EW.com/ Paramount PicturesLosties, Trekkies and Fringe dwellers, unite!
Paramount is keeping it all in the sci-fi family when it comes to its burgeoning new Star Trek franchise. Per Variety, J.J. Abrams, director of the upcoming revamp of the cult-classic story, is on board to produce the sequel, which will be copenned by Lost cocreator Damon Lindelof and Abrams' fellow Fringe masterminds Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.
Why mess with chemistry (in the real world, that is)?
Orci and Kurtzman collaborated on the screenplay for the '09 Star Trek, which beams into theaters May 8. The second chapter in the revamped Enterprise-centric saga will mark Orci and Kurtzman's second writing project with Lindelof; the trio are currently tackling DreamWorks' Cowboys and Aliens together.
They're hoping to have a draft in by Christmastime in order to get the cameras (and CGI) rolling in time for a summer 2011 release.
"Obviously we discussed ideas, but we are waiting to see how audiences respond next month," Kurtzman told Variety. "With a franchise rebirth, the first movie has to be about origin. But with a second, you have the opportunity to explore incredibly exciting things. We'll be ambitious about what we'll do."