Tue, May 26, 2009
"Star Trek" successfully conquered older audiences at the box office this weekend as those familiar of the sci-fi series propelled it to a solid opening in the U.S., if not abroad.
Now the movie's studio, Paramount, is preparing to send "Star Trek" on a new, more difficult mission: To capture younger filmgoers and win over foreign audiences, who have thus far proved largely indifferent to the movies, which originated with a 1960s TV series and haven't been on the big screen since the 2002 flop "Nemesis."
A $72.5-million opening weekend in North America -- $76.5 million including Thursday evening shows -- demonstrates director J.J. Abrams rekindled viewer interest in the futuristic tale without alienating core older fans who provide the backbone of support.
