The Star Trek Sequel

As yet Untitled (it's believed they wish to avoid confusion with Wrath of Khan as well as the complex Star Trek continuity, and it will not be Star Trek 2 but Star Trek: Insert Subtitle Here) the production and filming of the follow-up movie began in January. Despite the great success and acclaim of the reboot, there hasn't been much news about this sequel, perhaps due to the slow process and several years it took to finally get made, not to mention Abrams' notorious secrecy.

However some photos have begun to leak from set, and I for one am very excited. I was never in life a Trekkie, though in principal I chose Star Trek over Star Wars as inevitably having more depth and interest (the latter being the most overrated sci/fi in history) but the movie blew me away. Even now I can rewatch it time and again, the first 5 minutes making me cry without fail, never being bored or anything less than entertained.

(Hit the jump drive, thrusters on full, warp speed to see the photos.)

In fact I am currently making attempts to become more well versed in Mr. Rodenberry's beloved universe. Unlike Doctor Who, where the 2005 reboot was a satisfactory introduction to any newcomer, I feel the need to dive all the way back to the Original Series, despite the potential aesthetic conflict. (I freely admit how spoiled by generation is in terms of expected production value.) Even there, however, continuity is murky--do I began with The Cage, the unaired pilot? do I follow the order it was aired in? or, like Firefly, do I attempt to stay true to the creators' original vision? if time and patience grow thin, what are the most essential OS episodes to watch? will I finally pick up on all the inside jokes in Abrams' Star Trek movie?

These are questions that remain unanswered. But I shall voyage beyond the limits of human endurance if need be (Trekkie web forums) to discover the truth.

In the meantime, let us revel in the fact that, yes, the sequel is being made and will be out next year. The entirety of the cast is returning, with the exception of Leonard Nimoy, and are joined by the super-British Benedict Cumberbatch as the film's villain, or at least one of them. Feast your eyes on some new images and be sure to contact me if you have any advice for my Trek research. Live long and prosper.

This one is the most recent one and came with a little description:

Zachary Quinto as [Spock] filming an action scene for the Untitled Star Trek 2 Sequel. After first rehearsing the scene with a [Spock] Stunt Double Actor Zachary Quinto was then rigged to a wire in front of a large green screen and lifted to a height of 10 stories high then dropped at a high rate of speed as if he was falling. In the scene [Spock] is wearing a “Volcano Suit” and carrying an unknown piece of equipment with the Starfleet Emblem. A Volcano is somehow involved in this scene. The crew had a real fire burning off camera to catch the fire reflections on [Spock's] “Volcano Suit”.

These are from a little while back, and were followed by an angry JJ Abrams (he likes a closely guarded set it seems) building a wall of freight containers around the set to avoid any further leaks. One expects a new tantrum about the volcano pic any day now...unless it's a red herring. Hmm..

Mostly we're getting a lot of Spock action, and not so much Kirk. Less eye candy but still pretty sweet. I can hardly wait for it to come out, but until then I suppose I'll dive back into the past.