'Star Trek 3' News: First Draft of Script Complete, Film to Be Released in 2016

Roberto Orci has confirmed that the first draft of the "Star Trek 3" script has been finished, and it looks like production on the film will start in spring 2015 as projected.

Orci himself broke the news on TrekMovie.com. "p & m & I wrote, 'fade out' yesterday on first draft. Things are moving," he wrote on the website's forums.

Orci is co-writing the script with Patrick McKay and John D. Payne. This will be the directorial debut for Orci, who is known for his scriptwriting for the first Star Trek reboot movies, "The Amazing Spiderman" series, and "Transformers."

In an interview with IGN last July, Orci spoke about his mentor, J.J. Abrams, who directed the first two "Star Trek" movies. Now that the baton has been passed to him, will he continue to consult with Abrams?

"Absolutely," said Orci.

"J.J. is more than a colleague for me. He is someone who I've learned a lot from, just watching the trajectory of his decisions, his career," the writer explained. "He's been so generous with is time with me in terms of being willing to answer any questions that I have about anything. Alex [Kurtzman] and I, he's always been like an older brother for us."

"He's been like our business mentor/older brother," Orci continued. "He's one of the people I've been relying on going forward. I do feel comfortable enough, when I have a question about anything in this business, I feel like I can call him, and he'll give me some pretty good advice."

When asked if he plans to add other elements to the film that are inspired by the "Star Trek" TV shows, Orci said, "I think our instinct right now is to go into uncharted territory."

"If the best idea is when, suddenly, it seems like the best thing ever to do, is to have the Andorians running around, doing something cool, that's what it'll be," said Orci to IGN.

"Star Trek 3" is slated to premiere in 2016, which also happens to be the 50th anniversary of the series.