Trek Now An '09 Release

VARIETY: 'Star Trek' pushed back to 2009
Paramount shuffles major releases
By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK
Posted: Wed., Feb. 13, 2008, 5:43pm PT

Paramount is pushing back the release of J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" from Dec. 25 to May 8, 2009, saying the pic's gross potential is greater as a summer tentpole.

Move was part of a major reshuffling to the studio's release calendar, as well as to DreamWorks' release sked. A second key change: DreamWorks' 2008 Ben Stiller summer comedy "Tropic Thunder" is moving from July 11 to Aug. 15.

That's likely to mean that another film will take "Tropic's" old spot on July 11, particularly since there is such a dearth of broad comedies in the May-July stretch.

Like Par, many of the majors are likely to revisit their release skeds in the wake of the writers' strike as they try to balance out their 2008 and 2009 calendars.

"Star Trek" has no competition in its new slot -- at least not so far, although it opens one week after 20th Century Fox bows "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and one week before Sony is slated to bow sequel "Angels and Demons."

Paramount also dated two titles. Martin Scorsese's Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer "Shutter Island" will be released Oct. 2, 2009.

An untitled comedy produced by Marlon and Shawn Wayans will be released on Feb. 9, 2009. Their brother Damon Wayans is directing from a script the three co-wrote with two other family members. Par is keeping the logline under wraps.

Here are the other release changes to Par's sked:

* Eddie Murphy family pic "Nowhereland" is moving from Sept. 26, 2008, to June 12, 2009.

* Renee Zellweger horror-thriller "Case 39" is moving from Aug. 22, 2008, to April 10, 2009.

* David Fincher's Brad Pitt starrer "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is moving from Nov. 26, 2008, to Dec. 19, 2008.

In addition to the new date for "Tropic Thunder," DreamWorks and Par announced that Leonardo DiCaprio-Kate Winslet "Revolutionary Road" will be distributed by Par Vantage, and not the studio proper.

J. J. Abrams To Direct Upcoming Trek

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM: J.J. Abrams to Direct Paramount's Next "Star Trek"
Posted on Thursday, Dec. 07, 2006, 01:04 AM

Scott Weinberg writes: "We learned a while back that J.J. Abrams would be doing something on Paramount's newest "Star Trek" flick, and we assumed it'd be a producer's gig at the very least -- but nope, it looks like the kid will be directing the flick, too.

From Variety, by way of IGN Movies: "Although Mission Impossible III director J.J. Abrams has been working as producer on the upcoming Star Trek prequel for some time, he's only just been confirmed to be directing the picture.

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman confirmed the news to Variety in an update on the studio's diverse portfolio of coming movie and TV attractions. "We're revitalizing [Trek] in a new and interesting way," he told the trade paper, while confirming Abrams as director.

2009 was also mentioned as a potential release date for the film. Up until now, 2008 has always been the studio's intention, and progress on the film has not been reported to be substantially behind schedule thus far."

One theory on the hold-up: Those pesky screenwriters!

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Hey, guys - take your time. There's plenty of bad Trek to watch on video in the meantime. No need to rush things and add to that pile. The fans'll still be there when you're ready.