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Babylon 5 Producer J. Michael Straczynski on His Unproduced Star Trek Reboot

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By GustavoLeao / 15:10, 13 October 2008 / Feature Films

Sci Fi Scanner posted a new interview with Babylon 5 producer J. Michael Straczynski, in which he talks about his proposed Star Trek reboot TV Series which was rejected by Paramount. Here are few excerpts.

Q: You once wrote a treatment for a Star Trek reboot very similar to the one J.J. Abrams is now completing.


A: Yeah Bryce Zabel and I -- another television writer -- were huge fans of the original Star Trek, and felt that it had gotten sort of diminished over the years. And we thought, "How would we do it if it was our option to do it?" So we wrote out a treatment similar to how you would reboot characters in the Marvel universe and we got it to Paramount, but at that point Paramount wasn't even williing to talk about Star Trek. Now that J.J. is doing his thing, that'll push everything further back. We just wanted to show a way to break free some of the log jam of thinking about how you do a Star Trek series.


Q: Did doing Babylon 5 foster that perspective?


A: It certainly didn't hurt, because it does take you outside the box, and lets you approach a Science Fiction concept with a more realistic perspective, which B5 was. It hewed pretty closely to what real science is, which made it a favorite of NASA astronauts and scientists and engineers. In fact there was a bulletin board at NASA that for many years had a big sign on it that said, "Never apply a Star Trek solution to a Babylon 5 problem."


Q: Did it feel like J.J. Abrams had stolen your wind?


A: My wind doesn't move that easily... I don't know J.J. personally, but I know his talent. And I have every confidence that he can pull this off. So I'm just very content to sit back and see what he does.

The full interview is here.



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I Wouldn't trust the NASA engineer with my engines | Report this post to moderator
By: lostshaker (Odo's file, contact) @ 01:09:37 on Oct 16, 2008

"Never apply a Star Trek solution to a Babylon 5 problem"

Yes! Star Trek has its prime directive that forbids it from interfering in other's disasters.


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LOTR | Report this post to moderator
By: dark_mr_fripperton (Odo's file, contact) @ 13:55:13 on Oct 15, 2008

What amazes me and what no one ever seems to admit is just how much of B5 was ripped off from The Lord Of The Rings.

If you sit down and compare them, it's mind blowing...amazed the Tolkein estate never tried to sue HIM.


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The Chase | Report this post to moderator
By: Captain's Blog (Odo's file, contact) @ 07:46:07 on Oct 15, 2008

What he doesn't mention is that his reboot idea was basically a five year version of TNG's "The Chase". But then he probably had the idea first... :)

B5 more realistic than Trek? Barely. B5 was similar in approach on the whole. And Enterprise was slightly more real (in some ways) than B5.

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"I would be happy for Star Trek to come along decades later with a new group of minds. I'd love someone to say, 'Besides this one, Gene Roddenberry's was nothing!'" - Gene Roddenberry, Starburst magazine



"...I think it would be wonderful years from now to see Star Trek come back with an equally talented new cast playing Spock and Kirk and Bones and Scotty and all the rest, as they say tomorrow's things to tomorrow's generations..." - Gene Roddenberry


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How long until his lawsuit? | Report this post to moderator
By: tomba1701 (Odo's file, contact) @ 08:09:49 on Oct 14, 2008

JMS was noticably restrained in his response to the question of whether or not JJ "stole" his idea. Did he learn from his laughable accusations that DS9 ripped of his B5 ideas, or is he just keeping his powder dry to see what the movie grosses before he jumps in with a frivilous lawsuit?

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"Commander, laws change, depending on who's making them. But justice, is justice" - Odo, "A Man Alone"


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RE: How long until his lawsuit? by prometheus 59650 @ 11:06:04 on Oct 14

ugh | Report this post to moderator
By: Terry212 (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 06:42:53 on Oct 14, 2008

What a great bag of wind. Ugh. MJS can't write dialogue and his 5 season epic was just "Who Mourns for Adonais?" stretched out. If brevity is the soul of wit, what is stretching 45 minutes out into 5 years?

Trek in the Marvel Universe. What a fantastic was to kill it. Gimmie a break. I know there was a comic book tie-in or something, but I do not need to see Spock sneaking up and neck pinching Wolverine or Dr. McCoy telling Professor X he can walk again with the aid of 23d Century medicine. Blech.

I bet the sign at NASA was posted by some sychophant in his cubicle.

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Click here to check out my band, ego tree , and the Ego Tree site at myspace. Listen to/buy the CD for $9.99! ALSO AVAILABLE ON iTUNES!!


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RE: ugh by OV-101 @ 08:46:15 on Oct 14
Trek in the Marvel Universe by GustavoLeao @ 06:59:43 on Oct 14
    RE: Trek in the Marvel Universe by Terry212 @ 07:37:55 on Oct 14
       The Ultimates Reboot by GustavoLeao @ 09:00:59 on Oct 14
          RE: The Ultimates Reboot by Terry212 @ 09:03:04 on Oct 14
             RE: The Ultimates Reboot by Captain's Blog @ 07:42:19 on Oct 15
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