‘Star Trek Beyond’ Director Sides With Fan Film — Klingon Language Also Involved In Copyright Infringement


It looks like Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin had his say in regards to the Star Trek: Axanar fan film. He recently made a statement via Twitter regarding the matter and said that this should be seen as a positive, giving credence to the fan support. One would think Lin would side with CBS/Paramount who has brought a lawsuit against the Axanar producers, but it looks like his tweeted thoughts say otherwise, according to Cinema Blend.

“This is getting ridiculous! I support the fans. Trek belongs to all of us.”

Lin was also of the mind that this could risk fan-base loyalty on CBS/Paramount’s part, considering that this could cause fans to turn on the third Star Trek movie sequel prior to its release.

Axanar Productions gave thanks to the Fast and Furious 6 director.

“Thanks Justin! We’re just trying to make a great fan film. #StarTrekBeyond will be awesome! We can’t wait!”

Back in December, according to The Hollywood Reporter, was when the lawsuit against Axanar Productions came to light. It was stated that CBS and Paramount put up with, and even supported, fan-based film fiction just as Lin is currently doing with Star Trek: Axanar.

This venture was a crowdfunded event that raised $1 million to go towards the professionally done sequel and move the project towards an emphasis on a Star Trek expanded universe emphasizing a period of time called The Four Years War. It was said to be professionally made. Funds were gathered via both Indiegogo and Kickstarter and was cited by the production company as, “the first independent Star Trek film.”

Star Trek: Axanar has even taken on a professional crew of people, some of which worked on the actual series franchise. As such, Paramount and CBS are seeing their works as copyright infringement, speaking of an “innumerable copyrighted elements of Star Trek.”

Axanar Productions countered by filing for dismissal, claiming that the plaintiff didn’t provide any kind of “specificity” to the conditions related copyright infringement –things like uniforms used in the original series,Vulcan appearances, and most notably, the Klingon language.

This concern for Klingon copyright infringement is found comparable to situation between Google and Oracle in utilizing the API code or language. This case was in dispute and now the comparison was taken in kind on whether or not the Klingon language can be used, cited by Charles Duan of Slate.

“With the rumors about the third Star Trek film starting to fly, it’s high time to talk about how the Supreme Court is about to rule on whether it is illegal to speak Klingon.”

Star Trek: Axanar started off with a prelude short film that ran around a budget of $80,000 and was used as a launching point to get crowdfunded solicitations from fans. Alec Peters is the executive producer and the prelude is said to be told in a “retrospective documentary fashion“, according to the Star Trek: Axanar YouTube channel.

The movie tells the story, in retrospect, about how Starfleet had to do something regarding the Klingon onslaught that was leaving their fleets, captains, and crew members destroyed. There was a final strategy entertained by building a battle ship of their own, but the Klingons had their own beast of a space flying machine. It was an arms race for the 22nd century and it was just a matter of who built their technology faster.

Justin Lin’s Star Trek Beyond is scheduled for release in theaters come July 22, and Star Trek: Axanar is still considered in pre-production per IMDB. The fan film stars Kate Vernon of The 100 TV series; Richard Hatch as Commander Kharn, the “architect” of the Klingon battles launched against the Federation; and Gary Graham who portrayed Ambassador Soval.

[Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures]

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