Budget cutback for Trek XIII?

[Graham Kennedy]

Hollywood Reporter has an interesting article regarding lessons learned from the Summer 2013 Box Office smackdown.

The undying spectre of a PACIFIC RIM sequel is once more evoked (the film is being scripted as I understand it - but the existence of script does not a movie guarantee), and the article also pings STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS…and what its performance might mean for another jaunt to the Final Frontier.

Seems there are budget concerns about the upcoming third installment, which’ll once again be scripted by Orci and Kurtzman. Such concerns may help to illuminate the recent rumors of ATTACK THE BLOCK’s Joe Corninsh directing the project - given that he realized so much with so few resources during the making of that picture.

Paramount also will look to save money on another Star Trek -- a franchise, but not quite in the top tier. This summer's $190 million production Star Trek Into Darkness has earned over $462 million worldwide; its international haul has exceeded expectations at $234 million, but domestically, its $228.5 million hasn't matched the first film. Whereas the first two were shot in L.A., the next will be filmed in a more tax-friendly location. "We're making it for what it should have been shot for last time if we had made it outside of L.A., which we would have done except that [director J.J. Abrams] didn't want to," says a studio source. "That was a $20 million issue.”

Source

Interesting... could lead to a slightly more script/idea focused film, which is something a lot of fans have been saying they want.

[Teaos]

Meh, I saw this coming, Hollywood budgets have been getting stupidly high. They can make a fine movie for 100 mill.

[Tsukiyumi]

I'm with Teaos on that. A lot of directors have proven that they can make great movies without an extra $50 million of CGI. Plus, shooting in LA? Who does that anymore? Especially if it saves $20 mil. Come to Austin instead.

[Nutso]

Well now that J.J. Abrams has moved on, maybe they could move some of that lens flare money into writers.

[Tyyr]

Doesn't bother me. What'll get cut are flashy special effects forcing them to produce a script more focused on characters and drama than starships crashing.

[Teaos]

Or just not make it more likely.

[Tyyr]

It more than doubled it's money. They're going to make another one.

[McAvoy]

I think they can save alittle money on cutting out dumb flashy scenes that do not move the story along.

[Atekimogus]

Great news, maybe they'll finally realize that a good story and well thought out dialoge is still cheaper than having explosions every second frame.

Quite honestly...I always wonder how they manage to blow so much money on those movies in the first place. I could kinda understand if they'd still blow up models etc. but since most of the tricks are done on a computer....

Now I know, it looked good and they had quite a few impressive scenes......but imho they were all wasted, there wasn't really much memorable in the movie, special effects wise imho. The submerged Enterprise was "kinda" cool but other than that.........all the huge explosions and crashes....I don't know. Nowadays you are so used to them, I find it hard to be impressed, no matter how detailed a space-ship crashing into a city is rendered.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Count me as another one who sees this as a good thing.

[IanKennedy]

They could half the budget by simply not rendering the CGI lens flare. Improved film and a budget saving to boot.

[McAvoy]

Being innovative too would work. Instead of spending a shit ton of money on basically what could be a throwaway shot, some guy comes up with a SFX for it for $19.21 in supplies instead of a $150,000 shot using CGI.

[Atekimogus]

Well now that J.J. Abrams has moved on, maybe they could move some of that lens flare money into writers.

Hmm.....come to think of it......what else really is there they could still rip off which has an appeal to an wider audience? Beam me up Scotty, Damn it Jim I am a doctor, the death of a redshirt, Khan the villain, KKKHHHAAAANNN the scream......

I mean what else really is there which even non-fans might know about and which became pop-culture? What else can they rip off before they start ripping themselves off again?

Sooner or later they have to come up with something new.....hopefully.

[Graham Kennedy]

In the next films they will have to go back in time to save the whales from extinction...

[Teaos]

Technically yeah, if this is a reboot, that is going to happen.