EW Talks Trek

“I don’t think people even understand what Star Trek means anymore,” says JJ Abrams, who saw the first Star Trek film in 1979 with his father at a theater on the Paramount lot. But he feels no warm-fuzzy nostalgia about it. In fact, Abrams can sum up his regard for Trek in two words: Galaxy Quest, the 1999 hit starring Tim Allen that satirized Trek with painful precision.

“It’s so ridiculous, so accurate, so sophisticated, it spoils the Star Trek universe,” he says. Plus, at heart, Abrams is still more of a Star Wars guy.

“All my smart friends liked Star Trek,” he says. “I preferred a more visceral experience.” Which is exactly why he accepted Paramount’s offer in 2005 to develop a new Trek flick; creative­ly, he was engaged by the possibility of a Star Trek movie “that grabbed me the way Star Wars did.”

Entertainment Weekly talks Trek with J.J. Abrams, Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto in this week’s issue which hits news stands tomorrow.

They discuss politics and Trek, the return to an “optimistic” future and Abrams gives his thoughts on the YouTube Shatner snub. It’s a great feature, so don’t miss it.

Photo courtesy of Entertainment Weekly