Previous rumor is that Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) will direct.While this isnt 100% official, The Hollywood Reporter just broke a story that says two new writers will be joining Roberto Orci in writing the 3rd Star Trek movie script. Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof are out.
The new blood comes in the form of J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. These relatively unknowns do have a relationship with Bad Robot. The pair were tapped to write the script adapting the graphic novel Boilerplate in 2011 (as yet unreleased) for Bad Robot.
Thats it though, theres no other news on Trek 3 in the article, other than the common assumption that its supposed to be out in 2016 to coincide the 50th anniversary of the franchise.
I have to say that these rumors don't bode well, at least in my opinion. I have my share of misgivings about what JJ has done to Star Trek but his two productions came on like well-oiled machines. With Abrams presumably not directing due to his Star Wars commitment, we hear a rumor that a basically unheard of director best known for directing an acclaimed micro-budget picture is being considered, and Abrams has recently added his vote of confidence. I never saw Attack the Block, but it's hard to imagine Paramount giving the reins of a $150M movie to a director who has no e xp erience with that sort of thing. They should know what happens when you give someone with no e xp erience the reins...Nemesis, anyone?
And now it's rumored that writing will be done by what I'd charitably have to characterize as Bad Robot's second string, who are apparently best known for a movie that is either still on the shelf, or in development hell?