana (Nero):

Images: Bauer-Griffin

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More images after the jump…

Image: Copyright, Paramount Pictures

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