Last week, we learned that Roberto Orci was stepping down as the director of Star Trek 3, and I greeted this news with cautious optimism.  On the one hand, it seems like Paramount came to its senses in not letting a guy who hadn't even directed a YouTube short film to take the reins of a major blockbuster, although previous reports say that the script was the big problem, not his glaring lack of experience.  However, it's not like he was kicked off the lot or even off the project.

Orci confirmed his continuted involvement on the website Trek Movie, and also commented on the rumors regarding the script and the current status of the film.  Hit the jump for more.  Star Trek 3 is currently scheduled to open in summer 2016.

In the comments section on Trek Movie, Orci told fans, "I will be very involved:)", and never has a smiley emoticon been so threatening.  I've made my feelings clear on Orci's involvement in the franchise, and if I'm taking him at his word, it's discouraging to hear that he'll still have sway, especially since it's been rumored that he was able to weasel his way into the director's chair by implying that he would undercut any other director.

Orci reassured fans that the movie will still be out on time, and that they're currently searching for a director, although he didn't confirm if Edgar Wright was on the studio's shortlist.

And as for the rumor that the script, which will now be scrapped, involved time travel, Orci says "no time travel was ever considered, fyi", and I suppose that's fine.  I would honestly settle for a script that made sense, didn't parasitically latch on to a more popular film, and wasn't a Truther movie.  That would be nice, but as long as Orci is in this movie's orbit, I'm not boldly going for the next Trek.