Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have been Hollywood’s go-to writing partnership for a raft of major blockbuster pictures over the past decade or so, but the pair are now parting ways to pursue directorial careers.
With Kurtzman already having directed 2012’s People Like Us , Orci is now keen to make Star Trek 3 his directorial debut, having worked with Kurtzman on the scripts for the previous two films.
Variety reports that Orci has been lobbying hard to step into Abrams’ shoes, with Abrams himself a firm advocate of his talents. However, Paramount is thought to be unsure at this stage, and weighing up all available options.
Joe Cornish had reportedly already been approached by the studio, only to turn it down due to concerns over stepping into what he perceived as somebody else’s franchise.
Meanwhile, Orci and Kurtzman’s split will not be absolute, with the duo still set to collaborate on small-screen projects like Sleepy Hollow and Hawaii Five-0 .
