Paramount has released two new Star Trek Into Darkness photos that don’t reveal anything about the plot or the true identity of Benedict Cumberbatch’s character, but they do underscore the tone that previous stills have established. In other words, set your phasers for intensity! Taken in context with previously released photos, which I’ve posted below, the cast sure does seem to be processing some heavy stuff. What do you think is at the end of all those thousand-yard stares? Khan? The last quinoa salad on the craft services table? The questionable future of the Star Trek franchise now that J.J. Abrams has thrown Starfleet over for Star Wars ? Can someone — anyone — please crack a smile? Thank you, Captain. More on Star Trek Into Darkness : ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’: Benedict Cumberbatch’s Identity Revealed? WATCH: Spock And Uhura Steal A Kiss In Action-Packed ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ Video
The release of the first issue of a three-part prequel comic to Star Trek Into Darkness has lent some credence to the theory that the true villain of JJ Abram’s upcoming movie is not Khan or Gary Mitchell , but rather Robert April, the very first captain of the Starship Enterprise. HitFix’s Drew McWeeny first raised the idea late last year after Abrams’ Bad Robot held a press day for the feature, which hits theaters in May, and now Brandon Connelly at Bleeding Cool has posted panels from the prequel comic which feature April. Star Trek Into Darkness screenwriter/producer Roberto Orci has said that the film’s will be a canon character, and April is. He was introduced in the animated Star Trek series that ran for 22 episodes in 1973 and ’74. As McWeeny notes below, although Bad Robot has not confirmed that April figures in Star Trek Into Darkness , the plot of the animated episode that featured April appears to dovetail with aspects of the movie that have been revealed so far: He first appeared in the animated series, and in the episode where he appeared, it was established that he was was the first Captain of the Enterprise, even before Pike. He was much older in the episode, “The Counter-Clock Incident,” which you can watch right now if you have NetFlix Instant. In that episode, everyone on the Enterprise starts to age backwards, and by the time they’re all kids, unable to fix the problem, only April and his wife are still old enough to figure out how to reverse the process. April figuring out that mechanism for how to control aging and even reverse it could be an important part of the plot for “Star Trek Into Darkness.” If you saw the first nine minutes of the film in front of ” The Hobbit ,” then you already know that the film opens with a London couple driving to the hospital where their daughter lies immobilized, and from the few shots we see of her, she appears to be aging too rapidly. At the end of that scene, her father (Noel Clarke) steps outside for some air, and that’s when Cumberbatch shows up and tells him, “I can cure her.” As McWeeny points out in his post, Peter Weller , who’s also in STID could very well turn out to be April instead of Cumberbatch, who Abrams has chosen to identify simply as John Harrison . Whoever he turns out to be when the movie finally premieres, one thing is clear: this whole who-is-Benedict-Cumberbatch? mystery is brilliant guerrilla marketing on Bad Robot’s part. Here’s the revealing comic panel that Bleeding Cool posted. It’s the final page of the first issue of Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness. [ HitFix , Bleeding Cool ] More on Star Trek Into Darkness : ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’: Cumberbatch’s Identity, Carol Marcus, And A New ‘Trek’ Villain Theory Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
The release of the first issue of a three-part prequel comic to Star Trek Into Darkness has lent some credence to the theory that the true villain of JJ Abram’s upcoming movie is not Khan or Gary Mitchell , but rather Robert April, the very first captain of the Starship Enterprise. HitFix’s Drew McWeeny first raised the idea late last year after Abrams’ Bad Robot held a press day for the feature, which hits theaters in May, and now Brandon Connelly at Bleeding Cool has posted panels from the prequel comic which feature April. Star Trek Into Darkness screenwriter/producer Roberto Orci has said that the film’s will be a canon character, and April is. He was introduced in the animated Star Trek series that ran for 22 episodes in 1973 and ’74. As McWeeny notes below, although Bad Robot has not confirmed that April figures in Star Trek Into Darkness , the plot of the animated episode that featured April appears to dovetail with aspects of the movie that have been revealed so far: He first appeared in the animated series, and in the episode where he appeared, it was established that he was was the first Captain of the Enterprise, even before Pike. He was much older in the episode, “The Counter-Clock Incident,” which you can watch right now if you have NetFlix Instant. In that episode, everyone on the Enterprise starts to age backwards, and by the time they’re all kids, unable to fix the problem, only April and his wife are still old enough to figure out how to reverse the process. April figuring out that mechanism for how to control aging and even reverse it could be an important part of the plot for “Star Trek Into Darkness.” If you saw the first nine minutes of the film in front of ” The Hobbit ,” then you already know that the film opens with a London couple driving to the hospital where their daughter lies immobilized, and from the few shots we see of her, she appears to be aging too rapidly. At the end of that scene, her father (Noel Clarke) steps outside for some air, and that’s when Cumberbatch shows up and tells him, “I can cure her.” As McWeeny points out in his post, Peter Weller , who’s also in STID could very well turn out to be April instead of Cumberbatch, who Abrams has chosen to identify simply as John Harrison . Whoever he turns out to be when the movie finally premieres, one thing is clear: this whole who-is-Benedict-Cumberbatch? mystery is brilliant guerrilla marketing on Bad Robot’s part. Here’s the revealing comic panel that Bleeding Cool posted. It’s the final page of the first issue of Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness. [ HitFix , Bleeding Cool ] More on Star Trek Into Darkness : ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’: Cumberbatch’s Identity, Carol Marcus, And A New ‘Trek’ Villain Theory Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Pulling back the curtain on Star Trek Into Darkness Monday at Bad Robot HQ, director J. J. Abrams and his Trek crew of cast and collaborators were cautious not to reveal too much information as they previewed the May 2013 blockbuster. Still, some of the most intriguing details thus far in the great “ What Is J.J. Abrams Hiding From Us? ” Trek sequel mystery emerged: Who is Benedict Cumberbatch playing? How do a certain race of staple Trek baddies figure into the plot? And, perhaps most significant: What does Alice Eve’s character, revealed to be Carol Marcus – a character very familiar to fans, from a very specific story in Trek canon – mean for Star Trek Into Darkness ? [Spoilers and speculation ahead!] Benedict Cumberbatch is… John Harrison First things first: A conveniently released/leaked still revealed that Cumberbatch’s mystery villain is named John Harrison , though some questioned whether this was a misdirection on Abrams’ part. So what do we know about him? Well, get used to the name. At Monday’s press day Cumberbatch’s character was referred to left and right as Harrison. The costumes of his on display were sleekly functional and metrosexual (one getup involved a scarf and a cobra-like cowl that would fit right in with H&M’s Winter 2259 line). The Starfleet-issued black shirt he wears in the above photo, I’m told, is the same kind Chris Pine ‘s Kirk wears in 2009’s Star Trek ; read into that what you may. I briefly spoke with Cumberbatch about the character, and while he couldn’t say much he did describe Harrison in a particular way. “He’s a terrorist ,” Cumberbatch emphasized. Still a mystery, but that brings me to… The Klingons Yes, Star Trek Into Darkness will have Klingons — we’ll even take a trip to the Klingon home planet of Qo’noS. Although a dozen Klingons were outfitted in STID ‘s semi-throwback Klingon style (pierced ridged bridges and all), only two seem to have prominent speaking roles in the film, which required new prosthetic designs for ease of speaking. They sport armored helmets and familiar Klingon weapons, including a bayonet-like Klingon rifle, a pistol, and bat’leth. Most curious of all: I’d swear one mannequin dressed in Harrison’s garb also sported a Klingon rifle slung around its shoulders… Next: Alice Eve is Carol Marcus — and a NEW Trek villain theory so crazy it just might work…
Introducing a sneak peek at the first nine minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness in a special IMAX 3-D presentation for press Sunday night, director J.J. Abrams warned of the “doom and gloom” throughout his May 2013 sequel. “There’s a lot of intensity in this, and a little bit of gloom,” he admitted, “but it’s also fun.” In true Abrams fashion, that’s about all he said before he exited the theater, taking the truth about who the heck Benedict Cumberbatch is playing in Star Trek 2 with him. (The first nine minutes will debut in theaters on December 14, attached to select IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey . Read on for details, speculation, guesstimates, and wild theorizing about what’s in store in Star Trek 2 based on the tease.) What’s revealed in the first nine minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness isn’t so much telling as it is intriguing, moreso for the Trek fans out there who’ll get every little familiar line of dialogue and nod to the O.G. Trek series, of which there are many. But fair warning, Trekkies: Judging from this tease and the footage Paramount has already released, Abrams knows that you’re reading into every little clue — and he’s playing you like a violin. Here’s why: Star Trek Into Darkness opens in a prologue, in a beautifully shot, blue-tinged London, Stardate 2259.55. A couple (Noel Clarke and Nazneen Contractor) wake up and drive their hover car to visit their child in the hospital. We don’t know their names, or hear them speak, but we wonder; could their last name possibly, just possibly, be Singh? Maybe, maybe not. Their sick child is a daughter (strike that, it’s not a young Khan — or is it ??*), bedridden by an unspecified illness. The father is approached by a stranger whose voice we hear first: “I can save her.” It’s Benedict Cumberbatch, and he’s the villain, which we know because the camera closes in until his face fills the IMAX screen as Michael Giacchino’s score swells with tense, ominous notes. Cut to the crew of the Enterprise, who we find in the middle of their latest mission on the Class-M planet Nibiru, where Bones and Kirk are racing through vivid red-tinged forests being chased by members of a chalk-faced, spear-chucking indigenous race. From a cruiser flying in the skies above, Spock drops into an erupting volcano to save the planet as Uhura looks on. Regrouping with the rest of the crew on the Enterprise — which is parked discreetly underwater in the middle of an ocean — Kirk wrestles with a familiar-sounding quandary: Save Spock by taking the Enterprise out of hiding, therefore violating the Prime Directive by exposing the inhabitants of Nibiru to technology they’re not ready for, or sacrifice Spock because, as one character indeed utters, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Kirk asks what Spock would do if their situations were reversed. “He’d let you die,” Bones replies, and the opening sequence closes with a cliffhanger. More previously seen trailer-y shots close out the nine-minute sneak, with Cumberbatch growling lines like “You think you’re safe? You are not ” and “Is there anything you would not do for your family?” Alas, it doesn’t offer any further details of the hands-on-glass shot that had Trek -watchers a’flutter watching the recently-released Japanese trailer. At this point I’ve heard about a thousand differing theories as to whom exactly Cumberbatch’s villain will turn out to be. My first thought during the nine-minute prologue was Khan, because YOU GUYS THEY QUOTE WRATH OF KHAN , but there’s something about that idea that seems just too easy. I’m leaning toward an amalgam of Gary Mitchell and Khan, an idea so crazy it might just work in this new Abrams era of playing in the Trek sandbox without having to stay within previously established canon. Why not make the ‘Batch some sort of Mitchell-Khan hybrid? Try this on for size: Benemitchell Khanderbatch . Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? It’s worth noting that, while Star Trek Into Darkness was post-converted to 3-D, the 3-D footage went over well. There are a good many close-ups and scenes featuring brilliantly vivid, swirling pieces of debris and lava and even, at one point, a barrage of spears raining down around Kirk and McCoy as they run through the jungle in a sequence that so calls to mind Raiders of the Lost Ark that it’s probably safe to call it homage. *This is completely wild, “What if?” speculation, but how cool would it be if Abrams’ Trek films did introduce Khan — only as a woman? Discuss . Star Trek Into Darkness is in theaters May 17, 2013; look for the nine-minute preview attached to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in select IMAX screenings, full list here . Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Or is he just effing with us? While doing press for his upcoming Dredd , Karl Urban seemed to let slip the identity of Benedict Cumberbatch ‘s Star Trek 2 character. Was he telling the truth or not? Right now, there is evidence for both sides. First, some background. 1. J.J. Abrams ‘ own origin story is based around his grandfather gifting him with a “Mystery Box.” It is, therefore, wonderfully ironic that he should be the current quarterback of the entire Star Trek franchise, a massive shared universe whose rabid fans are obsessive, meticulous and savvy enough to translate Shakespeare into its made-up language. Excuse me, one of its made-up languages. As a result, we still don’t know the name of the villain in the forthcoming Star Trek sequel. 2. Many years ago it leaked that Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci had delivered a script wherein Gary Mitchell – Captain Kirk’s Starfleet Academy chum turned ESP-monster from the early Trek episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before” – would be the heavy. I personally heard this from a guy who was inside and had some intel. 3. The rumor goes that Abrams didn’t like this script and sent everyone back to the drawing board. A Gary Mitchell storyline in the “new universe” Star Trek comics (that only mouthbreathers like I read) appears, effectively “putting that story to use.” Then we started hearing that Khan Noonien Singh – you know, the guy from KHAAAAAAAN – was going to be the baddie. A casting offer to Benicio Del Toro seemed to confirm this – even though Khan is supposed to be a Sikh, not Hispanic, but only hardcore dweebs like to bring this up. 4. Benedict Cumberbatch (pictured above) is cast. He doesn’t look like a genetically enhanced poet-warrior. (But, really, who is to say?) It is accepted by most people that he is playing Khan. Then Simon Pegg says “ No Khan .” Fair enough. 5. Now today’s news. Karl Urban, in yapping about the upcoming Dredd , lets this slip to SFX : “[Benedict Cumberbatch’s] awesome, he’s a great addition, and I think his Gary Mitchell is going to be exemplary.” Wow, so it was Gary all along? Open and shut, right? But wait! 6. Just a few weeks back, Roberto Orci gave a list of Star Trek characters that are NOT in the film . Among them: Gary Mitchell. Here’s the thing. Normally, a gaffe from an actor during a press day is a great way to squeeze info out of someone. They are tired and they can’t remember what’s already out there and what is being held for strategic marketing reveals. (These are called SMRs in Hollywood.) (No they’re not, I just made that up.) However, I think Urban might be throwing a red herring on purpose. I had the good fortune to shmooze with the guy once – at the very genre-friendly Fantastic Fest in Austin. He was pitching Red , but we got to discussing Star Trek and “The Nrrd Life” in general and he struck me as someone who really got it. If ever there was a guy who’d be so on board to screw with the heads of fanboys, it’d be him. Luckily, Urban will be moderating the Masters of the Web panel at next week’s San Diego Comic-Con , and you can rest assured the online press (our own Jen Yamato among them) will put the screws to him. Personally, I think having Gary Mitchell is cooler than having Khan, but I’d prefer if the Trek brain trust were, you know, boldly going where no man had gone before. In a remake-happy culture, that may be too much to ask for. Anyway, here’s Captain Kirk and Gary Mitchell fighting on Delta Vega. Sally Kellerman and her creepy contact lenses can only look on. [ SFX ]
Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch , Jonny Lee Miller and director Danny Boyle who weren’t lucky enough to cross the pond to catch the trio’s intriguing Royal National Theatre production of Frankenstein , you’re in luck! A filmed recording of the play, in which Cumberbatch and Miller took turns playing the dual roles of Frankenstein and his monster (a tag-team performance that won them the 2012 UK Olivier Award for Best Actor) is heading to theaters stateside this June. Details after the jump! Fathom Events will screen the recording of the Boyle-directed Frankenstein in select theaters this June 6 and 7 (get the full list of participating theaters here ). Miller, meanwhile, can also be seen in this week’s Dark Shadows ; Cumberbatch will next appear in 2013 blockbusters The Hobbit and Star Trek 2 . More on Frankenstein : Childlike in his innocence but grotesque in form, Frankenstein’s bewildered creature is cast out into a hostile universe by his horror-struck maker. Meeting with cruelty wherever he goes, the friendless Creature, increasingly desperate and vengeful, determines to track down his creator and strike a terrifying deal. Urgent concerns of scientific responsibility, parental neglect, cognitive development and the nature of good and evil are embedded within this thrilling and disturbing classic gothic tale. This visionary production, directed by Oscar-winner Danny Boyle, will shock audiences into the mysterious world of Frankenstein. Do not miss the thrilling twist of a classic tale as Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller (who share the 2012 UK Olivier Award for Best Actor) reverse roles each night from the creator to the created. Suitable for audiences 15 years old and up. [ THR ]
Rumors, conjecture, speculation… All in a day’s work around the Star Trek 2 gossip mill, where the identity of the villain in J.J. Abrams’s sequel (currently in production) has seemingly undergone more revisions than a Kardashian’s Wiki page over the last few months. We know Benedict Cumberbatch has the part , but which part? Khan? Worf’s Zit? Who knows? Except for the obsessives at TrekMovie, that is — they apparently know. Spoiler alert! (Sort of.) Anyone who hasn’t been paying attention since the days when Benicio Del Toro was originally penciled in as Trek 2 ‘s baddie may be surprised to know that Khan in fact remains the villain, despite indications to the contrary by Abrams. Per TrekMovie [via /film ]: TrekMovie has confirmed this with a number of sources so we no longer consider it to be a rumor. Khan is back in 2013, however sources indicate that the film is not a rehash of “Space Seed,” the original Star Trek episode where Kirk and crew first encounter the genetic superman from the past. Great. Now we get to speculate about the plot. Or just caption the above set photo of Cumberbatch and Zachary Quinto, which crept out a while back from MTV . Your call! [ TrekMovie , /film ]
Benedict Cumberbatch tells MTV News working with Peter Jackson was ‘extraordinary.’ By Kara Warner Benedict Cumberbatch Photo: MTV News For those who have been keeping tabs on the comings and goings surrounding Peter Jackson’s return to Middle-earth in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” there is a unique level of excitement building around the film. The die-hard Jackson fans and “Lord of the Rings” loyalists are eager to see anything helmed by the Oscar-winner, particularly when it involves a faithful adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s beloved book, which has a different tone and fanbase from “LOTR.” This excitement level is not just for fans like us, but everyone involved with the production as well. When MTV News caught up with rising star Benedict Cumberbatch recently, who is playing not one but two roles in the film, he was full of praise for Jackson as well as his friend/co-star Martin Freeman. “I was very lucky [to work] with Pete,” Cumberbatch told us at Elton John’s Oscar-viewing party. “As far as the experience, what an extraordinary one it was because at the time I was in my work; I was in isolation with him and this incredible tag team. And at the very cool place with that technology doing mo-cap for two characters, Smaug the dragon and another character, which will remain nameless, and it was an awful lot of fun.” Cumberbatch went on to say that he hasn’t seen any finished shots from the film since he worked mainly by himself doing voice-over work and movements for the characters. “It’s a sort of wonderful ongoing process,” he said. “I spent a lot of time recording voice as well as doing movements. So, it was sort of freeing; it was fun. It was like playing a game. It’s going to be an amazing film; it’s going to be a real treat. I watched ‘The Lord of the Rings’ again before I started working, and the way those films grow in depth of craft on every level are extraordinary. Their mark is for that.” The “War Horse” actor admitted that the only trouble he had while on set was keeping a straight face when he saw his friend and “Sherlock” co-star Martin Freeman in costume as lovable Hobbit Bilbo Baggins. “It was great. I got to hang out with him, and I kept a straight face for a bit and then I started giggling because I know Martin, I don’t know Bilbo,” Cumberbatch said with a grin. “For Martin to be sitting there playing Bilbo is amazing. He’s going to be amazing, he’s going to be fantastic in this film.” What are you looking forward to most in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”? Leave your comment below! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
Here’s cause for excitement for J.J. Abrams ’s Star Trek sequel , set to debut May 2013: British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has signed on to join returning cast members Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Co. Better news: He’s reportedly playing the villain. If your first thought is “Benewhat Cumberwho?” see why you should take this as very good news after the jump. Thirty five year-old Cumberbatch has been active in theater, TV, and film for a decade, but had a banner last few years with roles in The Whistleblower , BBC’s Sherlock , and this awards season’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and War Horse . His acerbic take on Sherlock Holmes is probably his best known and best loved work of late, but his turn as Gary Oldman ’s skeptical but loyal right hand man in Tinker Tailor is another recent highlight; next year he’ll pull double duty in The Hobbit voicing the dragon Smaug and the Necromancer for Peter Jackson. (If you were lucky/smart enough to catch last year’s brilliant British satire Four Lions , you might recall Cumberbatch’s cameo as a frustrated negotiator trying in vain to break through to a bunch of inept terrorists.) There’s a somewhat delicate, dangerous edge to Cumberbatch that could play well against the all-American machismo of Pine’s Kirk in Star Trek 2 , though details on Cumberbatch’s character have yet to be revealed. And look! Tinker Tailor co-star Tom Hardy , another Brit breakout, had this to say of Cumberbatch’s acting prowess from back when they starred in the 2007 BBC biopic Stuart: A Life Backwards . So take it from fellow one-time Trek villain Hardy ( Star Trek Nemesis ) and the growing legion of stateside Cumberbatch fanatics: This casting sounds like a promising move on Abrams’ part. What say you, Trekkers? [ Deadline , Variety ]
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