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 That’s right, folks. Matt Damon and friends step aside, the Shat is back in the house. Sources high-up in Paramount (who asked to remain anonymous) today leaked exlusivedly to TrekUnited the news that the entire original cast of ST: XI will be back in their seats on the Enterprise bridge come 2008. Using the advanced computer graphics work first utilized to de-age Patrick Stewart in X-Men 3, the entire cast of the original Star Trek will be de-aged back to a point about ten years before TOS.
Now you might be wondering how deceased cast members like DeForest Kelley and James Doohan will be incorporated. Ever since Paramount started the remastering project of the original Star Trek, they have been working hard to create digital models of the cast to replace the obvious shots of stunt actors. Initial fan reaction to this part of the remastering was less than ideal, so Paramount decided to stick with just the visual effects, but kept the digital models of the cast just in case. At the same time, Kelley’s and Doohan’s voices were all sampled in compiled by computer and can now be duplicated on a level never before achieved. It quite possibly is the biggest breakthrough in audio technology since the phonograph. Modern technology will be used to recreate the original Enterprise bridge, though Paramount’s props department is still having some problems recreating the pop-up viewer for Sulu’s station. Rumor has it that they will again be borrowing the prop made by the New Voyages team. Star Trek: XI’s current budget is set at approximately $190 million, with half of that going towards the digital rejuvenation of the cast. As of now we have no indication of what the script will consist of, but some of the rumors flying around are saying “Borg.” We’ll see! And one last tidbit, sources at Paramount have leaked that parts of the Star Trek: Enterprise finale 'These are the Voyages' will be subjected to the same digital effects work after production of ST: XI is completed. Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis will be de-aged and slimmed-down so that they actually look like Riker and Troi during The Next Generation, and in a first, the technology will be used in reverse to ever so slightly age the cast of the NX-01 six years, and maybe even to tack a promotion on Mayweather and Hoshi’s uniforms. Oh, and April Fools!
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