Vulcan, Alberta, might have just 2,000 residents, but they now have an advocate that has already made another place called Vulcan proud a million times over.

Leonard Nimoy says he's "disappointed" that Paramount Pictures couldn't work out the details to get "Star Trek XI" in Vulcan on opening day May 8, and says he's going to do what it takes to make sure the town can be a significant part of the franchise's revival.

"I am very disappointed, because to say I'm sad would be too emotional," Nimoy told Airlock Alpha's Michael Hinman. "I'm sure they are sad and disappointed, and have every right to be. Something should be done, and I think they should mount a campaign and not accept this sitting down.

"I think they should get emotional about it."

Dayna Dickens, coordinator for the Vulcan Tourism and Trek Centre, told reporters earlier this week that the year-long campaign to get the film's premiere in the town located some 90 minutes from Calgary fell short. It's not that Paramount doesn't want to have the film in Vulcan, Dickens told Airlock Alpha Thursday, it's just they couldn't commit to bringing it there early enough for the town to prepare.

"Ultimately, it came down to the fact that we were going to convert our local high school gymnasium" into a theater, Dickens said. That included surround sound, a 35mm projector, a full-size theater-quality movie screen, and other equipment that represented about a $175,000 investment, in local currency. Money would come from the town's budget, provincial sources from Alberta itself, and sponsorships.

The problem was that it would take at least a month to build the screen, and Vulcan officials had to let crews coming as far as Vancouver, British Columbia, and other places know immediately.

Paramount, unfortunately, couldn't make that commitment when they're right now more focused on films premiering in April rather than May.

But it shouldn't be that hard, Nimoy said, for Paramount to commit to such a strong marketing opportunity in a town already known internationally for its devotion to Star Trek, including statues of the USS Enterprise in its town square.

"I know that Paramount is being very, very careful on who gets to see the movie when and where," he said. "Nevertheless, it just seems to me that something should be done, and I'm going to make some phone calls and see what's possible."

Nimoy needs to act fast, however, as Vulcan town officials had to know practically yesterday whether the town has a commitment or not. If Paramount were to change its mind, it would need to do it almost by the end of this week, or it might be impossible to get the film there as planned, Dickens said.

Even if the movie doesn't show up, it won't be a total loss for Vulcan, Dickens said. Tourism is up by 19 percent in 2008 over 2007, representing nearly 17,000 visitors ... nine times the actual population of the town. And plans already are being made to ship residents to Calgary for the Alberta premiere of the film if it can't come to Vulcan.

Nimoy says the film would be worth the trip. He stars as an older version of Spock alongside Zachary Quinto from "Heroes" fame, and says that despite what some fans might think, he's ecstatic (well, as ecstatic as Nimoy can get) to see fresh faces take on the iconic roles.

"I'm a great fan of Zachary Quinto," he said. "We have had meals together a number of times. He's a very talented and intelligent actor, and really quite wonderful. I'm very proud of the fact that we have created this legacy to be handed off, and what [director] J.J. Abrams is doing with it."