William Shatner to Save 'Star Trek'

Capt. James T. Kirk has saved the Earth and human civilization from annihilation over and over again in the popular sci-fi series, Star Trek. Now, the actor behind one of the most famous television roles ever, William Shatner, is trying to save Star Trek from falling into obscurity.

William Shatner has signed on to voice the swashbuckling Captain Kirk once again, but this time, in a video game. Star Trek: Legacy, which is slated to be released in October, will allow players to navigate the stars from the helm of over 60 Starfleet starships, which span from all five live-action Star Trek series. The 60 starships will be flown into combat against various foes from the Star Trek universe, including the war-hungry Klignons and the assimilating Borg, bent on the annihilation of the human race.

Shatner is hoping Star Trek: Legacy will not be the last legacy of the Star Trek franchise. With the demise of the most recent series, Star Trek: Enterprise, and the next movie not expected until some time in 2008, this will be the first time since Star Trek: The Next Generation that a series is not in the works and films aren't slated to fill the void. That's why William Shatner was so excited to get on board with Star Trek: Legacy.

William Shatner spoke with Reuters to discuss his role in keep the Star Trek flame burning bright. "The interest in 'Star Trek' has waned in the last couple years. It's been around a long time, it's a staple of American life and I think we need something new and different in 'Star Trek.'"

Shatner also talked about his affinity to the character of Captain Kirk, and his defensiveness over one of TV's legendary roles. "I couldn't imagine someone else playing Captain Kirk, even in a video game, so I kind of got a little territorial."

As for Star Trek: Legacy, Shatner said "If it's a good game, keeping true to the characters the best they can and having an interesting story that branches, I think a game can bring a freshness to a franchise like 'Star Trek'."

While Star Trek will always be tied to William Shatner, Shatner has moved on to other projects. The 75 year old native of Montreal, Canada has moved out of a Starfleet uniform and into the role of the eccentric lawyer, Denny Crane, on the shows Boston Legal and The Practice. The role of the lawyer Denny Crane has landed Shatner Emmy Awards recently. Shatner also starred in the 70s television series, T.J. Hooker, and has made multiple film appearances, including Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, both Miss Congeniality films, and voice work on Osmosis Jones, The Wild and Over the Hedge.

As for the Star Trek franchise, the television series began in 1966, though it had been in the planning stages for long before that. Gene Roddenberry, the show's creator, worked directly on the original Star Trek series, the relatively unsuccessful Star Trek: The Animated Series, the aborted Star Trek: Phase II, and Star Trek: The Next Generation until his death in 1991. All told, the Star Trek franchise produced 704 live-action episodes and 10 feature films, with the 11th slated for release in 2008.

[Additional Sources: Reuters]