J.J. Abrams is not above teasing Star Trek fans, what with this three frame sneak peek at Spock in a fire retardant suit on Conan in October and the nine-minute IMAX preview set to play before certain screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in December. But now that this official plot synopsis has landed, there are finally some concrete (albeit vague) facts to ponder.
Below is the synopsis for your delectation and appreciation – note the more generic "explosive action thriller" language alongside the more intriguing "a war-zone world" and "one-man weapon of mass destruction" tidbits.
“In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek Into Darkness.
When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organisation has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.
With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.
As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.”
A personal score, you say? Perhaps die-hard Trekkies will be able to join some (admittedly very distant) dots here to try and work out which Star Trek character would be able to get under Kirk's skin enough, but as ever, perhaps it's more fun to wait until it's officially confirmed.
Also, that "epic chess game of life and death" seems like a job for Spock – as long as it's Tri-Dimensional Chess, of course, which would make sense now that Star Trek Into Darkness is actually in 3D.
The synopsis may say "Summer 2013", but the more precise release date for Star Trek Into Darkness is May 17, 2013.