Kurtzman & Orci Discuss Khan And Klingon Possibilities For Star Trek Sequel

Co-writer Damon Lindelof and producer Bryan Burk have already weighed in on the Star Trek sequel, and now co-writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, as well as expected director (at the very least producer) J.J. Abrams, are sharing what they have to say about it.

Should we be expecting Khan or Klingons in the sequel? That and more after the break.

Trek Movie has some highlights from interviews that Abrams, Kurtzman and Orci did with SFX Magazine in the UK, and in them, Orci spoke to the possibility of having Klingons in the sequel.

Introducing a new villain in the sequel is tempting because we now have this incredible new sandbox to play in. On the other hand, some fans really want to see Klingons and it's hard not to listen to that. The trick is not to do something that's been seen before just because you think it will be a short cut to likeability.

Orci says that what the "characters need" will determine what sort of villain we get this time around, not simply what sounds cool from the outset. Naturally, Kurtzman shares Orci's sentiments:

Starting at a premise of what you want to see and then working a story around it is not how we do it. You have to start with what is the right story. And that if you can say "That's a story that Khan fits into", that's how you get to that. Not deciding on a menu list of items and then seeing if you can't string them all together.

Speaking as somebody who has no loyalty to the Star Trek mythos, this is what I like to hear. While it's a given that the film should be "cool", those "cool" elements should derive organically from the actions of the characters. Or to put it more simply: the characters should drive the story. This should be obvious, but when it comes to blockbuster action flicks, this is hardly the preferred method of storytelling.

Kurtzman also says that he and Orci "hope to strike a similar balance" as the first film, which "had dark elements, but was ultimately very warm." Orci added: "Humor is part of the franchise and I think it's critical, certainly to the Bones-Spock relationship. It's definitely a big part of the Bones-Kirk relationship. So, I don't see any world where humor doesn't play a part."

Here's where Simon Pegg fans can rejoice, because when discussing the humor of the films, they noted that Scotty would have a much larger role this time around.

J.J. Abrams, meanwhile, wasn't keen on giving too much away (shocking!), but provided a nice note to end things on.

The universe that Roddenberry created was so vast. And so it's hard to say there's one particular thing that stands out as what the sequel must be. Which is on the one hand, a great opportunity. On the other hand it's the greatest challenge – where do you go? What do you focus on? But I'm incredibly excited about the prospects.

I'm sure you guys have your own answers to those questions, so have at it.