Benicio Del Toro to be the villain in the Star Trek sequel?

[Admiral Buzzkill]

You think you're making a point by repeating the obvious, but you're not.

The studio's intent is to maximize the public's interest and the likelihood that a film will succeed, based on their best understanding and experience (however limited and shaky that may be in a lot of cases) using the resources they have. Piddling around and saying "oh, this works sometimes, this works sometimes...this worked once..." is meaningless in that context.

They can either try to attract attention by virtue of the actors they announce or by the characters who they are being cast to play - and the very best thing is to be able to do both.

There are no other individual antagonists in the Trek continuity that are of any publicity value whatever. The closest runner-up to Khan would be the Borg, as a group, so those are your choices.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Every week, movies go into production with villains that are brand new, that have no recognition or publicity value. Die Hard 4.0 didn't need another Gruber; the last few Bond movies didn't need to bring back Goldfinger, Blofeld or Jaws. As many people will go 'yawn' at the idea of re-visiting Khan as will be excited by his revival.

The Borg have been done to death and I'd say the Klingons are better known anyway. And indeed, the cuddly Cornish pastie-heads are better known than Khan too. TWOK's recognition value and status among the general public is somewhat over-rated by Trek fans in particular and geeks in general. More people know Ricardo Montalban from Fantasy Island, IMHO, and TWOK lags a long way behind Empire Strikes Back in the 'downbeat but great sci-fi sequels from the early 1980s' stakes.

 

[eklypse]

Shouldn't Khan be exactly as he was (personality-wise) in Space Seed since Nero's Arrival wouldn't have affected Botany Bay at all.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Well, it could have affected it in other ways (ripples in ponds, butterfly flapping its wings etc) but presumably he won't be the embittered Khan of TWOK, not having spent all those years on Alpha Ceti V.

 

[eklypse]

Hopefully they'll have the sense to ignore TWOK if they must use Khan.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Well, they have to, unless they jump forwards 15 years in time. Or I suppose you could have Prime Spock going 'Khan? Oh f*ck no, not again!!!!!'

 

[F. King Daniel]

Shouldn't Khan be exactly as he was (personality-wise) in Space Seed since Nero's Arrival wouldn't have affected Botany Bay at all.

Not if he was found by the Klingons shortly after the USS Kelvin was destroyed. 25 years is a long time...

 

[eklypse]

Prime passed some info about Khan to Kirk during their mind-meld and Kirk offs him in the first 10 minutes of the movie.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Well, they have to, unless they jump forwards 15 years in time. Or I suppose you could have Prime Spock going 'Khan? Oh f*ck no, not again!!!!!'

He could just phaser Khan where he stands. The timeline's already fracked up anyway.

 

[Garak]

That's too bad. I think Del Toro is probably one of the few that could pull off a decent Khan.

They should get Michael Fassbender, so hot right now plus I've got a pretty serious man crush on him. Everyone wins.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Well, they have to, unless they jump forwards 15 years in time. Or I suppose you could have Prime Spock going 'Khan? Oh f*ck no, not again!!!!!'

He could just phaser Khan where he stands. The timeline's already fracked up anyway.

I like the idea of a big name actor being cast as Khan. The opening scene is of the Botany Bay, floating in space, sinister music as the camera pans round. Then a glimpse of big name actor in his stasis capsule.

Next, we cut to the Enterprise, which promptly blasts the BB out of existence. Cut to Kirk and Spock looking at each other as if to say 'Dodged that one, didn't we?'

And then the movie begins.

 

[Lord Garth FOI]

+1
It's going to be Khan. Get over it

You think you're making a point by repeating the obvious, but you're not.

The studio's intent is to maximize the public's interest and the likelihood that a film will succeed, based on their best understanding and experience (however limited and shaky that may be in a lot of cases) using the resources they have. Piddling around and saying "oh, this works sometimes, this works sometimes...this worked once..." is meaningless in that context.

They can either try to attract attention by virtue of the actors they announce or by the characters who they are being cast to play - and the very best thing is to be able to do both.

There are no other individual antagonists in the Trek continuity that are of any publicity value whatever. The closest runner-up to Khan would be the Borg, as a group, so those are your choices.

 

[Sindatur]

The report at Vulture about Del Toro passing on the movie also confirms that Khan is the villain.

Yeah. Looks like Abrams was really denying that Del Toro was in the film and not that Khan wasn't the bad guy. I vote for Naveen Andrews as Khan. Ever since I first saw him on Lost I thought that he'd make a great Khan.

Naveen Andrews has a great face, and the acting chops, but, his body tone is too soft, IMHO, he's not nearly cut enough (Unless he has re-shaped his body since LOST ended). If they could get a good Prosthetic Torso for him, he could be great.

What I read at the Vulture link, doesn't suggest Khan was confirmed, it says the rumor is still rampant, because no one believes the denial that Khan is in it. Is there another link that does confirm it?

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Actors get sent to the gym to get in shape for movies all the time. Christian Bale was skeletal before Batman Begins; that's the extreme example, but Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig, Toby Maguire, Nic Cage and many, many others have radically changed their body shape to fit various roles.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

What I read at the Vulture link, doesn't suggest Khan was confirmed, it says the rumor is still rampant, because no one believes the denial that Khan is in it. Is there another link that does confirm it?

Hmm...

Vulture hears from a highly placed source that Khan is indeed the film's baddie.

 

[Sindatur]

^ Actors get sent to the gym to get in shape for movies all the time. Christian Bale was skeletal before Batman Begins; that's the extreme example, but Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig, Toby Maguire, Nic Cage and many, many others have radically changed their body shape to fit various roles.

in only 1 month's time? Shooting starts next month, and Del Toro just passed on it, so, negotiations wouldn't even have begun for his replacement yet. 6 months, yea, no problem, 1 month, that's some very serious gym time

Dennis,

Highly placed source? Where is this source highly placed? Don't get me wrong, I happen to agree, it's very likely, and makes an awful lot of sense they would indeed use Khan, but, I wouldn't bet the baby on that being a confirmation.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Jackman was cast as Wolverine under similar time pressure, IIRC, whereas Bale had to go from looking like a hunger striker (after The Machinist) to his BB physique.

Andrews is hardly a slob to begin with. An intensive regime, gallons of protein drinks and appropriate diet - you'd be surprised what a month could achieve. Anyway, they'd probably start off by shooting lots of head shots and close ups, then, when he'd gotten in shape, do the body shots. Bryan Singer did that with Jackman for X-Men.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I wouldn't bet the baby on that being a confirmation.

Perhaps not, but it is the direct confirmation contained in the reported story that people are talking about, rather than just "it says the rumor is still rampant, because no one believes the denial that Khan is in it."

 

[Ryan8bit]

Plus, Lindelof tweeted, "VULTUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURE!!!!!"

Take that as you will.

As far as fitness for a Khan role, del Toro isn't exactly so fit himself. He'd have a lot more work to do than Andrews.

 

[Garak]

I wouldn't bet the baby on that being a confirmation.

Perhaps not, but it is the direct confirmation contained in the reported story that people are talking about, rather than just "it says the rumor is still rampant, because no one believes the denial that Khan is in it."

Someone told me Latino Review is like the KGB when it comes to geek rumors like this, they mean serious business.

I'm inclined to believe it. It actually makes perfect sense.