There is no other vessel like "Star Trek" in the history of entertainment. The sole rival in its genre that can even compete is the "Star Wars" franchise, but even Lucas hasn’t saturated television the way "Trek" has, and his universe hasn’t been a staple of pop culture as long, coming up more than a decade shy of the title. "Trek" has snowballed into the massive frontier it is today since 1966, contending with the Force on the other end of the sci-fi spectrum since its advent in 1977. "Trek" grew into its intensely devoted following after three years on television, and then came Lucas and his legions after three films swept through theaters with more fantasy in the mix. But no matter how more trendy and less technical "Star Wars" is, "Trek" is the entertainment grandfather of sci-fi, even if that makes Lucas its godfather.

The "Star Trek" films have been coming since 1979, and they have always adapted to the times, and now they have come to a crossroad. While "Star Wars" saw the induction of three prequels into its complete mythology, it did not generate the kind of mass fan appeal or response that was expected until the final one, "Revenge of the Sith," because of its ties to the original trilogy. "Trek" is a different sci-fi creature, coming from a more diversified background with a more expansive history when you factor in a cumulative 28 seasons of television and a total of ten motion pictures. That’s a lot of history, and it’s a lot of profit. So why is "Trek XI" seemingly being forestalled? Is it because the franchise is dying? Are the fans tiring of "Trek," possibly signaling that its time has passed, at least for the foreseeable future?

Consider a few things floating around the internet rumor mill before jumping to a conclusion. First of all, a source for MoviesOnline passed along word of an email that has been spreading like the Borg, passing an unsubstantiated rumor from one "Trek" fan to another, keeping alive hope of another film in the making. Here is the text of the chain email:

"Unknown to the public Star Trek 11 had already been filmed and is in the can, being held till the fall of 06, expect a massive advertising campaign to hit the streets in July / Aug 2006 for either Friday September 1st or Wednesday September 6th release. It was filmed after Enterprise finished the finally Episode, and is a better send off for the crew of the NX01, and quite likly will involve other Trek Stars in cameo apperances, if it does well a series return could follow!"

Thanks to Bruce for providing us with this information. He told us that the email of unknown origins has come to him twice in the last two months, and this is just a small taste of the rumors flying all over the internet from fans who are starving for more of their beloved "Trek." It’s akin to the hopes that were attached to Joss Whedon’s "Serenity" last year, as fans of the TV show "Firefly" anxiously awaited the return of their favorite characters and space western, which I have actually seen referred to as the anti-Trek. If this is an indication of nothing else, it’s that sci-fi fanatics are as ravenous for good sci-fi as ever. Paramount only needs to give it to them.

Another rumor worth mentioning is that Peter Jackson is going to direct "Star Trek XI," and it’s one that Screen Rant claims it picked up recently from a source inside Weta Workshop since they are supposedly scheduled to do the effects. The article mentions a "rough draft of a script" and that "they’re looking at ship designs that are from the original series AND ’Next Generation’." This news could have more truth driving it than the sparks of fannish faith that keeps the email yarn circulating. More significantly, it would not be a far stretch to tie this to screenwriter Erik Jendresen’s script about the Romulan War taking place between "Enterprise" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" that is supposed to be a trilogy filling in the most significant gap in "Trek" history with Tiberius Chase (James Tiberius Kirk’s ancestor and probable namesake) as its fresh face at the helm.

Consider the dream for a minute. Peter Jackson (near to divine status for the masterpiece that was the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy) directing the most important and revolutionary story in what could be the best place "Trek" has never gone before. If Paramount is worried about market and profit potential, that one idea alone could generate the kind of interest that guarantees the venture would be worth their while. Even if that and all the rest of the eager gossip is not the studio’s dream, the fans certainly have their dreams of an eleventh "Star Trek" film, and "Trek" is too much a classic and enduring part of the sci-fi entertainment world’s foundation to let those dreams fade into the black.