Sci-Fi Storm

Update 6/23: Horner’s representatives confirmed his death.

Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer James Horner, who scored more than 75 films including Titanic (for which he received two Oscars), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (his film debut), Braveheart, Aliens, Apollo 13 and The Amazing Spider-Man and Avatar, is believed to be the pilot who died in a single-engine plane crash in Central Florida on Monday. No one else was on board.

Officials have not confirmed the name of the pilot yet, but the 61-year-old composer is a licensed pilot and has not been heard from since the crash. Condolences from those who knew him have been coming in, however. Director Ron Howard, who worked with Horner on Apollo 13, Cocoon and several other movies, tweeted early this morning:

Brilliant Composer James Horner, friend & collaborator on 7 movies has tragically died in a plane crash. My heart aches for his loved ones.

— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) June 23, 2015

Actress Nichelle Nichols, best known for playing Uhura in the original Star Trek, is currently recovering from a mild stroke suffered Wednesday night while she was at her home in L.A.

An update posted yesterday evening on her official Facebook page by her publicist says that her CAT scan was negative and they are waiting on the MRI results, but she is “awake, eating, in good spirits and able to have full conversations. Her right side has shown minor signs or mobility loss but she is not showing any signs of paralyses.”

Well wishes from across Twitter – co-star William Shatner:

Thoughts going out to Nichelle. I hope all is going to be OK. Love, Bill

— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) June 5, 2015

And George Takei:

We understand #NichelleNichols has been rushed to the hospital. We don't have any diagnosis on her condition but our thoughts are with her.

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) June 4, 2015

Our thoughts are with you Nichelle and a speedy recovery.

Grace Lee Whitney, who for a short but memorable time played Yeoman Janice Rand on the original Star Trek, passed away on Friday at home at the age of 85, confirmed by her son. She was the oldest surviving original cast member.

Whitney started as a singer, appearing with Billie Holiday and Buddy Rich, but then turned to acting and appeared in guest roles in a number of TV shows including Gunsmoke, The Rifleman and 77 Sunset Strip, but then landed a role as what was supposed to be a regular “love interest” character for Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek when it went into production.

Her and her infamous blond beehive wig (“I swear they had to nail that thing to my head!”) would only last 8 episodes, however. Numerous reasons for her departure were rumored, including her alcoholism, but according to her the primary reason was that they didn’t want to tie Kirk down and leave him free to mingle with others. Gene Roddenberry claimed it was to cut the budget. But in her [asin=1884956033]1998 autobiography[/asin], she also said she was sexually assaulted by a Desilu (the production company) executive, and was cut from the show a few days later.

Her career after that, along with her addictions, would spiral out of control, but she credited the Star Trek fans who never forgot her for helping her beat her additions and became an advocate for beating substance abuse. She would return to Star Trek and her character with small parts in Star Trek: The Motion Picture as the transporter chief, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home working in Starfleet Command, and Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country and an episode of Star Trek: Voyager as the communications officer on the U.S.S. Excelsior, which they believed might spin off into a series.

Ad astra per aspera, Grace…

Update 3/28: io9 reports that this is false…

There is a warm rumor being reported by The Nerdist that CBS is prepping a return of Star Trek to television, roughly 10 years after it left our TVs and eventually into a movie series reboot.

According to the article, CBS may be dusting off one of the two competing ideas presented after Enterprise was canceled. One, presented by J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5) and Bryce Zabel (Dark Skies), would have rebooted the original series, but that job has now been done in the J.J. Abrams films.

The other, from along with Bryan Singer (X-Men) and novelist Geoffrey Thorne, wouldn’t have affected any of the past series, instead being set further into the future. Star Trek: Federation would have been set in a time where the Federation had grown bloated and complacent; the races have evolved, and the spirit of adventure seems to have been lost, when an attack from a new enemy snaps them out of it.

Now it seems that Bryan Singer may be attached at some level to a development plan for Star Trek, which could see the return of Star Trek: Federation, while at the same time other big names like Rob Burnett and Ralph McQuarrie may be involved as well.

We probably won’t hear anything certain until the next movie is out, but CBS sounds eager…

Sadly, fans of Star Trek remain in mourning…TV and movie producer Harve Bennett, who produced four of the original Star Trek movies and many TV shows including The Six Million Dollar Man, Salvage 1, The Invisible Man and Time Trax, passed away yesterday at the age of 84.

Bennett was brought in help rescue the Star Trek franchise after the first movie downplayed the characters and action for special effects, going as far as binge-watching the entire original series and settling on a particular episode named “Space Seed” to come up with a new story that resulted in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which he produced along with the next three movies. Bennett also worked with Leonard Nimoy to develop the story for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Interesting fact: Bennett could be heard in the title narration on each episode of The Six Million Dollar Man, saying “Steve Austin, a man barely alive…” The rest of the dialog was recorded by actor Richard Anderson, who played Oscar, but when they wanted to add a line he wasn’t available, so Bennett said it himself.

A special tribute issue to the late Leonard Nimoy, most famous for his role of Mr. Spock on Star Trek, will be released by CBS Watch! Magazine today, on newsstands nationwide and via [asin=B00U6FAMW0]Amazon[/asin].

Through photos and exclusive editorial content, the 100-page memorial issue celebrates every aspect of the man the world came to know and love as Spock, including his roles of director, photographer, poet and author.

Retailing for $9.99, the publication will be available for purchase on newsstands through June 16th. For more information, go to CBSWATCHMAGAZINE.com

Previously released special issues include CBS Watch! NCIS, The Wizard of Oz, George Strait, Star Trek and Survivor, as well as CBS Health Guide: Your Body.

Syfy will honor the extraordinary legacy of Leonard Nimoy with a special five hour programming salute this Sunday, March 1 from 9AM-2PM (ET/PT), kicking off with his role in an episode of the original Twilight Zone series; his guest star arc on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the final Star Trek original cast movie, Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country.

9:00AM The Twilight Zone/”A Quality of Mercy”
9:30AM Star Trek: The Next Generation/”Unification: Part I”
10:30AM Star Trek: The Next Generation/”Unification: Part 2”
11:30AM Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country

The science fiction community has lost one of its icons today…Leonard Nimoy, who (and I know I don’t need to say this) gained fame as the “pointy-eared, green-blooded, inhuman” Vulcan first officer Spock on the original Star Trek, passed away early this morning at home from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to his wife Susan. Nimoy had announced he suffered from the disease last year, likely caused by smoking, even though he gave up the habit 30 years ago.

Nimoy also had some success as a writer and director, doing both on several of the movie installments of Star Trek, and he also directed the successful Three Men and a Baby.

Most recently he starred in the rebooted Star Trek film as well as a cameo in the sequel, plus had a recurring role in Fringe.

All we can say right now is, Live Long and Prosper.

Simon Pegg isn’t just a comedian and an actor with a penchant for playing zombie chased and starship engineer Scotsmen…he’s also written a number of screenplays. Now he may be co-writing the biggest one of his career – he is teaming up with Doug Jung, the creator of series Dark Blue, to write the script for Star Trek 3 for director Justin Lin, who himself took over from Roberto Orci.

Not much else is know as they are reportedly just getting started. But perhaps we’ll see even more Scotty this time?

I did resist saying that he was “pegged” to co-write the script… 🙂

The director’s chair isn’t even broken in for Justin Lin yet, but he has a deadline for the new Star Trek film – Paramount has set the release date to the currently empty weekend of July 8th, 2016. The closest genre competition at this point that I am aware of would be Captain America 3: Civil War, which opens a full 2 months prior.