A few weeks ago, we heard that Roberto Orci was lobbying pretty hard to direct Star Trek 3. It seems that his efforts have paid off now, as Deadline is reporting that he’s the frontrunner for the position. While not officially signed on just yet, he’s currently in talks with the studio to make his directorial debut with the film, which could be a bit risky.
Giving a huge project to a first time director is always a tricky thing, and recently, it’s proven to be a bad decision (see: Transcendence and/or 47 Ronin). There’s a lot riding on Star Trek 3 as well, with Abrams now gone and the second film not going over too well with fans. Personally, I enjoyed it quite a bit, but the general feeling towards it seems to be that it was mediocre and not as good as its predecessor. Regardless, Star Trek 3 needs to be a home run, but with a first time director at the helm, the scepticism on whether or not it will deliver will be even greater.
All that being said, Orci has considerable experience with the franchise, having written and produced the first two instalments. He’s also been involved in other large franchises like Transformers and The Amazing Spider-Man. So it’s not like he’s a total newcomer to the whole thing. Still, it will be his first time directing and for a film this big, that’s a definite risk.
Stay tuned as we’ll be sure to let you know when and if Roberto Orci officially signs on for Star Trek 3. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if you’re behind this decision.