Star-TrekIt looks like it could be a one step forward, one step back for two of J.J. Abrams’ upcoming projects, with word coming that the upcoming Star Trek 3 is very close to hiring a new duo of writers. But at the same time, rumours are surfacing that Abrams is considering exiting the high-profile job of helming Star Wars Episode VII.

Coming our way via Badass Digest, we hear that Bad Robot are expected to hire Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz to write the Star Trek 3 script. Miller and Stentz are the co-writers behind the likes of Thor, X-Men: First Class, and episodes of Andromeda and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, giving them plenty of experience in the sci-fi/blockbuster genre to bring to the table.

The report notes that it’s not yet a done deal, and that Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are still on board to return as writers, and are thought to have been instrumental in pushing Paramount and Bad Robot to hire Miller and Stentz.

Paramount reportedly want Star Trek 3 to be out in cinemas in 2016, to mark the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, so it’s likely that work will be getting underway on the script very soon, to make sure that deadline is met.

In related, but very much rumoured, news, J.J. Abrams is rumoured to be considering exiting the job of directing the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII. Though it happened some time ago, Abrams was reportedly pushing not to shoot the movie in England, and was overruled, and word has it that rumours have been circling for a while now amongst multiple insiders that he’s been considering/threatening it.

It’s important to take this with a pinch of salt for the time being, since it’s anything but concrete. But there’s a Star Wars celebration set to be held at the end of the month in Germany, where some news from the upcoming reboot could be expected, and it will be interesting to see if Abrams makes an appearance in some shape or form.

For the time being, all we know for sure is that Star Trek 3 remains without a director, officially, but that it’s close to hiring Miller and Stentz to co-write the script. Beyond that, we’ll hopefully get some more concrete news soon from both sides of the Star Wars / Star Trek fence.