I had a chance to speak with Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, the writers and executive producers of next summer's reinvention of "Star Trek." We talked about the first photos of the cast and spaceships revealed in this just-released batch of movie stills. With the movie not hitting screens until next May, they were cagey about the plot details, but let me in on a few secrets to look for in the new photos.

Photo by Paramount PicturesThis first exclusive photo shows the starship USS Kelvin in flight. Kurtzman and Orci couldn't answer if the ship predates the Enterprise or if any characters we already know are aboard. They did say that it was very important to them that the ship designs did not "stray too far" from those in the original show. Orci called the spaceships from the series "lovely works of art," and they agreed that completely reworking the look without retaining the classic style would be an "affront to the fans."

Photo by Paramount PicturesThey did offer up the origin of the U.S.S. Kelvin's name. Director J.J. Abrams' maternal grandfather was named Henry Kelvin. He owned an electronics company and was very influential to Abrams as a boy. So in honor of him, Abrams has dropped the name "Kelvin" into every project he's worked on. In "Mission: Impossible III," a letter is addressed to "H. Kelvin," and on the first episode of the new series "Fringe" a character worked on a project called "Kelvin Genetics."

Photo by Paramount PicturesIn this photo we see the bulk of the Enterprise crew in their uniforms for the first time. The colors and designs are taken straight out of the original series, but the fabrics look more modern. The writers said the show's costumes captured the feel of the "Beatles/Kennedy '60s" and wanted the movie to retain that "rebellious spirit." They also noted that Kirk (Chris Pine) is not wearing a uniform in this shot, and that there's a definite reason for that in the plot.

Photo by Paramount PicturesHere is the first shot of "Heroes" star Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock, strong-arming someone (is it Kirk?) with his superior Vulcan strength. I asked if this means Spock would be more of an action hero this time around. They responded that they made sure the character of Spock stayed "very consistent" to his roots, but that the movie was getting an "action upgrade." Kurtzman said that with advances in technology and the investment the studio was putting into the movie, it was natural that this "Star Trek" would have far more action sequences than any previous installment.

Photo by Paramount PicturesI asked if this photo of Kirk emerging from what looks to be some sort of escape pod and climbing out of a crater of ice means that there will be significant scenes that take place off the Enterprise. They answered that the show in their opinion was as much about the "away missions" as it was the bridge. Kurtzman said those were the times that "tested relationships the most," and they wanted to bring that to the film. Then Orci joked that Kirk is really just "climbing the rock wall on a futuristic Royal Caribbean cruise."

Photo by Paramount PicturesWhen we looked at this exclusive photo of John Cho in the part of Sulu, I asked how they juggled the large cast of characters aboard the Enterprise. They said they took their "major cues from the original series" where each crewmember served a specific function and contributed their own unique point of view. Kurtzman said there is, "plenty of story for everyone," and that each character is necessary to see it through.

Photo by Paramount PicturesIn this shot we get the first look at the bridge, with Kirk in his captain's chair. The writers told me that the set was built on the same soundstage on the Paramount lot where the original series filmed, and walking onto it for the first time was "incredibly emotional." They said the set is filled with nods to the one from the show, but it has been infused with modern elements. I asked if they ever sat in Kirk's chair, and they said they were superstitious of it. Kurtzman said they "circled it for weeks," but waited until the very end of filming to take their turn in the captain's seat.

Photo by Paramount PicturesLastly we looked at a photo of Eric Bana as the villain, Nero. He cuts an intimidating figure with his shaved head, face tattoos and pointy (Romulan?) ears. Knowing they couldn't tell me specifics of who Nero is and what he's about, I asked the writers who would win in a fight, Nero or Khan, Kirk's nemesis from "Star Trek II." After a little deliberation, they decided that Khan would win in a ship-to-ship space battle, but on the ground Nero would take him. As to how Nero fares against James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, we'll have to wait until May 8th to find out. But you can get a preview of the new "final frontier" with this Yahoo! premiere teaser trailer.