Could Tom Cruise be planning an appearance in Star Trek XI for his M:I-III director, J.J. Abrams?
That's the latest rumour, as the WENN entertainment news service reported, citing an "insider" who told the Canadian TV Guide, "He didn't even need to be begged to appear in it." Cruise is reportedly a big fan of Star Trek, but then, many other stories are flying about Cruise today. Hundreds of reports have surfaced that Cruise and fiancée Katie Holmes will marry next month in Italy (here is ABC's story), and TrekMovie.com has a link to Monday's Variety story about numerous other roles Cruise may be considering.
Reports circulating indicate that all loud conversation in the script department has been forbidden in favor of brief hushed exchanges.
Meanwhile, Ron Moore has announced that he approves of Abrams as producer of the next Star Trek film. The UK's Star Trek Magazine (via TrekWeb) quoted former Trek producer Moore - now the creative force behind Battlestar Galactica - as saying that Abrams' selection is probably good for the franchise. "Abrams' lack of involvement in Star Trek is hopefully a positive thing, just as it was for Harve Bennett and Nick Meyer when they came in on Wrath of Khan," said Moore. "In that case, it let people take a clean look at The Original Series and wipe away a lot of sentimentality in an effort to get at the roots of what the show was and the results speak for themselves." Moore, whose Battlestar Galactica is more recreation than revival, has suggested that the original series might be best approached with a fresh start, while many fans have insisted that any prequel should maintain current Star Trek canon and tradition.
"Battlefield Earth" has made the short list of titles and John