J.J. Abrams Addresses The Villain In Star Trek Into Darkness
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Earlier this week, there was a lot of buzz swirling around J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness. The first nine minutes of the film were screened for press in Los Angeles and Bad Robot had a big press day at their Los Angeles headquarters.
Rumors and speculation about which villain actor Benedict Cumberbatch will play in the film has been in the forefront since the production began at the beginning of the year. With only six months until the film’s release, we may never know until we actually watch the movie in May 2013.
In an interview with MTV, J.J. Abrams adds more fuel to the Star Trek villain fire by dropping hints about his identity. He praised Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance and assured Star Trek fans that the character will be one of the best in the series. Abrams also addressed the last shot of the Japanese trailer, which many believe is an homage to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn. Abrams revealed…
“Rather than answer anything that would give away the fun of the movie, I would say that the character that Benedict plays, he brings such an incredible power to it. His voice alone, I actually as a joke should have had him read the lunch menu,” Abrams said, dodging the question with a laugh. “He makes anything sound great and brings such a force to it that hopefully when you see the movie, this character, all speculation aside, will be really compelling, not because of any connection to anything past, but because of who he is and what he brings to it.”
From Abrams’ language it sounds like whatever villain Cumberbatch will play, will have a more complex motivation than in previous Star Trek films. The character will be more developed and almost sympathetic to the audience. Abrams continues…
“The whole thing, not just his backstory, but his agenda, his plan, his secret, all that is what, for me at least, makes him such a frightening and cool villain,” Abrams said. “Also, the real villains — when they’re not just two-dimensional, angry vengeful types — don’t see themselves as the bad guy. They are the good guy and have complete rationale and motivation. So true to form, the character that Benedict plays has an absolute sense of right and wrong, and he’s on the right side.”
Later this week, when the first nine minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness is released at the beginning of IMAX 3D screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, we will finally get a good first look at the tone and direction of the film. Although Benedict Cumberbatch’s villain will not be revealed within those first nine minutes, we will have a great time and a taste of what’s to come before we watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Watch the MTV interview with J.J. Abrams below…
Star Trek Into Darkness will hit theaters everywhere on May 17th 2013 in IMAX 3D.
