A cookie to Aeries for the sage-like advice. Too true. That's why i like indie films so much. They are the film the author and director want to make, not what they think will sell. The problem with Star Trek in recent history is the desire to make it more mainstream, like Star Wars. Two different animals. Everybody emulates Star Wars when doing sci-fi, so what's the point in not distinguishing yourself? I understand that this is the Trek that most want, because most people are not free thinkers.
As for the "all the stories have been told" mentality, why make a new Trek franchise if that's true? You're practically doomed to do the same crap all over again. The human imagination is an almost limitless thing, with intelligence and correct thought process. There are plenty of stories to tell, both in this new incarnation and the original. You just have to find the correct writers.
