J.J. Abrams, the writer-director leading the team working on an eleventh Star Trek feature film, says he feels that there are many new ideas to be brought into the franchise.

"We've made a pact not to discuss any specifics...but Star Trek is something I grew up with and love," Abrams told Empire (via Out Of My Vulcan Mind at the TrekBBS). "I feel there's still a great movie to be made, another proud chapter in the history of Star Trek. We've got a lot of exciting new ideas."

Abrams is working with Lost co-executive producers Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof as well as writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The team also worked together on Mission: Impossible III, which continued to falter at the box office last weekend facing competition from Patrick Stewart (Picard)'s X-Men 3 as well as The Da Vinci Code and William Shatner (Kirk)'s Over the Hedge.

Abrams admitted that he has not seen Star Trek: Nemesis or some of the later shows. "To be totally honest with you...I feel like the series disconnected for me at a certain period," he said, adding that he intends to "see everything that was done, I want to see what not to do as much as anything."

"But as someone who works on a show that has a very loyal and vocal fanbase, I do understand the need to be respectful," Abrams added. "I think we can do the fans proud."

Stewart, meanwhile, reiterated in The New York Post that he did not expect to be involved in the upcoming Star Trek film.

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