At this point, it’s widely known that Star Trek 3 has begun filming in Vancouver. Stars Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana have stated as much in recent posts to Intstagram and Twitter, respectively. But that doesn’t mean that filming is going smoothly. As with much of the pre-production that went into this film, the Trek crew and Paramount Pictures are facing adversity.

There’s a portion of Stawamus Chief Provincial Park that’s being used for a sequence in the film that’s bringing the wrong kind of attention to the production. For starters, it’s a very popular section of the park- one that hikers and climbers spend many a summer afternoon exploring. But park goers and residents aren’t merely upset about the inconvenience of losing access to this area. No, they’re upset because the production is apparently taking liberties with the landscape itself. CBC News is reporting that the production has cut down trees, and that they spray-painted several boulders.

These alterations to the landscape have not gone unnoticed, and people are mad. After conceding that the production does indeed have the proper permits to do what they’re doing, one resident spoke to CBC to voice his disdain for what’s going on. “It strikes me as frustrating and odd that a company would have more rights in a provincial park than those of us that are paying taxes,” said Brian Vincent. He then expressed a desire to have filming in the park be banned, moving forward.

On a more positive note, for fans of the rebooted franchise, THR is reporting that key members of the cast are getting locked up for a fourth movie. While the negotiation process was strained at best, with most of the original cast not making a ton of money through the first two films and now demanding substantial raises, it looks like Chris Pine and Quinto have come out on the winning side of things. Pine, in particular, is seeing the biggest jump in pay. The star made $600,000 for the first Trek, and is now set to earn $6 million for Star Trek 3– on the condition that his contract must include an option for a fourth film. 

Yes, it’s certainly been a winding road to getting this new Trek movie up and running in time to premiere on July 8, 2016 to coincide with the series’ 50th anniversary. From the exit of J.J. Abrams who decided to trade in the Enterprise for the Millenium Falcon, the entry and exit of Roberto Orci, the extensive script overhaul by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung, and the hiring of Justin Lin (credited with revitalizing the Fast & Furious franchise) to direct the film, the production has been a bit of a roller coaster ride so far. And with politely angry Canadians trying to get them out of Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, it looks like the fun continues.

SOURCE: Trek Movie / The Hollywood Reporter