Details of Star Trek Into Darkness are leaking like a bullet-holed bucket and the first carrot-dangling nine minutes of the movie are now being previewed before its May 2013 release and before selected viewings of The Hobbit (and to lucky sods like us).
At the preview footage launch at the IMAX we watched the opening sequence that will kick start 2013’s movie menu with a serious serving of swagger before hob-nobbing with stars Benedict Cumberbatch who plays baddie John Harrison, Alice Eve (more on her later) and producer Bryan Burk. Here’s what we learnt.
Alice Eve is Dr. Carol Marcus
Sure to interest Trekkies, Carol Marcus is shown wearing the blue uniform, revealing for the first time that she was once a member of Starfleet herself. Trek fans will know that Carol was the scientist working on the Genesis project – a device that could turn a lifeless planet into a habitable one back in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan in which she had a son…with Kirk. Are we in for a sequel with Khan at the storyline’s core? One journalist urged Burke to make this happen as it would satisfy a lot of fans. Burke replied that he’d pass that information on…
Star Trek Into Darkness almost wasn’t made for IMAX
Bryan Burk claims the initial cost for creating Into Darkness in all its IMAX glory was too expensive and the 3D production had its limitations that would jeopardise the final outcome – something director J.J. Abrams and Burke were not willing to compromise on what with this being “the biggest film either of them have worked on”. However Burk explains that a month before they finished filming, they decided they just “had to do it” and the current tally of time dedicated to 3D lies at 40 minutes and counting (they’re still editing the final cut).
Burk toys with the idea that 3D is becoming a little passé as he claims that 3D is not as compelling as it once was. He claims that he and J.J. Abrams didn’t want to be involved in such an epic production “unless rules were broken”, something which will lure audiences in even more than the thought of Alice Eve in an tight Onesie. If Burk is bored of standard 3D, could the next Star Trek be shown in the new high frame rate? Time will tell.
None of it is filmed in London
Despite the Gherkin popping up in the official poster and the futuristic scenes of the concrete capital setting the scene in the first few minutes, London was never used as a filming location but was always going to be the jump off point for the new flick.
Benedict Cumberbatch is not Khan
After Benedict Cumberbatch filmed his audition piece in his friend’s kitchen on his iPhone, Cumberswag landed the role of the bad guy… but he’s not Khan as rumours led us to believe. It’s now clear that Benedict plays “one-man terrorist” John Harrison “who does despicable things for a noble cause”.
After the initial elation of landing the part, Benedict claimed his emotions simmered to ‘terror’ at the challenge ahead but is now happily relieved that all the hard but exciting filming has called cut and is anticipating the finished work in May.
It looks awesome
As Burk testifies, the latest Trek will be “significantly better” than the last with better technology, stronger villains and even more scope for character development. The opening sequence throws us some juicy bones as to how the story will develop and what adversity Spock will have to overcome if…spoiler alert… he can swim through molten lava. Some great one-liners will satisfy the fans with the inevitable “what would Spock do” as the first question on everyone’s lips.
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