The next “Star Trek” installment, directed by J.J. Abrams, will have no members of the original cast. No Shatner, no Nimoy. No classic recipe Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Uhura, Chekhov or Sulu. The last “Star Trek” film featured Leonard Nimoy as Spock. But sources close to the next film, many of whom worked with Abrams on the new “Mission Impossible,” confirmed for me last night that none of the originals has been invited back this time. “MI4″‘s Simon Pegg, who now plays Scotty (original Scotty, James Doohan, is in space heaven now with original Bones, DeForrest Kelly), quipped, “That would involve time travel. And if the real Scotty showed up, that would be something.”
Meantime, the “Mission Impossible–Ghost Protocol” crew convened at the Museum of Modern Art last night for a post-premiere party. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes brought their own security team in addition to the regular team assigned to the invite only party. The result was a scrum inside the party, with boundaries. The Cruises were careful to keep everyone they could out of their perimeter, even some people from Paramount Pictures. It was a pointed contrast to Cruise shaking hands and signing autographs outside the Ziegfeld Theater earlier. He’s a man of the people in public. In private, the people must be approved.
But the rest of the party was very friendly, as co-star Paula Patton took up a position outside the Cruise mews with husband singer Robin Thicke, and Robin’s dad, Alan Thicke, and all the Thickes and Pattons. The tall gorgeous couple has been together since they’re 15 years old. “Actually 14,” said Paula’s mother. “She was always putting on shows as a kid and acting. My father used to say, Well, she’s not going to be a mathematician.”
And thank goodness for that. Paula Patton is simply a stunning woman. She was a standout in “Precious.” But with “MI4,” she’s on her way. Also hovering around the protected Cruise-Holmes center: director Brad Bird, co-stars Jeremy Renner and Josh Holloway, and composer Michael Giacchino. Some of the non cast included Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader from “SNL” and actor-radio host Stephen Baldwin. Viacom chief Phillippe Daumann also arrived, with his own security team. (The MoMA lobby may have been the safest room on the northeast corridor last night!)
Largely absent from the Cruise scrum: producer J.J. Abrams. He really made himself scarce.
Meantime, “Mission Impossible 4” opens Wednesday as wide as Steven Tyler’s grin. It’s all set to be a blockbuster, and rightly so. From the minute the theme music starts, to the surprise ending, the film is a total rocking big studio pleasure.
