Simply Dumb

William Shatner is reportedly disappointed that he has not been asked to be in the new Star Trek movie set for release in December 2008.  His old buddy, Leonard Nimoy, however, will be reprising his role as an aged Spock. 

Why do you think Shatner got the axe?  I have a few guesses:

First off, we’ve all heard about what a self-centered ass ole’ Bill can be on set.  Very few of the old Star Trek cast liked working with him.  I’m not at all surprised that the new cast and crew would have little interest in putting up with his antics.

Secondly, since the end of the series, Shatner has gained a LOT of weight.  If this was Star Wars, he might do well as a cousin of Jabba the Hutt, but I just don’t think he can move like he used to.  Ever seen an obese aged swashbuckler fight off twenty angry Klingons?  I think not.

Third, the filmmakers could only give Shatner about 10 minutes of screen time, and with all those dramatic pauses, he wasn’t able to finish his lines in time.

Last but not least, maybe he’s angling for a guest role on TV’s Heroes and couldn’t make the Star Trek casting call.

Okay, truth be told, James Kirk was always my favorite character and I’m also a little disappointed about this… but so it goes.  My apologies to the fans for my jabs.

The original Capt. Kirk is disheartened he won’t get to boldly go anywhere with his old pal Spock in the new "Star Trek" movie.

While Leonard Nimoy is reprising his role as the pointy-eared Vulcan in next year’s science-fiction flick, William Shatner is not on board as Kirk.

"I couldn’t believe it. I’m not in the movie at all. Leonard, God bless his heart, is in, but not me," Shatner, 76, told The Associated Press on Thursday. "I thought, what a decision to make, since it obviously is a decision not to make use of the popularity I have to ensure the movie has good box office. It didn’t seem to be a wise business decision."

Director J.J. Abrams announced last summer that Nimoy would reprise the role he originated opposite Shatner in the 1960s television show and played again in six big-screen adventures.

Abrams said Shatner probably would have a part in the film, which is due in theaters in December 2008. But while Shatner said he had a couple of meetings with Abrams, nothing came of it.

Abrams’ "Trek" film, whose plot is being kept under wraps by distributor Paramount, recounts an early adventure for the crew of the starship Enterprise, with Chris Pines as the young Kirk and Zachary Quinto as the young Spock.

The cast includes Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy, Simon Pegg as engineer Scott, John Cho as helmsman Sulu, Zoe Saldana as communications officer Uhura and Anton Yelchin as navigator Chekov, roles respectively originated by DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig.

Past "Trek" films presented an obstacle to the revival of Shatner’s Kirk, who died at the end of 1994’s "Star Trek: Generations."

But in science fiction, you can never truly say die. Spock was killed off in 1982’s "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" then resurrected in 1984’s "Star Trek: The Search for Spock," with Nimoy’s Vulcan living on to co-star in three more films, two episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and now Abrams’ new movie.

"I’ve got a lot to do," said Shatner, whose current work includes the TV show "Boston Legal," narration for the Christmas spoof "Stalking Santa" due on DVD on November 6, and the prequel "Star Trek: Academy — Collision Course," a novel chronicling Kirk and Spock’s first meeting.

Shatner says of "Star Trek": "Having been in on the creation of it, I was hoping to be in on the re-creation."

source Tags: dumb news, william shatner, james kirk, star trek, jabba the hutt, heroes, leonard nimoy

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