Pegg Denies Cumberbatch Role Rumors

[Franklin]

Whom? That was reported from the get go and even Cumberbatch himself has said that he is portraying the villain.

At the very beginning I think there was a quote from JJ saying he wasn't necessarily the villain, and Cumberbatch in an interview said he might or might not be the villain. But everyone really knew and since then, you are right, he's been straightforward in interviews that he is playing the "not-so-good-guy".

Yep, it wasn't until those pictures of him and Spock were released did they admit he was the Villain.

Pegg also said back in December that he heard no mention of the name Khan in the script. Yet the confirmation from AICN and Trek Movie say otherwise.

I am not questioning that Pegg isn't a stand up guy. I just get the impression he is trying to keep things fun and mysterious. He's the only cast member to deny Khan is in it.

Well, aren't the "confirmations" by AICN and Trekmovie just confirmation of rumors? Even if they were from high sources or multiple sources, they're still just rumors. I dont think any official source has said anything on record and by name, yet.

As far as fighting Spock or being shot by Uhura goes, that means he must obviously be doing some kind of "no-no," but it could be he was an otherwise fine fellow in the movie until then, then he became under the influence of something that turned him.

Maybe I'm spinning things to my expectations, but I'm hoping that the ambivalence around whether or not Cumberbatch's character is a "villain" centers around being a bit more complicated than that.

The longer we wait, the more we'll say, "WTF" if it's finally revealed he's not Khan, or, "Why didn't you just say so in the first place?" if it is.

The timing on being coy about something and getting the desired result from it is tricky. Leading people on a merry ruse is one thing. Playing them is another. At some point, the publicity payoff will be anti-climactic if it is really Khan.

 

[Saul]

Yep, it wasn't until those pictures of him and Spock were released did they admit he was the Villain.

That's not the same as "denying" though. Denying, as you said they did, would be if Abrams & Co. said "He is not the villain," which I do not recall ever happening.

They said something along the lines of his casting not necessarily meaning he is the villain.

If someone gets caught in bed with another woman and says "she's in my bed but it doesn't mean I slept with her."

You don't see that as "denying"?

 

[chardman]

I would say that when the pictures came out of Spock and him fighting and Uhura training a phaser on him, he's most likely the villain.

Or simply a victim of a villain who holds some power over his character? Or he got hit with some kind of behavior warping plant spores? Or maybe he's been split/twinned by the transporter and that's the evil, but still essential, aspect of a good man? Or any one of a dozen or so already established trekish reasons that might explain why he fights Spock, that aren't remotely reliant on his being a villain at all, let alone the villain?

Heck, in the last film, we saw Kirk fighting Spock, yet neither was the film's villain, now were they?

Heck, for all we know, Cumberbatch is playing Starfleet's hand-to-hand combat instructor, and the surprise attack on Spock is his way of showing "grasshopper" that while he's a good student, he's still not good enough to snatch the pebble from his Master's hand, and Uhura's goes for the phaser is simply because she doesn't have a clue that Spock and his instructor pull these stunts all the time. (Like Inspector Jacques Clouseau and his Asian houseboy Cato.) And speaking og Clouseau and Kato, the whole scene could easily be the overtly serious set-up for a joke scene of some kind.

 

[Morpheus 02]

It's always been my personal theory that Cumberbatch is playing Garth.

Based on what Pegg said about Cumberbatch's character, i thought the same thing.

i haven't seen his actual work, but Garth is someone i can picture, not Khan. (Or maybe the character was James Caan, who was frozen, but got reivived...? )

 

[Greg Cox]

My money's on a brand-new character.

Based on no "inside" information whatsoever.

 

[chardman]

I'm sticking with my guess about him being the "Hand-to-hand combat instructor". He's just a scary teacher, who only seems villainous, but isn't. While he comes off as an evil guy, he has his students' best interests at heart. He's basically Starfleet Academy's analog to Severus Snape.

(They only hired Cumberbatch both because Alan Rickman wasn't available.)

 

[Psion]

I'm sticking with my guess about him being the "Hand-to-hand combat instructor". He's just a scary teacher, who only seems villainous, but isn't. While he comes off as an evil guy, he has his students' best interests at heart. He's basically Starfleet Academy's analog to Severus Snape.

That's brilliant! I've often said Star Trek needs more Harry Potter to appeal to broader audiences.

 

[Oso Blanco]

I have a feeling that the story will somehow involve Section 31, and Cumberbatch will be playing one of its operatives.

 

[monkeyd]

I'm sticking with my guess about him being the "Hand-to-hand combat instructor". He's just a scary teacher, who only seems villainous, but isn't. While he comes off as an evil guy, he has his students' best interests at heart. He's basically Starfleet Academy's analog to Severus Snape.

(They only hired Cumberbatch both because Alan Rickman wasn't available.)

The Batch does a really good ALan Rickman impression. Maybe he will be doing that the whole time.

 

[chardman]

I have a feeling that the story will somehow involve Section 31, and Cumberbatch will be playing one of its operatives.

Actually, the idea that Cumberbatch is involved in some sort of Starfleet Intelligence division makes quite a bit of sense, particularly they're operating on the notion that NuSpock knows the location of the now reclusive Spock-Prime, whom they'd love to get their hands on because he's obviously got intel that they could use.

And maybe the reason that Spock-Prime has become a recluse, is that he already shared some intel with Starfleet, and they've only made things worse in their efforts to use that info preemptively. (Maybe that's where the rumors about Khan come into it? Maybe we'll hear a brief description of a blown mission to Botany Bay using Spock's future knowledge, which resulted in a Khan far more powerful than ever before, who will eventually have to be dealt with in some future film or television series?)

The Batch does a really good ALan Rickman impression. Maybe he will be doing that the whole time.

"10 points for Griffi... er... I mean, Enterprise".

 

[ROBE]

Maybe he is Gary Seven?

 

[Procutus]

I have a feeling that the story will somehow involve Section 31, and Cumberbatch will be playing one of its operatives.

Now that I would like to see, even more than Cucumberpatch playing either Garth or Gary Mitchell, my two favorite choices. I never considered Gary Seven, though that could be very interesting as well.

I really like the Section 31 idea, especially since we know that it existed in the 23rd century and we could finally see it in action in a Kirk & Co. movie.

 

[Dukhat]

I have a feeling that the story will somehow involve Section 31, and Cumberbatch will be playing one of its operatives.

Huh? On what evidence do you base this assumption, since we know NOTHING about his role? On the fact that he's wearing some dark-colored clothing? So when Kirk was walking around the Enterprise in his black shirt and pants in the first movie, was he working for Section 31 too?

 

[Greg Cox]

About the only thing we know for sure is that he plays a major character whom, at some point, may come into conflict with other characters.

Assuming that he must be playing some classic character is like assuming, back in the day, that "Ohmigod, Persis Khambatta must be playing Elaan of Troyius!" Or assuming that, since Kirstie Alley was cast as a female Vulcan, "She must be playing T'Pring!" Or that David Warner had to playing Koloth or Trelane or somebody . . .

Bringing Khan back was an exception. The movies, and all of the original TOS episodes, usually introduced new guest-stars for each story.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

The Batch does a really good ALan Rickman impression. Maybe he will be doing that the whole time.

Cumberbatch's catch phrase will be:
"By Grabthar's Hammer!"

 

[Psion]

The Batch does a really good ALan Rickman impression. Maybe he will be doing that the whole time.

Cumberbatch's catch phrase will be:
"By Grabthar's Hammer!"

That's brilliant! I've often said Star Trek needs more Galaxy Quest to appeal to broader aud--

Wait a moment, I might be mistaken about this.

 

[newtontomato539]

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of hand to hand combat. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering intestines with its shimmering fumes, the amount of liquids that creep through veins, twitching the brain, poking the eyes ... I can teach you how to box someone in the ears, make a person's nose bleed, even kicking them in the balls -- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

 

[Oso Blanco]

I have a feeling that the story will somehow involve Section 31, and Cumberbatch will be playing one of its operatives.

Huh? On what evidence do you base this assumption, since we know NOTHING about his role? On the fact that he's wearing some dark-colored clothing? So when Kirk was walking around the Enterprise in his black shirt and pants in the first movie, was he working for Section 31 too?

Have you read the latest Ongoing comic? I think there is a strong hint in there, regarding the movie. I could be completely wrong, though ... as I said, it's only a feeling.

Anyway, Cumberbatch playing a Section 31 agent would fit the claims that his character will not be a villain in the traditional sense and that he will not be "just another disgruntled alien".

 

[CorporalClegg]

I would really like a Section 31 film. It seems like it would be right up Bad Robot's alley.

Kinda silly, but I think it would be cool to wait for the next film because they could have some fun number play with the title.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Please no Section 31. Star Trek is supposed to be about a future where humans have moved beyond things like attempted genocide and secret police.

Plus, other than completely going against the point of Star Trek, the whole secret agent thing is a tired fanwank cliche.