Bring Back Kirk! (Eventually)

James T. Kirk. The very name screams out, "Star Trek!" So, where's Kirk in this new Trek movie that's coming out?

Members of the BBK movement, it seems, are more than slightly annoyed that the classic exponent of the character most identified with Trek lacks any role in the forthcoming movie.

Even Chris Pine, the star who will play the young Kirk, seems missing in action. Google "Star Trek" and you'll find articles aplenty about the new Spock, the new Uhura, and the new Scotty, but where are the interviews with Pine?

Are they dissing Kirk, and if so, why?

Just speculation, and maybe it's just me, but maybe the reason we’re not seeing Chris Pine interviews is that the producers are still holding something back for when the movie actually nears its opening date. You can’t blow everything you’ve got on PR all at once. Pacing yourself and slowly building up interest is a perfectly reasonable way to go.

We haven’t heard much from Karl Urban, the new McCoy, either, and no one is complaining as much about that.

Yes, they should honor and respect the Kirk character and that Shatner should be given his due. But we’re more than a year away from the opening date, and there’s still a lot more PR to be had. We shouldn't make premature judgments at this stage of the game.

Besides, it’s not as if Bill hasn’t been in the public eye. He’s currently the only Classic Trek alum with a starring role in a first-run network show (as Denny Crane). He’s into special effects production (he has a CGI house based in Toronto), he’s got Priceline, he’s got his Trek books, he’s doing promos for other projects of his … the man — in his own words — prefers to believe that he will continue on forever. And more power to him!

So let’s dial down the negativity, if I may ask, and let’s not weep for Mr. Shatner, but hold on to hope for the franchise he obviously still loves so well. Trek.