Star Trek 3: Bob Orci Hints At What To Expect

Writer Roberto Orci was recently announced as the man who will direct Star Trek 3 following the departure of J.J. Abrams, director of the first two installments of the rebooted series, to direct Star Wars Episode VII.

Orci was a guest on the Humans from Earth podcast (via Badass Digest), where he talked about what fans should expect from the next Star Trek film. From what he said, it sounds like he want to bring the rebooted franchise closer to the themes and tone of the original Star Trek television series.

In [Into Darkness] they set out finally where the original series started. The first two films – especially the 2009 [Star Trek] – was an origin story. It was about them coming together. So they weren't the characters they were in the original series. They were growing into them and that continues on in the second movie.  So in this movie they are closer than they are to the original series characters that you have ever seen. They have set off on their five-year mission. So their adventure is going to be in deep space.

As for the film's villain, Orci teased that there may be something new out there in the far reaches of space.

The Horta is actually the villain in the next one – no – they are in deep space now, so let's see what's out there.

In keeping with Star Trek's progressive nature, Orci also said that he's open to the idea of having a member of the Enterprise's crew be gay.

It can be part of a character and not be the whole shebang…It doesn't' have to be like South Park, like 'what have we learned today.' It can be so normalized that it just exists. I agree it can't be shoe-horned in. And it is not necessary for it to be the whole point of the thing. It is an ensemble and there is lots of people to represent so no one point of view should hog it.

Orci is a self-professed Trekkie who was gunning for the director's chair as soon as Abrams was out of it. He recently split from his writing partner, Alex Kurtzman, so that they could pursue separate film projects (though they still work together in television). Star Trek 3 will be Orci's directorial debut.

Star Trek 3 is expected to come to theaters in 2016, in celebration of Star Trek's 50th anniversary.