Harlan Ellison Stinking Mad About New Trek Rumors

First it was rumors that Starfleet Academy would be featured in the new Star Trek film, picking up an idea originally pitched by one-time Trek movie producer Harve Bennett. Now the latest rumors involving the plot of "Star Trek XI" is angering probably the last person in Hollywood anyone would want to anger: Harlan Ellison.

Ellison, the famous (and sometimes infamous) science-fiction author who wrote (and publicly ranted against) the just-as-famous original "Star Trek" episode "City on the Edge of Forever" says that if the new rumors about using the Guardian on the Edge of Forever as a plot device in "Star Trek XI" is true, it's news to him.

Ellison wrote Monday that "City" and all its elements except the specific Star Trek characters involve "belong to Harlan Ellison -- author of that much-lauded episode -- by terms of the Separation of Rights clause of the Writers Guild Minimum Basic Agreement."

"If [director J.J.] Abrams -- with whom I'm currently on strike -- or anyone else at Paramount or elsewhere, thinks they're going to use my creations -- whether the City, the Guardians, Sister Edith Keeler or any elements created by Harlan Ellison ... they had damned well better lose the unilateral arrogance, get in touch with me or my agent Marty Shapiro and be prepared to pay for the privilege of mining the lode I own."

Ellison said he was alerted to the recent rumor through popular Star Trek author Peter David. Ellison described the latest rumor -- which has not been confirmed by anyone at Paramount -- as "yet another 'gimmegimme' grab by Paramount and the Star Trek franchise that makes billions, but withholds recognition of recompense to the artists who labored in that vein."

Ellison, 73, is considered one of the masters of science-fiction writing, and also has jumped over to television from time to time for shows such as "Babylon 5," "The New Twilight Zone" and the short-lived "Masters of Science Fiction." However, his most famous foray into television came in the late 1960s when he was angered by the changes made to his "City on the Edge of Forever" script for "Star Trek."

Talk about this story