Star Trek didn't need its box-office windfall last weekend to have a sequel on the way. And unless I missed something about the properties of black holes, the only cast member unlikely to return for the next one would be Eric Bana's vengeful Romulan villain, Nero. With a legacy this rich to draw from, how will J.J. Abrams choose to replace him? And more importantly, with whom? A few friendly suggestions follow the jump.
1. Khan, played by Matthew McConaughey. The single greatest Trek villain, Khan Noonien Singh, was one of a handful who graduated from the franchise's TV roots to big-screen infamy. In doing so, Ricardo Montalban suitably bulked his old character up with sci-fi's most formidable pec-and-frosted-mullet combo. Perhaps only one man in Hollywood can match those physical attributes and be the type of unexpected revelation viewers found in Montalban. So what if McConaughey's slogan "Just keep livin'" flies in the face of his bloodlust for Kirk, and who cares if he seems a little too chillax when opening fire on the Enterprise? The flip-flop just might fit, and anyway, anything that keeps him out of another romantic comedy is a casting decision I can live with.
2. The Borg Queen, played by Cate Blanchett. The only previous Oscar-winner who slummed as a Trek baddie (F. Murray Abraham) didn't fare especially well. But this is a new age for the series, and that calls for new ambition. Essentially unkillable, the Borg Queen's ruthless assimilation and conversion of foreign races into half-mechanized jerks would be an ideal dramatic scenario for both Blanchett and Abrams to explore. Alice Krige, who originated the BQ in Star Trek: First Contact, wouldn't be such a bad choice either, but it'd be way more fun to watch Blanchett kick Chris Pine's ass.
3. General Chang, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Christopher Plummer's one-eyed, Shakespeare-quoting Klingon ham was one of the few redeeming qualities of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. If anyone has the chops (and the forehead) to revive him, it's Hoffman.
4. Commander Kruge, played by Vincent Gallo. Yet another krazy Klingon, this one brought to life by Christopher Lloyd in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock. Gallo would likely bring just the right chemistry imbalance to Abrams's set, potentially resulting in more genuine tension alone than his entire ensemble generated in the reboot. He also works cheaper that anyone else on this list. And seriously: If Tyler Perry can be in a Star Trek film, then anyone can be in a Star Trek film.
5. Praetor Shinzon, played by Shia LaBeouf. Technically, Tom Hardy's Picard clone from Star Trek: Nemesis would require some adaptation to take on Captain Kirk. But since LaBeouf and Pine will eventually need to get their Paramount-tentpole supremacy issues worked out anyway, Abrams might as well get the whole thing on film. Zoe Saldana would need probably need to keep her trailer's blinds closed, too, but it's a minor concession for talent like this.