Neill Blomkamp Says He Wouldn’t Direct Star Trek 3
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With the success of Star Trek Into Darkness, it’s only a matter of time before Bad Robot Productions and Paramount Pictures greenlight Star Trek 3. Since J.J. Abrams might be too busy with Disney, Lucasfilm, and Star Wars: Episode VII, it’s very likely the 47-year-old director might have to bow out of directing Star Trek 3. Instead J.J. Abrams might stay on as a producer, which would leave the director’s chair open, and a huge potential gig for any director working in Hollywood today. One such director has preemptively taken his name out of the running, however. District 9 director Neill Blomkamp says Star Trek 3 isn’t for him.
In an interview with Danish movie site Filmz.dk, Neill Blomkamp (above right) was asked if he would be interested in beaming onto the deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise to direct the next Star Trek sequel. While the 33-year-old director is a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, he says he would be reluctant to take such a job, in fear of studio interference.
Dude, I used to be a Star Trek: The Next Generation fan. Like, big time… But no, I probably wouldn’t do that. I don’t know if me getting involved with a franchise is the best thing for me. When studios smell franchises, they smell money. And they’ll try to do what they can to the franchise to make it make the most money it can make, and a lot of those interesting ideas kind of fall by the side of the road. So… Do I like Star Trek on its own without the politics of making it? Yes, absolutely. But do I think that you could make it in the way that I would want to make it? Probably not, which makes me not want to make it.
A few weeks ago, Blomkamp was asked if he would be interested in directing for that other massive space franchise: a new Star Wars film, whether a standalone spin-off or a numbered “Episode.” The South African director gave much the same response, adding that “taking ideas that already exist in Hollywood is just not for me.”
Considering the Star Trek reboot’s roots, the Star Trek 3 director could be someone within the Bad Robot production family such as Matt Reeves (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) or Drew Goddard (The Cabin In The Woods). Either one of them would be fantastic for the job. If Bad Robot wanted to be adventurous, perhaps screenwriter Damon Lindelof (Star Trek Into Darkness, Prometheus) could make his directorial debut with Star Trek 3. [In which case our comments section will spontaneously combust. – Ed.]
Neil Blomkamp is already prepping his next film, Chappie, with his Elysium due in in theaters next month. There is not much known about Chappie at this point, but it is believed to be a science fiction comedy starring rappers Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$e, who make up the South African rap duo Die Artwoord. Long-time Blomkamp collaborator Sharlto Copley is expected to be along for the ride as well.
At the moment, there is no release date for Star Trek 3, but it would likely come out sometime in 2016, coinciding with Star Trek‘s 50th anniversary. As for Blomkamp, Elysium will hit theaters everywhere on August 23, in IMAX.
