William Shatner wants to organize a musical to celebrate Star Trek’s 50th anniversary next year.
However, Shatner, who played Star Trek’s original Captain James T. Kirk, says he’s had little luck convincing the higher-ups at Paramount of the idea.
“I’m attempting to sell a 50th anniversary show, but so far I’ve had very little luck.” Shatner said. “Maybe because Paramount’s going to do their own – but I don’t know how they can do their own without me. I’ve never been contacted.”
“I’ve been actively trying to do a 50th anniversary show … We had a big company say: ‘What about a musical or a music variety show?’ That got some traction – but nothing’s come of it yet.”
Now, even at 84-years-old, Shatner hasn’t slowed down enough to watch himself on-screen as Kirk.
“I haven’t watched myself on Star Trek, except when forced to because I’m directing something. So there are many, many of the episodes that I did all those years ago that I have never watched, and that goes for every iteration of Star Trek… I just haven’t had the time.” he said.
While Shatner produced and directed a documentary film about the creation of the second Star Trek television series, The Next Generation, in 2015 called “Chaos On the Bridge”, he says he hasn’t watched complete episodes.
“The people on Star Trek: The Next Generation are friends of mine, and they kid me about the fact that I have never really seen a full-length Next Generation.”
According to Shatner, his wife hasn’t seen much Star Trek either. Recalling a double-date they went on with Patrick Stewart and his wife, Shatner said:
“The four of us went out on a date, and my prospective wife said to Patrick, ‘How can you be Captain if my husband’s Captain?’ She had never seen a Star Trek!”
Would you go see a Star Trek musical? Who would you like to see perform? Tell us in the comments below.
UPDATE:
Shatner reacted to the news on Thursday via Twitter, saying “I think this Star Trek musical story is getting out of hand. I mentioned in an interview that a company had approached me anecdotally.”
I think this Star Trek musical story is getting out of hand. I mentioned in an interview that a company had approached me anecdotally.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) November 13, 2015
via The Guardian