Star Trekalmost returned to television in the 1970s withStar Trek: Phase II, a live-action continuation ofStar Trek: The Original Series. Produced by The Roddenberry Archive and OTOY,Lost Voyages: Phase II and the Rebirth of Star Trekis a new documentary that sheds fascinating new light on theStar TrekTV showthat never was.
In the mid-1970s, Paramount Studios planned to launch its own TV network.Star Trek: Phase II, a revival of Gene Roddenberry’s TV series that became a ratings phenomenon in syndication after NBC canceledStar Trekin 1969,was intended to be the flagship series of Paramount’s new network. Instead,Phase IIwas scrapped in favor ofStar Trek: The Motion Picture.
Directed by Roger Lay, Jr. and written by Michael and Denise Okuda,Lost Voyagesfeatures interviews with Casey Bernay, Daren Dochterman, Walter Koenig, Jon Povill, Garfield and Judith Reeves-Stevens, and George Takei. Together, they revealnew information about what became ofStar Trek: Phase II.
6A Star Trek Movie Was In Development Before Star Trek: Phase II
A Few Attempts Were Made At A Star Trek Movie
Star Trek: The Motion Pictureshit movie screens in 1979, but there were priorStar Trekmoviesin development in 1975 before Paramount pivoted to a new TV series,Star Trek: Phase II.Star Trekcreator Gene Roddenberry wrote a screenplay called “The God Thing,“but this concept was shot down by Paramount CEO Barry Diller, who was"a devout Catholic"and didn’t want aStar Trekmovie with religious overtones.
The Right Stuffdirector Phillip Kaufman took a stab ataStar Trekmovie dubbedPlanet of the Titans,which got the farthest in development of these early attempts. However, Roddenberry and Paramount were unhappy withPlanet of the Titans' script, and Kaufman’s rewrite was even"worse"because it"wasn’t Star Trek.” Planet of the Titansdidn’t move forward and was dumped in favor of a new TV series,Star Trek: Phase II.
5Star Trek’s Initial USS Enterprise Movie Redesigns Resemble Star Trek: Discovery’s Starship
Enterprise Looks Like USS Discovery’s Crossfield Class
Ken Adams, who was the production designer of the James Bond movies, and Ralph McQuarrie, who created concept art for George Lucas’Star Wars,came aboard forStar Trek: Planet of the Titans.Adams and McQuarrie contributed designs of aliens and planets for Phillip Kaufman’s film, butMcQuarrie’s concept for a new USS Enterprise is the most striking.
With its saucer backed by a triangular stardrive section,Planet of the Titans’USS Enterprise redesign looks remarkably like the USS Discovery, the hero ship ofStar Trek: Discovery.McQuarrie’s revamped Enterprise could be an early Crossfield Class starship, whichStar Trek: Discoveryintroduced in 2017. It’s very possible, in hindsight, theUSS Discovery’s design was influenced byPlanet of the Titans' Starship Enterprise.
4Star Trek: Phase II’s Production Was Farther Along Than Most Realize
Sets & Costumes Were Built While Actors Waited To Be Called To Set
Star Trek: Phase II’s pre-production was at an advanced level before the new TV series was abruptly canceled.The sets for the new USS Enterprise were designed, as were the new Starfleet uniform costumes, while several actors were hired. These included new cast members likePersis Khambatta, who played Lt. Ilia, and David Gautreaux, who was to be Xon, the new Vulcan replacement for Leonard Nimoy’s Spock.
Meanwhile,Star Trek: The Original Series' actors like George Takei and Walter Koenig were contracted to return and were awaiting a start date. As was William Shatner to reprise Captain James T. Kirk. However,Leonard Nimoy was not factored into being part ofStar Trek: Phase II,as the actor was in a financial conflict with Paramount. Hence, Xon was created to take the place of Nimoy’s Mr. Spock.
3Star Trek: Phase II’s USS Enterprise Bridge Design Was More Organic
The Enterprise’s Bridge Reflected New Technology
Star Trek: The Original Series’USS Enterprise bridge, as explained by Daren Dochterman, was made of wood panels that could easily be made in Paramount’s in-studio workshop.Star Trek: Phase II’s USS Enterprise bridge redesign took advantage of new fiberglass technologywidely available in the 1970s.
The result wasa"more organic"Starship Enterprise bridge, complete with a plush Captain’s chair, and smooth, rounded shapes instead of hard angles. Innovations included a second turbolift door, a mini transporter, globe displays for navigation and tactical weapons, as well as sliding science compartments. Many aspects ofStar Trek: Phase II’s bridge would carry over intoStar Trek: The Motion Picture.
2Star Wars Wasn’t The Reason Phase II Was Scrapped In Favor Of Star Trek: The Motion Picture
A DIfferent Sci-Fi Movie Hit Made Paramount Opt To Make A Star Trek Movie
Daren Dochterman also debunked the popular belief thatStar Trek: Phase IIwas scrapped because George Lucas’Star Warsbecame a blockbuster in 1977. As Dochterman points out, the development ofStar Trekmovies, andearly production ofStar Trek: Phase IIpredatedStar Wars' filming in 1976 and its premiere in May 1977.
Lost Voyagesconfirms that it was the blockbuster success of Steven Spielberg’sClose Encounters of the Third Kindthat provoked Paramount to turnStar Trekinto a movieto compete.Close Encountersbecoming a hit for Columbia Pictures in late 1977, following the success ofStar Warsat Fox, led Paramount to pivotStar Trekback into a feature film.
1When & Why Star Trek: Phase II Was Canceled In Favor Of Star Trek: The Motion Picture
What Could Have Been?
The other major factor as to whyStar Trek: Phase IInever happened was thatParamount was unable to make the plan to launch their own TV network financially feasible. Paramount abandoned its TV network, although 20 years later, the studio launched United Paramount Network (UPN) withStar Trek: Voyageras its flagship series.
However, other TV networks like NBC, CBS, and ABC opposed Paramount’s attempt to create a competing network, andthey would not buyStar Trek: Phase IIif Paramount went ahead with its TV series. At that point, the logical course of action was to pivotStar Trekback into a feature film and develop “In Thy Image,” a story concocted by Gene Roddenberry, Alan Dean Foster, and Harold Livingston, who wrote the screenplay for Robert Wise to direct.
Star Trek: Phase IIwas announced in July 1977, and less than a month later, after a long period of development and pre-production, Paramount canceled the newStar Trekseriesfollowing a secret meeting on August 3rd. Paramount head Michael Eisner said,“For five years, we’ve been looking for the right Star Trek feature story. [“In Thy Image”] was it.”
Star Trek: Phase IIfaded into legend as theStar TrekTV show that might have been but never was.
Many concepts and characters like Lt. Ilia were repurposed for what becameStar Trek: The Motion Picture, which went wildly over budget but successfully launchedStar Trekas a movie franchise. Meanwhile,Star Trek: Phase IIfaded into legend as theStar TrekTV show that might have been but never was.
