There have been a lot of odd casting rumors revolving the new Star Trek movie (Remember when a ton of people thought Matt Damon was going to be the new Kirk?). Well… this one is as strange as any of them… but not unbelievable and could actually be quite true. Seems like old JJ Abrams is trying to line up Tom Cruise for a short spot in the new film.
The good folks over at Moviehole give us the following:
(Cruise) would play the role of Captain Pike – a character that appeared fleetingly in the original series – as a favour to director J.J Abrams (he definitely wouldn’t be doing Paramount any favours), who he worked with on “Mission : Impossible III”.
(Pike was) “James T. Kirk’s predecessor as captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise and Mr. Spock’s first commanding officer. Pike was the captain in the original and unaired TV pilot, “The Cage,” where he was portrayed by the late Jeffrey Hunter. When NBC balked at the cerebral nature of the show and wanted a new, action-heavy pilot filmed, Hunter was unavailable so a new character, Captain Kirk, was created. The unaired pilot was later recycled for the two-part first season episode “The Menagerie,” which saw Spock court-martialed for trying to take a disfigured Pike back to Talos IV, the setting of “The Cage.” In Trek lore, Spock served with Pike for about a decade.”
This is interesting on a couple of levels First of all.. I LOVED the Pike espisodes. They stand as a couple of my absolute favorite Star Trek episodes from any of the tv shows. It was eerie, exciting and had some great story telling. I’ve always wanted to know more about Captain Pike after those episodes.
But the thing I don’t like about this is Cruise. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s a hell of an actor… BUT… throwing in a HUGE mega A list star like Cruise in a cameo role I think will be needless, silly and distracting. I’d say stay lower key for this one. What do you think?
YTMND
Hey Joe,
Doug just does the podcasts now.
this sounds pretty cool. Does anybody know if Doug Nagy still posts news or has he stopped?
I don’t see him having the kind of acting style that can fit in a Star Trek movie. But then again this is a reboot.
Tom Cruise would be amazing. Perfect casting – great idea. Now let’s see him play Pike like he played Frank TJ Mackie!!!
Well shit, he sure as hell has the “zany crazy Katie Holmes bodysnatcher alien motherfucker” act down pat, so why not?
One of the cameos in a previous star trek movie really took me out of the movie. It was someone like Corey Feldman. In a Star Trek uniform. Way to suspend disbelief.
I can pictue Kirk:
TOOOOOOM
Tom might pull it off but he can’t be allowed to scene-steal
wouldnt suprise me if it was true. Abrams & Cruise seem to be buds. if Cruise can cameo if Goldmember than anything is possible. esp if his schedule permits it. its no diff from Ben Asslick’s cameo in Jay & Silent Bob.
“Cloud” idea in ref to Fantastic Four 2, of course.
Darren, Darren, Darren.
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Hey, we all know this is bullshit. BUT in case movie studios have learned to listen to bloggers as a source of info and/or test the waters on a idea, its ‘s our Holy Mission to make sure bullshit rumors stay at being bullshit rumors and not morph into fact because an exec thinks “Well maybe it would work….”
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We would have saved them on the ole’ “cloud” idea if they listened.
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Besides, there isn’t a story idea in the world that would be plausible enough to let Tommy Cruise into the Star Trek universe.
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John,
Whow would you feel if Tom was “rumored” to be in the next Star Wars film? You’d shit your pants all the way to the hospital in fits I bet.
If there is something to it…I think the intl friends (and Gio) are ***over reacting**. Yes, severely overreacting. Listen- I don’t think a Cruise cameo will happen unless he’s a Romulan or Klingon. Keri Russell ? Okay, maybe. (Give her Nurse Chapel because I bet Nona Gaye will have Uhura.)
No, seriously. I don’t have a problem with it. It’s most likely a BS rumor anyway. But, like Lou and Jude suggest, what if Pike had some mishap and is disfigured and in a wheelchair like device?
funnily i can see Cruise cameoing as a hotshot captain & inspiration/mentor for Kirk.
scotty beam me outta here.
I think Ray Liotta should play Capt. Pike! He’d be perfect for the role!
I know that the Enterprise is a CRUISER, but this is way too far.
Star Trek with this “franchise reboot thing” is screwed anyway.
(I hate prejudices but this was too much for me)
Perhaps they should consider Chris Tucker as Geordi La Forge!
This project is starting to sound worse with every news that we get.
Oh well, I’m sure there’s no substance to this at all anyway.
If they play Cruise as Pike as some kind of pre-kirk celebrity captain, whos exploits are famous around the galaxy, and who has an ego the size of the milky way, this could actually work. I’ll reserve judgement.
Am I the only one who thinks Bruce Campbell looks a lot like Jeffrey Hunter? I honestly can’t imagine anyone other than Bruce Campbell playing Captain Pike. It would just be wrong. Heaven help us if it ends up being Tom Cruise.
Just leave Cruise out of Star Trek, period.
Uhh, am I the only one seeing the big problem here? Cruise will never work for Paramount again, NEVER. Better odds would have Roman Polanski casting Charles Manson in his next film.
Cruise could battle Xenu! FREE XENU!
this is perfect for cruise. hes all up into the space scene, fighting aliens and stuff. last time i checked however he was only a level 7 scientoligist :( u have to be at least 9 to fly on a space craft.
I would rather have Paris Hilton as Uhura then to have this rumor be true!
This would be a subtle commentary on the nature of Tom Cruise’s personality since Pike was crippled.
Isn’t there a minimum height requirement for Starship Captains?
On the other hand if they let Cruise play Pike in his – in a wheelchair with a blinking light and horribly disfigured phase – why not?
Maybe this will get him closer to his Alien God?
He does know this is a movie, right?
Sigh, I’m sorry, but my interest in Star Trek XI is waning with each passing minute, each passing rumor, each passing announcement. And I like ST.
Scientology has reached the final frontier!
Man this guy has some balls to reach th stars :)
Dear God NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!