And it will continue to fall off, week after week. RINGLEADER put it all in perspective with his post earlier in the thread.

What it comes down to is that Into Darkness won't be a "winner", so the likelihood of another entry, especially one so expensive, is very unlikely.

It has not made 70 million in profit...remember, Paramount does get 100 percent of the film gross, only about 55-60 percent.

Well, if they dumped an extra 40 million into this and didn't get the results they wanted, hopefully it convinces them to go back to a reduced budget, and focus more on a stronger script with an original story.

I'd think that would help them get it out faster, too. I'm sure that 40 mil was spent almost entirely on special effects.

For comparison, from that same page, it appears the audience growth for the Fast Furious series keeps growing.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/showdow...?id=fast56.htm

With Abrams going off to do Star Wars, it's unlikely that he would even be available (let alone, interested) in another Star Trek film. So, if Paramount decides to move forward, you're looking at a new "team" of producers who would hire a writer, create a new story, then hire a director to realize that story, all with a substantially reduced budget.

Unless they already have someone in mind, you're talking at least a year's development and likely, two. Unless they rushed out another film (which I also find unlikely), you're probably looking at another 3-4 years before the next film would be ready for a theatrical run.

They hired one of the "best" directors in Hollywood, assembled a talented, charismatic cast, spent $190 million for these results?

Why even move forward?

But that might end badly. Uni wanted to move so fast on Fast 7 that Justin Lin dropped out because the window was too tight.

That's usually not a good sign, especially since he revived that franchise.

I guess they want to strike while the irons hot. This could become basically another Saw type franchise.

And who better to hire than James Wan, the director of the original Saw film?

:spock:

I'm skeptical, to say the least.

Bad Robot has a contract for three films, so will Abrams just say "meh" and go on about his business?

I guess he will produce and bring in a buddy to direct. Like he did with the Mission Impossible series.

They will likely "mutually agree to go a different direction". It happens all the time.

Do you really believe that Abrams will go directly from Star Wars back to Star Trek in May 2015?

I certainly don't.

Abrams directed and Orci & Kurtzman wrote Mission Impossible III. He didn't hand it off to anyone.

I thought that entry sucked and paled in comparison to the original and Ghost Protocol.

Yea, but Bad Robot also produced Ghost Protocol i thought?

Well, Bad Robot was part of production agreement but Brad Bird (of Pixar fame) isn't Abram's "buddy". That would be a guy like Jack Bender.

Brad Bird's resume is far more extensive, including writing and directing The Incredibles.

Ah k...yea Bird seems like a pretty talented guy.