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Edwin Davies: Abrams' departure as director will probably slow the next film down somewhat, but I've no doubt that a third installment will be along in the next few years and hopefully he'll be able to shepherd it along in the same way that he has with the Mission: Impossible series, which has benefited immeasurably from his involvement as both a director and a producer. I don't consider this slight under-performance to be anything close to a fatal blow for the franchise, but I do think that Paramount will have to make sure they pick the right people for the next one, since the series will probably have to work even harder to expand beyond the audience its already found, something which would have been difficult even with the direct involvement of Abrams.

David Mumpower: Adding to Edwin’s thought process, Star Trek Into Darkness is on pace to smoke Star Trek’s $385 million global box office. Paramount can trumpet this aspect of the movie, which is what studios like to do to gloss over the box office struggles most big budget releases face in North America these days. Barring something unforeseen, Star Trek 2/12 will be remembered as a solid hit.

The important question right now is whether Abrams will be allowed any presence with Star Trek. Edwin mentioned that he has demonstrated significant skill as a caretaker. I have to believe that Star Wars will not only consume all of his time but also create a conflict of interest. Why would anyone at Paramount believe that Abrams would save his best ideas for a project he has abandoned over one that will make his career? Yes, I know he is already famous; creating a great Star Wars movie would place him squarely on the path to legend status.

With Abrams off the board, there is a certain amount of uncertainty about this project. I will be surprised if there is any movement on Star Trek 3/13 until next year. When there is, Paramount has to grab an ascending talent equally as good as Abrams if not better. Abrams in a way had an easy task in rebooting Star Trek with the original characters from the 1960s television show. The next director must operate within established confines to create new story arcs. The task is a difficult one, even on paper. I have significant concerns about Star Trek 3.

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