Despite the fact that it was widely expected that JJ Abrams – bespectacled genius and director of the new Star Trek film – would announce the movie’s cast at the San Diego Comic-Con recently, he actually only confirmed two bits of news: Zachary Quinto would play a younger Spock in the prequel, while Leonard Nimoy himself would put on the pointy ears yet again to play the implacable Vulcan for one final time in flash-forward sequences.
But Abrams did say that we could expect further casting announcements soon, and true to his word, today the original Starship Enterprise got its young navigator – Russian ensign, Pavel Chekov, with Anton Yelchin stepping into the shoes and Beatles hairdo of Walter Koenig.
Although Empire has a lot of affection for Koenig and his performance across the TV show and films – his strangled cry of “Botany Bay!” in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan is a particular office favourite – we are ready to admit that his Russian accent as Chekov (reportedly added to the Star Trek cast by Gene Roddenberry to show that in the future, America had made up with its Cold War rival, Russia) was on the dodgy side.
Well, Yelchin should have no problem with that side of things. A naturalised American, he was actually born in Leningrad. OK, he moved to the States when he was six months old, but his accent should be bona fide.
A decent young actor, the 18 year-old Yelchin has been quietly making an impression in such films as Alpha Dog, Hearts Of Atlantis and more recently as the title character in Charlie Bartlett. His youth would lend credence to the rumours that Abrams’ movie will focus on the adventures of Kirk, Spock and co. during their days at Starfleet Academy.
Casting is currently underway in New York and London for the rest of the movie’s major roles, including Bones, Uhura, Sulu and of course Captain James T. Kirk, who is expected to be played by a big name (not Matt Damon, though; that piece of gossip has been well and truly put to bed).
And speaking of big names, one very exciting rumour doing the rounds at the moment is that Abrams has approached his old Mission: Impossible III mucker, Tom Cruise, to cameo in the movie as Captain Christopher Pike, the Enterprise’s original captain, who was played by Jeffrey Hunter in Star Trek’s pilot, The Cage.
Of course, there’s still plenty of time until Abrams starts filming, with a Christmay Day 2008 release in mind, and so the minute that any new Star Trek casting news breaks, we’ll bring it to you.