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'Star Trek Into Darkness' Should Be The Re-Hash Of Khan

'Star Trek Into Darkness' Should Be The Re-Hash Of Khan

I'm an outlier among other insufferable snobs on the Internet: I actually want Khan to be the villain of Star Trek Into Darkness.

This isn't because I desperately want the films to touch every base that the original series did. After nearly 30 years on television and 10 movies of highly uneven quality, the Star Trek universe prior to JJ Abrams' Star Trek was suffering horribly from internal rot, not to mention a growing reliance on awful time travel plots and constant nods to series continuity. A fresh start was desperately needed if it was going to remain relevant, even if it came at — sniff — the expense of Captains Picard and Sisko*.

But if Star Trek was a successful fresh start (and it was), it also brought with it some terrible baggage from the previous continuity, specifically the fact that its plot was motivated by the same time-travel bullshit that caused the TV universe to finally collapse under the weight of its own pretentions. Thank the founders that Abrams movie focused squarely on the Holy Trinity of Kirk, Spock, and Bones, or we would have noticed how awful Nero really was.

But as we've already learned with Iron Man 2, a successful sequel needs to do more than coast on the chemistry of its leads. With Kirk and co. firmly established, STID needs a strong conflict with high stakes, and a memorable villain (or at least a prime mover) connected to that conflict.

To pull that off, you can't force the audience to consult a Trek lore guide. Superturbonerd Trek Fans like me might want to see Harcourt Mudd, Cyrano Jones, Gary Mitchell, The Horta, or that horrible psychic kid played by Ron Howard's brother but frankly, that's inside baseball. Ask the legions of moviegoers for whom  for whom Star Trek is essentially Kirk bangs space hotties-Spock lectures him about the logic of using a condom-Bones grumpily administers penicillin, the only villain they'll recite from memory is Ricardo Montalban's Khan Noonien Singh.

Is that a problem? Only if you think that the Joker's appearing in The Dark Knight was a problem. Iconic characters linger in the public memory for a reason, and that makes it easy for a skilled storyteller to take them and make them over into something later audiences can appreciate anew. Do it right and you can get away with anything, even making a horribly lame villain like Bane look bad-ass.  And for better or for worse, Khan is Kirk's Joker. So milk that shit, I say. Use him well and firmly ground STID in its own past, and save less exploited territory for future sequels, when you've solidified the audience's loyalty.

But is Khan the villain of Star Trek Into Darkness? Who the hell can tell? The new trailer certainly doesn't want us to know for sure. But damned if it isn't teasing the hell out of us. It's already been confirmed that the villain will be canon. And now we know that whatever character is blessed with Benedict Cumberbatch's crisp, Public School tones, he's really angry and looking to exact some revenge - sorry, vengeance, which is way classier than mere revenge - on the people of Earth. That sounds like Khan to me! Unless Cyrano Jones is angry that the Klingons wiped out the Tribbles.

There's also the fact that the American trailer lacks one crucial scene present in the Japanese trailer (see it right before the end): a deliberate homage to the moment of Spock's Death in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan. Even if it's just a dodge (something Abrams does very well,) the reference can't be a coincidence. And if this means we get to see Cumberbatch doing is best Ricardo Montalban impression, that's fine by me. Just so long as it doesn't mean we have to endure another go at The Search For Spock.

Some additional thoughts:

-If you think it's ridiculous that a lily-white Briton like Benedict Cumberbatch could even pretend to play an Indian, it's worth noting that Gabrielle Anwar and Ben Kingsley both have Indian fathers.

-Notice the ship rising out of the water? If it isn't the SS botany Bay, I wonder if it's the same starship we see crashing into the San Francisco Bay later in the trailer.

-The interesting thing about the trailer is just how much of Earth we're seeing in it. Star Trek was originally pitched as Wagon Train to the stars, but of course, the wagon train had to start somewhere. The original series and subsequent iterations barely feature earth as anything other than a reference. For all we know, the only thing people do back home is build more Enterprises. Also, whenever I watch a western, I always want a scene of what people are up to back in Boston or London. It's interesting that in the new Star Trek, we're getting exactly that.

*Truth: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is inarguably the best series. YEAHISAIDIT.

Read More: 

'Star Trek Into Darkness' Explodes An Early Tease

Star Trek 2 Gets A Title: Where Does It Rank In The Franchise?

Ross Lincoln is a LA-based freelance writer from Oklahoma with an unhealthy obsession with comics, movies, video games, ancient history, Gore Vidal, and wine.

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Newswire || ||

Will J.J. Abrams Or Jon Favreau Direct 'Star Wars: Episode VII?'

Will J.J. Abrams Or Jon Favreau Direct 'Star Wars: Episode VII?'

Now under the guiding force of Disney, Star Wars' next director is becoming a source of intrigue. Last week, one major rumored contender - Steven Spielberg - said he is a no-go and now two other front-running prospects have weighed in with their interest. The studio recently nabbed Star Wars creator George Lucas' Lucas Films for $4.05 billion and tapped Michael Arndt to lead the way on Star Wars: Episode VII, which is set for a 2015 release.
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Talkback || ||

Star Trek 2 Gets A Title: Where Does It Rank In The Franchise?

Star Trek 2 Gets A Title: Where Does It Rank In The Franchise?

What's in a name? J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot sequel finally has one (per Deadline) and despite my deepest, nerdiest hopes that early reports were on some crazy tip it's been confirmed so I guess we're stuck with it. I hope you're ready for — drumroll please... Star Trek Into Darkness. Star Trek into what now!?
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Newswire || ||

Star Trek 2 Villain Confirmed — Again (Or Not?)

Star Trek 2 Villain Confirmed — Again (Or Not?)

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.)
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First Looks || ||

Exclusive Book Excerpt: How Batman vs. Superman's Development Hell Gave Way to Batman Begins

Exclusive Book Excerpt: How Batman vs. Superman's Development Hell Gave Way to Batman Begins

Film journalist and biographer David Hughes has long written with authority on subjects from Stanley Kubrick to David Lynch. But few writers know more about the vicissitudes of that uniquely Hollywood phenomenon known as "development hell." Hence the updated, revised edition of Hughes's book Tales From Development Hell, which arrives in store and online today. And Movieline has an exclusive excerpt that you can browse now.
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Casting || ||

Benedict Cumberbatch Is Star Trek 2’s Villain

Benedict Cumberbatch, Getty Images

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.
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Review || ||

REVIEW: Ethan Hunt Goes Emo in Patchy, Flashy Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

REVIEW: Ethan Hunt Goes Emo in Patchy, Flashy Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

What does it take to revive a passion for one's work, years on, whether said vocation is saving the world or churning out sequels in a blockbuster franchise? How does one reclaim human contact in today's isolating, gadget-dependent world? These are questions IMF agent Ethan Hunt and his portrayer Tom Cruise face in Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol, Cruise's fourth outing in the spy series, directed entertainingly enough by Pixar veteran Brad Bird. If the hoodied Cruise evokes a touch of Eminem-level moodiness in the posters, it's with good reason: Stopping a maniacal supervillain may be on the docket yet again, but this time around Ethan Hunt has gone emo.

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Awards || ||

Cahiers du Cinema Top 10 List Honors Terrence Malick, Lars Von Trier and... J.J. Abrams?

The annual Cahiers du Cinema Top 10 of 2011 list has been revealed, naming works by the likes of Terrence Malick, Lars von Trier, Jerzy Skolimowsky, and Manoel de Oliveira. Also in the winners' circle? J.J. Abrams! See the full eclectic list after the jump, not to mention the crazy ties in votes that make this early Top 10 a doozy to wrap your mind around...

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Newswire || ||

Star Trek 2 Set for May 2013, Will Be in 3-D

With J.J. Abrams finally all-the-way onboard for sure, the Star Trek sequel is moving firmly ahead, settling into a May 17, 2013 release slot. What's more? Abrams and LOST veteran Damon Lindelof are co-scripting with Trek writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. What's even more-more? Star Trek 2 will reportedly be filmed in 3-D. Get ready for lens flares in yo' face! Beam me up, Scotty -- right into the freaking screen! Bring your own vintage, pre-annihilation Romulan ale and Federation perfume come May 2013 and make it a 5-D experience. Now that'd be going boldly where no filmmaker has gone before. [Deadline]

Newswire || ||

Guess What? J.J. Abrams Has A New Secret Project

Since the only thing J.J. Abrams loves more than lens flares are secrets, this should come as no big surprise: The Super 8/Star Trek director is planning a new Paramount joint with screenwriter Billy Ray (Flightplan, Shattered Glass, and the upcoming Channing Tatum Peter Pan reimagining), which the duo devised together. The details are under wraps, natch, but it's described as a "mystery adventure." Thanks for that clue, fellas! While we wait for more info to hit the wires, see what potential Abrams-Ray fantasy pitches you can come up with in the comments below. (Anyone still holding out for Slusho: The Movie?) [Deadline]

Interviews || ||

Super 8 Star Riley Griffiths on Impersonating J.J. Abrams, and Assessing the Lost Finale

Super 8 Star Riley Griffiths on Impersonating J.J. Abrams, and Assessing the Lost Finale

Utah native Riley Griffiths landed the opportunity of a lifetime when he scored a role in J.J. Abrams' Super 8. Discovered during a nationwide search for the mostly unknown young actors (including Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Gabriel Basso, and Elle Fanning), the 14-year-old makes his film debut as the ringleader of a group of amateur filmmakers who stumble upon a mysterious government conspiracy one night when a train crashes -- literally -- across their makeshift film set.

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Interviews || ||

Newcomer Joel Courtney on Super 8 and His Steven Spielberg Geek-Out Moment

Newcomer Joel Courtney on Super 8 and His Steven Spielberg Geek-Out Moment

If J.J. Abrams' nostalgic summer sci-fi adventure Super 8 is intentionally evocative of producer (and Abrams mentor) Steven Spielberg's E.T. (1982), then 15-year-old newcomer Joel Courtney is its Elliott, the young, sensitive boy hero caught in the middle of an otherworldly mystery. It's a big role to hang on the shoulders of a newcomer -- one who won the part after visiting L.A. in hopes of landing a modest commercial gig -- but, as it turns out, the Idaho native now has bigger career goals in his sights.

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Newswire || ||

Super 8's J.J. Abrams Had the Coolest Childhood Job Ever

Super 8's J.J. Abrams Had the Coolest Childhood Job Ever

At the tender age of 15, filmmaker J.J. Abrams received an opportunity Dawson Leery would have killed for: the chance to work for his idol, Steven Spielberg. Nearly 30 years later, Abrams looked back on the unusual teen gig that got him started in film and, in a way, led to his teaming up with Spielberg again for this week's Super 8.

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Newswire || ||

Talkback: Is 13 Months Enough Time to Make a Good Star Trek Sequel?

Talkback: Is 13 Months Enough Time to Make a Good Star Trek Sequel?

With J.J. Abrams not quite yet confirmed (but expected) to return to helm Star Trek 2, which Paramount has already set for a June 29, 2012 release, Deadline does the math: That leaves 13 months to go from what Paramount currently has in hand -- a 70 page outline, according to Roberto Orci -- to fully delivered film. But is that truly enough time to finish scripting, prep, shoot, and edit a massive, effects-heavy summer action tent pole?

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Newswire || ||

Mysterious Happenings Abound in New Super 8 TV Spot

Spoiler Alert: Someone's been ripping out car batteries at the local dealership! And everyone's pet dogs are missing! What in heaven's name is going on, Small Town Sheriff Kyle Chandler? Piece together the latest action-packed snippets of J.J. Abrams' summer nostalgia project Super 8 in the new TV spot after the jump!

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