Paramount's 'Star Trek' Sequel to Open May 17, 2013

Industrial Light and Magic/Paramount

J.J. Abrams' 2009 "Star Trek"

Paramount has plotted a course for May 17, 2013, for its next Star Trek sequel, which it plans to shoot in 3D. The release date slots the sci-fi franchise into a very busy tentpole-filled May 2013, coming right after Marvel/Disney's Iron Man 3 and Warner Bros.' Guillermo del Toro-directed Pacific Rim.

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Earlier this year, director-producer J.J. Abrams, who directed the first Trek reboot, was tied up with Super 8 and hadn't committed to directing the new episode, forcing the studio to abandon its original date of June 29, 2012. But the studio's announcement of a new release date for Summer 2013 indicates that Abrams is happy with the status of the script from Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof.

The 2009 Star Trek movie grossed $386 million worldwide. Paramount, looking to the way Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. relaunched the Batman franchise with Batman Begins, is hoping the newly refurbished Starship Enterprise will reach even greater heights with this second installment.