Editing Star Trek: Phase II (section)

==Background==
''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' was cancelled in 1969, following three seasons on [[NBC]]. Afterward, it saw success in [[broadcast syndication]], resulting in [[science fiction conventions]] being held for the fans of the show. Influenced by this success, [[Paramount Pictures]] soon sought to create a new film from the series. Series creator [[Gene Roddenberry]] told the [[Associated Press]] in March 1972 that NBC wanted a ''Star Trek'' [[television film]] as [[television pilot|pilot]] for a new series.<ref name="buck19720314">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9y9JAAAAIBAJ&pg=861%2C5406685 |title='Star Trek' Engenders Cult in U.S., England |access-date=March 4, 2011 |author=Buck, Jerry |date=March 14, 1972 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>{{sfn |Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens |1997 |p=12}} [[Barry Diller]], the [[chief executive officer]] of Paramount Pictures between 1974 and 1984, later explained that Arthur Barron, the [[chief financial officer]] at the time, was pushing for renewing ''Star Trek'' as a low-budget film, and that any suggestions that Paramount's owner [[Charles Bluhdorn]] had some involvement were untrue.{{sfn |Masters |2000 |p=65}}

In May 1975, Roddenberry signed a contract with Paramount for ''[[Star Trek: The God Thing]]'', with a budget of $5 million.{{sfn |Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens |1997 |p=16}} However, his contract was terminated in August of the same year after inviting several writers to pitch story ideas for the film.{{sfn |Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens |1997 |p=16}}{{sfn |Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens |1997 |p=17}} Paramount instead placed Jerry Isenberg in charge of the project as executive producer in July 1976. [[Chris Bryant (writer)|Chris Bryant]] and [[Allan Scott (Scottish screenwriter)|Allan Scott]] were hired to write a script, which they entitled ''[[Star Trek: Planet of the Titans]]''.{{sfn |Gross|Altman |1993 |p=84}} Bryant and Scott turned in their script on March 1, 1977,{{sfn |Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens |1997 |p=19}} which was rejected by Paramount. The duo left the project, citing conflicts in the film's scope between Roddenberry and director [[Philip Kaufman]].{{sfn |Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens |1997 |p=19}}{{sfn |Hughes |2008 |pp=21–26}}{{sfn |Dillard |1994 |p=64}} Shortly before the scheduled release of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' on May 25, the ''Star Trek'' film was cancelled on May 9. Kaufman claimed that Paramount attributed this to the idea that science fiction fans would not go see two films released so close together.{{sfn |Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens |1997 |p=19}}{{sfn |Gross|Altman |1993 |p=85}}