'Star Trek' Writers Roberto Orci And Alex Kurtzman Expect To Broaden Their Focus In The Sequel

The sequel to "Star Trek" isn't a focus at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, but it would hardly be the biggest geek gathering of the year without some talk of J.J. Abrams' exceptionally strong franchise reboots. And we've got it, from writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who joined MTV's Kara Warner to discuss their upcoming TV series reboot of "Hawaii Five-0."

"We actually are making significant process on the story," Kurtzman said, pausing. "I will tell you nothing more." Kara pressed, knowing full well that these guys hear this same question in just about every interview. Tell us something new, she pleaded. "That's something we've never told anyone," Kurtzman replied. "We actually are making significant process on the story."

Taking a different approach, Kara asked about the duo's workflow. One glance at either of their IMDb pages reveals that they're developing a vast number of projects, more than any one person -- or two! -- could possibly handle. So how do they do it?

"Our [work] days are regimented by the hour, it's the only way to get through it," Kurtzman explained. "The good news is that on [the set of whatever we're working on] we can step into the trailer and do work on 'Star Trek.'" Orci added, "It's been kind of a noon to 2 kind of thing for some reason. Lunch is nice."

So fans, if you want to send good thoughts out to Kurtzman and Orci while they're writing "Trek," you heard it straight from the source: "Lighting a candle between noon and 2 is good," Kurtzman said, with Orci adding, "Western time."

I know what you're thinking now. Clearly, we're not getting anything new or useful out this interview. Right? Wrong! Kurtzman and Orci did share a little bit on how they're bringing the previous film's characters back in for the new story.

"Now that we've set up everybody-- there were new characters in the last one, so we really want to focus in on them," Orci said. "For example Scotty, who you met at the end of the last movie, who [was] so important to the crew but had the shortest screen time, now is going to be in the movie from the very beginning. In fact, the whole crew is in it from the beginning."

In other word, the narrow focus of the last movie will broaden in the sequel. "Now the whole family is there and you want to focus on them first. Before you worry too much about new characters, make sure you have them taken care of."

Which characters will be getting more screen time? No definites yet, but Orci definitely has his ideas. "I loved, and a lot of people loved, Captain Pike. I loved Bones, who a lot of people thought he's too good-looking to be cast as Bones... he was a fan-favorite. We'd worked with Karl way back in TV land days, so to get back together and have him surprise everyone was great."

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/07/23/star-trek-writers-roberto-orci-and-alex-kurtzman-expect-to-broaden-their-focus-in-the-sequel/