J.J. Abrams Star Trek Into Darkness

[DarthLocke]

First REALLY SHORT (3 frames!) Clip of Into Darkness!

[DarthLocke]

Paramount Releases Official Synopsis!

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/2 ... 98376.html

[DharmaLager]

Very excited about this - won't spoil anything - but there are certainly some hints as to the route this movie will go and I'm interested to see how much of that is true.

[DarthLocke]

Very excited about this - won't spoil anything - but there are certainly some hints as to the route this movie will go and I'm interested to see how much of that is true.

Ya. It does seem like it's leaning towards alternate events of a very well known set of them in the original time line. One major difference I see is that someone is still a Captain and not an Admiral and of course Vulcan is not is not here, and Spock Prime is...I am wondering though if this film will comprise of elements from more than just one set of events from the original/previous set of them?

[DarthLocke]

"Announcement Teaser" and Japanese "Announcement Teaser" (Additional Footage):




The Official Teaser Is said to arrive December 17th (and may possibly screen with The Hobbit) Additionally IMAX Fans who see the Hobbit starting December 13th will also get to preview 9 minutes of Into Darkness!


Just Found a nice article from i09 with Clues & Easter Eggs of the Announcement Teaser:
http://io9.com/5966160/all-the-clues-and-easter-eggs-from-the-star-trek-into-darkness-teaser-trailer

One interesting theory I saw on there was that perhaps Peter Weller is Khan and Cumberbatch is Joachim!. -Going with that, I would like to take it a step further and say what if Into Darkness is the Wrath of Joachim instead of the Wrath of Khan?

Another fantastic Theory by Musha suggests that Cumberbatch is Gary Mitchell....at the beginning of the film Kirk leaves him for dead...and some how he comes back to in act revenge! I like this theory BEST, because one of the 5 people/groups presented as possible appearances in the film is Gary Mitchell. He is also featured in some of Orci's and Kurtzman's continuation of this time line's comics, and I thought I just recently read an interview from Damon Lindelof that stated "death" was something this film is exploring...

Note: there are also issues a second Countdown to Darkness Comic Series in the works, like last time. The first issue is out in January...

Also #15 also takes the new time line and lets the reader experience an altered Mirror Universe, one that includes Nero! Thinking about Fringe, I keep wondering if a mirror universe could be used in the film?
http://www.startrek.com/article/idw-heading-into-darkness-this-january

[DharmaLager]

Not sure if this was mentioned and this could be coincidence - but in the trailers - the woman looks a lot like Elizabeth Dehner.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Dehner

[DarthLocke]

Not sure if this was mentioned and this could be coincidence - but in the trailers - the woman looks a lot like Elizabeth Dehner.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Dehner

She does look like her!

And this tidbit is reminiscent to how we see Eve's character in the teaser....

In the script of "Where No Man Has Gone Before", Elizabeth Dehner is described as "past her mid-twenties, rather tall and slim, with a face that could be beautiful if she cared to make it so. She doesn't." The character was also scripted as having the middle initial "M," though this is not established in the episode's final version. Another facet that was scripted but not evident in the installment's final edit was that she was to initially appear horrified by Gary Mitchell showing her that, like him, she too had been transformed (with her eyes having turned metallic).

Comingsoon.net - Previews IMAX 9 Min Footage:

Tonight, Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot screened for press the nine-minute IMAX prologue to J.J. Abrams' upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness. ComingSoon.net was on hand to take a first look at the footage and will be heading to Bad Robot tomorrow for more information. In the meantime, Abrams himself has requested that we keep specific details of the footage to a minimum.

Most intriguing about what was showcased, said to represent the first nine minutes of the film, is that it asks far more questions than it answers. By the time it's done, we still don't know the identity of Benedict Cumberbatch's mystery villain and we're left with the reveal that much of what we've already seen in the trailer is actually part of a separate adventure that joins the Enterprise crew in media res.

The footage opens with Noel Clarke and Kayla Hassan's characters living what appears to be a very ordinary life in the 23rd century. They wake up, make breakfast and drive to a hospital where a little girl, presumably their daughter, is unconscious in bed. The entire scene plays without dialogue, but with a surprisingly powerful Michael Giacchino score, somewhat reminiscent of the tear-inducing opening of Up.

Clearly troubled that he can't do anything to help her, Clarke is standing outside when he's approached by Cumberbatch, who tells him that he can help. Clarke asks who he is and we just get a mischievous Cumberbatch smile.

The rest of the footage finds the Enterprise in the middle of a mission to the same red-colored planet that we see in the trailer. Kirk and McCoy have been visiting the locals undercover and are now making a hasty escape. Hidden at the bottom of the planet's ocean, the Enterprise monitors the mission and, from a shuttle, Spock, Uhura and Sulu make their way inside a volcano. Spock has to head into the volcano to prevent it from erupting and, as lava waves build, it looks like he may not be getting out alive.

Abrams made the point in his introduction that fans have already assumed from the title and the first trailer that the sequel will be overly dark and he's hoping that this footage is going to counter that reaction. What's genuinely great about what happens onscreen is that we're seeing a fun "Star Trek" adventure that gives every single crew member a quick starring moment. We also get enough humor (particularly from Simon Pegg) that manages to make light of exactly the kind of fan over-analysis that the film is sure to generate (i.e. Can the Enterprise even operate underwater?)

The film, set for release on May 17, 2013, also stars Chris Pine, John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Alice Eve and Peter Weller. You can find a full list of theaters showing the IMAX preview by clicking here and check back tomorrow for more details from Bad Robot. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=97913

[DarthLocke]

According to the following article Alice Eve is playing Carol Marcus...

But thanks to a recent press event for the film at Bad Robot, we do know which fan-favorite character Alice Eve plays in the top-secret sequel — As well as a few more story tidbits. Read on to find out…

Several reporters attending the event have confirmed, via Twitter, that Eve plays Carol Marcus in the film.

ON THE RED CARPET AT THE PREMIERE OF 'STAR TREK'

94 Photos »
In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Marcus was Captain Kirk’s estranged lover – and the mother of his son. The character’s appearance in Into Darkness only adds to the rampant rumors suggesting that Cumberbatch is indeed playing Khan, Trek‘s most infamous villain. (Even though a recently-released still of the film identifies Cumberbatch in the role of “John Harrison,” that could be a red herring. Remember: The filmmakers have previously gone on record saying that the Sherlock star is playing a character from classic Trek canon, and Harrison is not a name from original continuity.)

What else can audiences expect from the sequel? “There are 14 Klingon characters in the film,” reports ComingSoon.net‘s Silas Lesnick via Twitter. Only 2 of the 14 aliens will have speaking roles, however. Also, expect the Klingons to sport “ornamental piercings”. You know, to stay hip.

The press event is a prelude to the December 14 premiere of Darkness‘ first 9 minutes, which will be attached to IMAX and IMAX 3D prints of The Hobbit. The films’ first full trailer will also be released this weekend on all non-IMAX prints of The Hobbit.

Star Trek Into Darkness arrives in theaters on May 17, 2013.
http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-12-10/j-j- ... s-secrets/

About Carol Marcus:

Doctor Carol Marcus was one of the leading molecular biologists in the Federation. She devoted her life to her research.

During the late 2250s or early 2260s, Carol became involved with a young Starfleet officer named James T. Kirk, and in 2261 she gave birth to their son, David. However, she felt that they had no basis for a lasting relationship, with Kirk traveling around the universe while she worked in a lab, so she asked that Kirk leave her alone to raise the boy. That they both cared more for their careers than they did for each other was never disputed. As Carol saw it, she and Kirk lived in entirely different worlds, and she wanted her son to be raised in hers.


She and her team made remarkable progress and by 2285 they were ready to try out their new invention. However, before they could find a suitable planet on which to test the Genesis Device, Khan Noonien Singh and his band of "supermen" intervened, bringing Kirk back into her and David's life.

Though she didn't share her son's mistrust of Starfleet, she was incensed when told that her project and all her files were to be taken by the crew of the USS Reliant, under orders of the new Admiral Kirk. She was determined to fight this unexpected incursion into her territory, though she was willing to give her former lover the benefit of the doubt. When it turned out to be Khan, not Kirk, who stole the Genesis Device, she gratefully accepted Kirk's assistance.

Throughout the quest to save the device from Khan's evil plans, it was apparent that, although Carol Marcus still felt affection for Kirk, her true love was her work. Even as havoc was erupting all around, she gazed on the glory of the Genesis Planet forming exactly as her specifications and years of research had indicated it would. The Genesis Project appeared to be a success, and her pride in her work was unmistakable.

The encounter with Khan gave Carol the opportunity to tell David who his father was and to mend some old wounds between her and Kirk. When her son was later killed by Klingons on the Genesis Planet, Carol was left with her projects and her research, the life that had sustained her for many years. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)...
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Carol_Marcus

Well I liked your idea better DharmaLager...I still wonder if we're some how mixing several events from what was previously in different time periods into some kind of condensed series of events?
Could Cumbebatch be David? (Rapid birth amelioration??)
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Carol_Marcus


I also was thinking again about Peter Weller...I know a lot of time guest Star Trek actors come back and play more than one role in Star Trek cannon, but Peter Weller was just in Enterprise, where similar to the idea of behind the Genesis Project, He plays John Frederick Paxton, a leader and geneticist of the Terra Prime movement...he genetically creates Trip and T'Pol's child, which comes to have a genetic flaw and dies. He however makes a point about the inferiority of the human race by exposes their fear of the unknown (which is synonymous with death and "darkness")

All that's known about his character so far is that he is human, a leader of a company/movement, and has his own ship...

The Pocket Star Trek: Enterprise relaunch novel The Good That Men Do established Paxton as still enduring imprisonment as of 5 March 2155, though the next Enterprise novel, Kobayashi Maru, referred to him as having died
by 26 May 2155.

The Star Date according to people who have previewed the 9 min clip say Into Darkness starts at 2259...What if somehow in the new time line he survived, or he made a clone of himself, and/or even the truth of what was presented in that Star Trek novel is not the whole truth??

[DarthLocke]

Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals his Into Darkness Character...John Harrison:

“I play a character called John and not that other name,” Benedict continued. “It’s interesting. Speculation is speculation and that’s all fun.”

On Tuesday, Benedict did reveal, however, some new details to Access’ MovieMantz at the junket for the first nine minutes of the film, “Star Trek Into Darkness,” which was first screened for journalists over the weekend.

“I play John Harrison who’s a terrorist and an extraordinary character in his own right,” the Brit said. “He’s somebody who is not your two-dimensional cookie cutter villain. He’s got an extraordinary purpose, and I hope that at one point or other in the film you might even sympathize with the reasons he’s doing what he’s doing — not necessarily the means and the destruction he causes. But it was a great ride, not just because he’s the bad guy and the antagonist but also because he has a purpose and it’s hard not to see his point of view at certain points.”

Full Interview Here:
http://www.accesshollywood.com/benedict-cumberbatch-im-not-playing-khan-in-star-trek-into-darkness_article_73762

I would just like to note that Bad Robot is iconic for mix-matching names from their characters and their actors to make "new" characters...

Attempting to read into this a little, my first thoughts go to LOST with Terry O' Quinn's JOHN Locke and to FRINGE with Jared HARRIS and his two versions of David Robert Jones. In both cases those character believe they are out to do good, but also have major God Complex that lead them to do destructive things. -But because Fringe references Bad Robot's 2009 Star Trek, ("The Road Not Taken" + filming syle in "Letters of Transit" + Leonard Nimoy's William Bell) I would lean toward's FRINGE's theological terrorists and David Bowie-esque ideas here, which go along with Star Trek antagonists anyways.

I came back because I think the character already exists in 2009 Star Trek....In Kirk's childhood scene where he steals and drive's his step father's car he passes a boy, a possible friend, on the street. Kirk waves and shouts, "Hey, Johnny!" when he drives on by!

Here's a pick of "Johnny" from the 2009 film: http://screenmusings.org/StarTrek/pages/Star-Trek-0203.htm

[DarthLocke]

GyaO Interview - J.J. Abrams & Benedict Cumberbatch Describe "John Harrison":

"When J.J. described the role to me… he described someone who was, in movie terms, a mixture of Hannibal Lecter, Jack in 'The Shining", and the Joker in 'Batman'," Cumberbatch told GyaO!. "...He's someone who has enormous physical strength. He's someone who is incredibly dangerous, both as a physical entity and through the use of various technologies and weapons and who performs acts of what I would describe as terrorism. He's also a psychological master. He manipulates the minds of those around him to do his bidding in a very, very subtle way."

"His name is John Harrison and he is sort of an... average guy who works in an organization called Starfleet," Abrams explained to TrekMovie, "and he turns against the group because he has got this backstory and this kind of amazing secret agenda. After two very violent attacks, one in London and one in the US, our characters have to go after this guy and apprehend him. And it is a far more complicated and difficult thing then they ever anticipated. 'Into Darkness' is very much about how intense it gets and really what they are up against."

Fans can catch a brief tease of Cumberbatch's character on the big screen now as part of a nine-minute IMAX preview during digital screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (find the full list of participating theaters here). The full film hits theaters May 17, 2013.
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=98350

[DarthLocke]

GyaO Interview - J.J. Abrams & Benedict Cumberbatch Describe "John Harrison":

"When J.J. described the role to me… he described someone who was, in movie terms, a mixture of Hannibal Lecter, Jack in 'The Shining", and the Joker in 'Batman'," Cumberbatch told GyaO!. "...He's someone who has enormous physical strength. He's someone who is incredibly dangerous, both as a physical entity and through the use of various technologies and weapons and who performs acts of what I would describe as terrorism. He's also a psychological master. He manipulates the minds of those around him to do his bidding in a very, very subtle way."

"His name is John Harrison and he is sort of an... average guy who works in an organization called Starfleet," Abrams explained to TrekMovie, "and he turns against the group because he has got this backstory and this kind of amazing secret agenda. After two very violent attacks, one in London and one in the US, our characters have to go after this guy and apprehend him. And it is a far more complicated and difficult thing then they ever anticipated. 'Into Darkness' is very much about how intense it gets and really what they are up against."

Fans can catch a brief tease of Cumberbatch's character on the big screen now as part of a nine-minute IMAX preview during digital screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (find the full list of participating theaters here). The full film hits theaters May 17, 2013.
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=98350

Full Teaser!

[DarthLocke]

The First Count Down Comic is out and it has an interesting character...

Similar to 2009's "Countdown" miniseries, the four issue "Countdown to Darkness" is designed to serve as a direct prequel to the May 17 release and is written by the film's writer/producer Roberto Orci alongside regular IDW "Star Trek" writer Mike Johnson. Although the events depicted in the book are considered to be canonical, there's no guarantee that any specific plot elements will play out on the big screen. After all, the original "Countdown" included "Star Trek: The Next Generation" characters and, despite being a prequel, was set in the future, following the events that led to Eric Bana's Nero traveling back to the 23rd century.

"Countdown to Darkness" follows the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise on a mission to the planet Phaedus where, hoping to learn how an alien race acquired advanced technology, Kirk comes face to face with a man familiar to Trekkies: Captain Robert April.

Although April never actually appeared on the original "Star Trek," the name was planned, in the earliest inception of the series, to be the name of the Enterprise's captain. Instead, the first pilot went with Christopher Pike (played by Bruce Greenwood in the Abrams film) and, for the second, the familar James T. Kirk. April did later appear in the animated "Star Trek" episode "The Counter-Clock Incident" and it's accepted in series lore that he was the very first Captain of the Enterprise.

"My name is Robert April," the character says in his single page appearance, "Former Captain of a ship called Enterprise!"

In the updated timeline, it's unlikely that April could have captained the Enterprise as we know it but, as with "Star Trek: Enterprise" (which, pre-dating the 2009 film, should still fit into continuity), it's possible that Starfleet has had more than one experimental vessel with that name.

April's appearance becomes all the more interesting after a recent story from HitFix that pointed out, during a visit to the Bad Robot offices, that a production sketch of the large weapon apparently used by Benedict Cumberbatch's John Harrison was labeled "April's Gatling Gun."

Assuming that April plays a role in the upcoming sequel, two potential scenarios are that Cumberbatch is actually playing a younger version and/or a clone of the Captain or that the part will be played on-screen by Peter Weller, whose role is currently a mystery. Of course, knowing Abrams' penchant for keeping secrets, this could be nothing more than a red herring.http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/174601-star-trek-into-darkness-comic-book-prequel-reveals-a-surprise-character

I think this could be Peter Weller's character. I'm still sticking with Johnny Harrison being "Johnny" from the first film.

As for Robert April being the first Captain, I would say that Star Trek's cannon already negates that with Captain/Admiral Johnathan Archer of Enterprise NX-01. So it might be better to say that Robert April might have been the first post Federation Captain of an Enterprise, rather than the first ever Captain...

Additionally Archer is still cannon/apart of Abram's new timeline, as Scotty mentions he accidentally lost "Admiral Archer's" beagle, Porthose! (Which is hilarious, because Star Trek Enterprise featured episodes where they were worried about/featured the new beaming technology...)

[DarthLocke]

Sorry. I accedentally double posted!

I'll leave you with a link to the Motion Poster for the film instead

Motion Poster:
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=100492

[DarthLocke]

So Countdown to Darkness Issue #2 came out this past week and Comingsoon.net looks for clues...

1. Is that the 2009 film's (and possibly the previous time line's) Enterprise is not the first.
Many Star Trek fans have already pointed out they knew this because,
A: Robert April in both timelines have hinted or flat out made points of previous one
B: Some fans (like myself) are quick to point out the NX01 of Star Trek Enterprise (Archer was also mentioned in the 2009 film by Scottie and Kirk).

2. Robert April may have a connection to Carol Marcus, as he reveals his first officer's name was Alex Marcus.
Most speculate that this is Carol's father.

3. Harry Mudd is a Bajorian Women?
It's unclear if this new rogue Bajorian Women is MUDD, but chances are if she isn't the funny conman, then perhaps she's masquerading as him either as a favor to him (maybe he's hiding) or as payback...
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=100639

My Own Speculation:
Obviously a lot of these characters won't make it to the big screen, but some of them, or the one's being referenced might be.

Early on we were given a list of five people/species, at least one of which are to make the film.
Harry Mudd is one of these...

As a Bad Robot fan I'm always on the look out to see if Amanda Foreman and Greg Grunberg are going to appear in any given work, since they are the most frequent of Bad Robot/J.J. Abrams appearances. Amanda Foreman did appear as officer Hannity aboard the bridge during the 2009 film and Greg Grunberg who's original part was cut and changed seemingly for many unkown reasons (I'm looking at you Cumberbatch), only appeared in voice over as Kirk's step father. At any rate I have wondered if either of them would return for the sequel. I didn't find anything recant, but I did find this 2010 interview from Greg Grunberg that peeks my interest....

Greg Grunberg is like JJ Abrams’ good luck charm. After schedule conflicts kept him from appearing on screen in the 2009 Star Trek movie, JJ still worked him into the film as the voice of Kirk’s stepdad (in the Corvette scene). But Grunny wants more for the Trek sequel (and apparently beyond). Here is what he said about his Star Trek hopes in a new podcast interview with Video ETA:

"We constantly run ideas by each other like friends do. I talk to him every day. I always say "oh cool, is there a role for a big Jew in that movie? maybe something?" I am always trying to stick myself in there somewhere. I was supposed to play Olsen in Star Trek, the red shirt who doesn’t pull his cord and dies. I am actually glad. The actor who did that did a good job, but I would love to play something that could re-occur. So it was good that my face wasn’t on screen. So hopefully I can play something. But it is up to them."

So what role could Greg play. Last year I talked to Grunberg and he said that he would "absolutely love" to play Harry Mudd, even with the big mustache and the earring. The lovable rogue Harcourt Fenton Mudd (originally played in two episodes of the original Star Trek by character actor Roger C. Carmel) would be a fun classic character to bring into this new universe. And of course there are other classic roles for Grunberg, or possibly a new role.
http://trekmovie.com/2010/08/14/greg-gr ... trek-role/

Honestly, I think this would be a fantastic role for him and I have a suspicion that is what this MUDD reference in the comic is going for.

I'm still thinking that secretive Peter Weller is Robert April (He looks like the comic depiction IMO and Much like Elder Spock Prime, might be THE character that is featured through the Coundown comics into the film).

I think Cumberbatch is Johnny Harrison a childhood rival of Kirk's introduced in flash back in the first film ("Hey, Johnny!")

Anyways I'll be getting my first two issues later this coming week. I'll see if I'll have something to add.

[DarthLocke]

Went to take a gander over at IMDb just to see what other actors/characters might be listed. There are quite a few Crew members, some with names, seemingly completely new characters in this time line, as Star Trek memory alpha has nothing on their counterparts. I decided I would list a few of the named ones.

Kraisit Agnew - Nikicha Tomser
Beau Billingslea - Captain Abbott
Tom Archdeacon - Ensign Spyke
Jonathan Dixon - Weapons Officer Neville Ryan


I see two familiar names: Niki, Neville (Lost, Revolution)

Abbott might be paying homage to Star Trek Enterprise and a film reference of 'The Three Greatest Horror Movies Ever Made'! One of which is "Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein". Or a freelance writer, Chris Abbott, who wrote Star Trek Voyager episode, "A State of Flux"...

There is also the cast of Gary-7 as "The Niberian Elder". I checked memory alpha wiki for Niberian and came up with nothing. It must be a never before seen species?! What do you guys think about this stuff and why don't any of these actors have Klingon Names, since we know there are going to be Klingons?>???