Roberto Orci wants to take the helm of Star Trek 3. This news comes with the announcement that the writer/producer is splitting up with longtime collaborator Alex Kurtzman.

The two have worked together for nearly a decade, writing and producing such blockbusters as the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Transformers, Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek Into Darkness. They also collaborated on smaller projects such as Now You See Me and People Like Us, the later of which was directed by Alex Kurtzman and starred Chris Pine.

They will continue to collaborate on the TV side of things, with their split an amicable one. The decision to part ways comes as both men want to pursue a directing career. They both have over a dozen projects in development, including The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and The Amazing Spider-Man 4, and its unclear how these upcoming movies will be divided between them. It is being speculated that their K/O Paper Products banner will be reconfigured to accommodate their future solo endeavors.

While Roberto Orci has not been confirmed for the directing gig on Star Trek 3, he is currently working hard to win the job. He is already a writer on the project, working with Patrick McKay and John D. Payne. J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot team are said to be lobbying for Orci as director, as is David Ellison and his Skydance Productions. It's Paramount that is putting on the brakes. Sources close to the project claim that the studio is being very cautious with their franchise. They aren't sure they want to give the sequel to an untested first time director.

Alex Kurtzman is set to direct Venom, a spin-off of Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. He has already written the screenplay with Roberto Orci and Bill & Ted 3's Ed Solomon, who produced Now You See Me alongside the pair. Alex Kurtzman is also working with Universal to oversee their relaunch of the famous monster movie franchises starting with the Untitled Mummy Reboot and Van Helsing.

What's your take on this? Roberto Orci is responsible for co-writing what many fans believe is the worst Star Trek movie ever made. Should he, as a first-time director, be handed the reigns of Star Trek 3?