Interviewing for the Howard Stern show recently, J.J. Abrams discussed his two current projects and how the writer's strike is affecting his work.

As reported at Trekmovie.com, J.J. Abrams has been affected by the writer's strike, even though he is still working. "If you're a writer/director, you are striking on the one hand," he said, "but also, if you are lucky, working on the other hand. I am directing this Star Trek thing and so there have been days I have been striking and picketing in the morning as a writer, and then I go ‘I got a be a director’ and I walk into the studio. So it is really screwed up.

Abrams is hard at work on Star Trek XI, which he claims will come in on budget. He had raves for Zachary Quinto. "That guy is so great," he said. "I love that guy. He is the greatest. It is freaky how great he is."

When asked again why William Shatner couldn't have been in the movie when Nimoy is, he reiterated that it wouldn't make sense and would be artificial. "...Given what the story [Star Trek: The Search for Spock] was it made sense for that story. But given our story it would feel like, even though it is Star Trek and science fiction thing, we want this thing not to feel like fanboys who are just shoving this guy back in because we are fans of his. We want the story to be better." He denied that Shatner was excluded due to Kirk having died in a previous movie. "...The idea that Shatner is not in the movie for any other than the fact that his Kirk died is ridiculous. I would put him in the movie in a second. I love that guy. I used to love him more for the couple of Twilight Zones he did then even Star Trek."

Abram's Cloverfield has opened and he responded to questions about reports of people becoming ill when seeing the movie, saying that it was probably due to the amateur-style camera scenes. Abrams also recommended that pregnant women or those on certain medicines should avoid seeing the movie. When asked about a sequel, he said "There may be. I know that the studio is probably going to want one and we just need to make sure it is the right thing."

To read more, head to the article located here.

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