JJ Abrams updates on STAR TREK sequel and M:I IV

From ComingSoon.net:

"Both the Los Angeles Times and SCI FI Wire got a chance to talk to J.J. Abrams about the status of the Star Trek sequel and Mission: Impossible IV. Abrams gave this interesting quote to the former about the new Star Trek film:

'The ambition for a sequel to Star Trek is to make a movie that's worthy of the audience and not just another movie, you know, just a second movie that feels tacked on. The first movie was so concerned with just setting up the characters -- their meeting each and galvanizing that family -- that in many ways a sequel will have a very different mission. it needs to do what [the late 'Trek' creator Gene] Roddenberry did so well, which is allegory. It needs to tell a story that has connection to what is familiar and what is relevant. It also needs to tell it in a spectacular way that hides the machinery and in a primarily entertaining and hopefully moving story. There needs to be relevance, yes, and that doesn't mean it should be pretentious. If there are simple truths -- truths connected to what we live -- that elevates any story -- that's true with any story.'

Meanwhile, SCI FI Wire got a brief update on Mission: Impossible IV:

SCIFI: Any momentum on Mission: Impossible IV?

Abrams: Yeah, we have a really cool story. It's being written right now by Andre Nemec and Josh Applebaum.

SCIFI: What's your ETA on when you'll see the draft?

Abrams: We're hoping to get it soon, like by the end of the year.

SCIFI: Could it work out for you to direct it?

Abrams: I'm open to anything."

OH!! So he's not offended now by doing sequels to movies based on Leonard Nimoy TV shows! Nice save, pal.

UPDATE:

This is what writer Roberto Orci had to say -

From TrekMovie:

'We’ve literally had two meetings now. We haven’t decided anything but we’re starting to circle around some ideas. We got a lot of fan response from the first one and a considerable amount of critical response and one of the things we heard was, ‘Make sure the next one deals with modern-day issues.’ We’re trying to keep it as up-to-date and as reflective of what’s going on today as possible. So that’s one thing, to make it reflect the things that we are all dealing with today.'

'[LA Times writer] asked Orci somewhat flippantly if that meant we might see Starfleet grappling with the ethics of or dealing with a rising ist threat or perhaps a painful, politicized war with the Klingons - 'Well yeah, those are the kind of issues we’re talking about. Wow, you’re good! But seriously that’s the way we’re thinking, that’s an approach. So if you have any ideas … '"

WELL, IF HE'S ASKING FOR IDEAS - I'M HERE!! HELLO!?!