J.J. Abrams will reportedly decide this week whether or not to direct the next Star Trek feature film.

In a feature on the departure of Joss Whedon from the Wonder Woman feature project, The Hollywood Reporter hinted at recent rumours suggesting possible conflict between Abrams and the studio, stating, "Over at Paramount Pictures...there is now a question whether J.J. Abrams will direct Star Trek XI." Paramount's official line has always been that Abrams was attached as producer with an option to direct, but in July, then-studio president Gail Berman had stated that Abrams would direct the Star Trek feature as well.

LatinoReview.com claimed that Abrams would not direct Star Trek XI but instead would take the helm of Cloverfield, another Paramount feature. TrekMovie.com, which noted that LatinoReview.com had also circulated the now-debunked rumour that Abrams had left Star Trek altogether, cites an inside source as stating that these new rumours are "so totally wrong" as well. Since Abrams has a multi-picture deal with Paramount, it is conceivable that he could direct both films.

IGN, which stated that Abrams is still undecided about whether or not to direct, interviewed Abrams' longtime friend Greg Grunberg, currently appearing on Heroes as mind-reading policeman Matt Parkman. Grunberg said that he had not yet seen the Star Trek XI script but he knew that Abrams had been finishing it the previous week. He also explained that Abrams has had three different films greenlit by the studio, including a comedy in which Grunberg hopes to appear.

As to what Grunberg knows about Abrams' directing plans, "One week, he told me, 'No. I'm definitely just producing.' And then just last week he was like, 'Man, I'm really excited to do it.' I said, 'Are you doing it?' He said, 'I don't know.' I mean, honestly, it's like he's still really up in the air. But he's really happy with the script."

Until Paramount officially announces a director, all stories must be treated as rumour, but it seems that Abrams will certainly remain a driving force behind the next Star Trek feature whether he ends up directing or not.

Discuss this news item at Trek BBS!
 Add TrekToday RSS feed to your news reader or My Yahoo!
Also a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation fan? Then visit CSIFiles.com!