STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS – Roundup 1.30.13
[Featured Image: PARAMOUNT PICTURES]
It’s only 107 days until the newest movie in the Star Trek franchise reboot hits theaters and we here at SciFi4Me have been combing the news feeds for any new information on the sequel. There are so many burning questions… is J.J. Abrams staying with Trek? Who, for the love of Starfleet, is John Harrison, really? And, for those of us who have seen the first 9 minutes…
[SPOILER ALERT!]
… just how DOES Spock get out of the volcano?
Now, unless you’ve been living on a pre-industrial planet, I’m sure you’ve heard that J.J. Abrams has been confirmed as the director for Star Wars: Episode VII. What does this mean for the Star Trek universe? Well, according to the Vice Chairman over at Paramount, Abrams will still be around for the third movie in the franchise, at the very least in a producing role. [MORE at the LA Times]
Prior to the big announcement, the director/producer spoke at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour and with CraveOnline about the upcoming movie (as well as the end of Fringe and the upcoming season of Revolution). He is still keeping specific details quiet, but describes Into Darkness as “bigger” and “deeper” of a movie.
Abrams also took the time, along with actors Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Benedict Cumberbatch, to speak with MTV about the upcoming movie. The group warned about the need for tissues in you movie bag, saying “the goal of this movie is to make you cry.” [MORE at MTV.com]
Perhaps that which is most under wraps is the identity of one Mister “John Harrison,” the villain played by the delightfully devious Benedict Cumberbatch. While early rumors have spanned everything from Khan to Gary Mitchell, there’s a new theory in town and it comes courtesy of the Countdown to Darkness comic books. Could he be…
[SPOILER ALERT!]
…Robert April? There are more details over at BleedingCool, and TrekMovie.com has a great review of the Countdown to Darkness #1 as well as the first seven pages and information on the variant covers. Of course, many are still holding onto the idea that Cumberbatch may actually be playing Khan, and not for bad reasons either. [MORE at ScienceFiction.com]
Now, while the comic books serve as a lead-up to the film, the video game, due out April 23rd, won’t release too many secrets about the movie. It features an entirely separate storyline centering around the Gorn. [MORE at Yahoo! News]
While fans are undoubtedly excited about the inclusion of the Gorn, one race has thus far been absent from the reboot’s universe. The Klingons, however, have not actually been forgotten. While many already know about the deleted scene which appeared on the DVD, IDW has released the cover art for Countdown to Darkness #4.
In other movie news, an odd pairing has occurred with Esurance and the upcoming film. The online insurance company, which is owned by Allstate, has an app over on their Facebook page which has all sorts of goodies for the upcoming movie including downloadable wallpapers and icons as well as “The Vulcanizer” in which users can upload photos and look a bit more logical. The app also includes a special behind the scenes featurette. You can skip the app and hop over to ComingSoon.net for more details and for the featurette (without the extra news on your Facebook feed).
Speaking of apps, the official Star Trek Into Darkness app which was announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show will be launching on Sunday, February 3rd during the Super Bowl. (What Star Trek has to do with sports is beyond me, personally. -AJ) The app will feature special access to content such as videos, photos, and wallpapers. Users will have their first opportunity to unlock content during the big game in the second quarter when the new TV spot premieres. [MORE at Mashable] [MORE at Deadline] [Official Website]
And, of course, in case you haven’t seen them yet, the last batch of production stills is available here on SciFi4Me.com.
Stay tuned for more news on Star Trek Into Darkness, due out in theaters May 17th, 2013.
