Star Trek 3 confirms a trio of writers

Star Trek 3 has appointed a trio of writers to work on its script, with the returning Roberto Orci to be joined by Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne.

Orci’s regular collaborator Alex Kurtzman has taken a pass on the third outing in the franchise, with the two newcomers having earned their stripes working on the still-to-be-released Boilerplate adaptation that J.J. Abrams is backing.

Meanwhile, the film is said to be aiming for a 2016 release date, explaining why Abrams himself is unable to return to the director’s chair for a third time.

A replacement director has still to be confirmed, although Joe Cornish is thought to be Paramount’s first choice to fill the position.

Whoever they choose, it looks as though we are set to get a new film in the fiftieth year of the series’ existence, a fitting birthday present for Gene Roddenberry’s creation. Live long and prosper...

(And for more from Orci on Star Trek 3, including a - we're assuming - tongue-in-cheek casting of Harrison Ford, just watch the video below...)