A New Vision: J. J. Abrams, Star Trek, and Promotional Authorship

This article examines the use of authorship discourses in the promotion of media content through a case study of the 2009 Star Trek film, directed by J. J. Abrams. Analyzing press interviews and promotional paratexts, I focus on the potential conflict in which a franchise long associated with a distinct auteur figure was rebooted by a different creator, and the implications for marketing Star Trek to different audiences: new viewers and longtime fans. I demonstrate the careful management involved in the establishment of film authorship, and how the association with a particular author figure shapes the identity of a franchise.