Even at age 91 with a few memoirs under his belt, there may still be much to tell as William Shatner presents Shatner at Comic-Con. And even if the insights to be gleaned have been told elsewhere, he’s still such a good storyteller about it. This one may be a bit different, though, as Legion M and Exhibit A Pictures are teaming for a new documentary about Shatner and the fans who love him. Alexandre O. Philippe will direct the documentary, though in what has to be a set-up for a meta moment, Shatner will be presenting a first look at footage in Hall H at SDCC on Thursday, July 21. No doubt footage of him presenting that footage will make it into the documentary.
Shatner said in a statement to Variety, “For years I’ve had people approaching me to do a documentary about my life, but I turned them all down because it didn’t feel like the right fit. When I heard how Legion M wanted to incorporate audiences to be a part of it, it was perfect. Fans have been responsible for my career — it only seems right that they should own this doc.”
And to some extent, he’s telling the truth about there not being an official documentary about him. Shatner has participated in reality series where much could be inferred from his confessions. Mind Meld, in which Shatner and Leonard Nimoy interview each other, and The Captains, in which the actor interviews the other actors to play major Star Trek starship captains, both also provide fascinating glimpses into the workings of his mind. Before the pandemic, he also toured with a road show of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, speaking to the audience and taking questions afterward. (It was a hoot.)
Most recently, of course, the actor accepted Jeff Bezos’ invitation and flew into space. There may be some new insights to glean yet, especially when interviewed by Kevin Smith. One thing that Shatner has mentioned many places is that he feared mortality. No doubt at Hall H he will be reminded that as far as fans are concerned, he’ll live forever. Shatner presents Shatner in the present; we’ll present him in the future.
The official schedule, from Legion M:
SHATNER ON SHATNER
Thursday, July 21 | 4:30 – 5:30pm | Hall H
Join acclaimed actor, writer, spoken word artist and astronaut(!) William Shatner and moderator Kevin Smith as they discuss Bill’s illustrious and amazing career, upcoming projects, and his new deep-dive documentary from Legion M by acclaimed pop culture documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe (The People vs George Lucas, 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene, Memory: The Origins of Alien) that takes an up-close, intimate exploration of Shatner’s personal journey over his nine decades on Earth. Kevin and Bill will be joined by Philippe and producers from Legion M (Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Mandy) and Exhibit A Pictures (The People vs George Lucas, 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene) and will end the panel with what promises to be unforgettable Q&A with the audience.
CELEBRATING WILLIAM SHATNER
Thursday, July 21 | Theatre Box | Tickets available for purchase here
Join Legion M to celebrate William Shatner and immortalize an icon with a handprint ceremony in the lobby of Theatre Box San Diego, plus exclusive autograph sessions and an intimate evening rooftop afterparty (tickets for each event sold separately).
- HANDPRINT CEREMONY
10:00 – 11:00am - WILLIAM SHATNER SIGNING AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
11:30am – 12:30pm; 6:15pm – 7:15pm - AN EVENING AND PERFORMANCE WITH WILLIAM SHATNER
8:00 – 10:30pm
Full disclosure: I do own a small number of shares in Legion M, the fan-owned studio.
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