Karl Urban Up For ‘Star Trek’ Role (But Not Villain) + Casting & Plot Updates

This seems to be a week for Star Trek casting rumors and news. TrekMovie.com has confirmed that Karl Urban (Eomer of Lord of the Rings) is being considered for an unnamed role in the new Star Trek movie. IESB.net is reporting the Kiwi actor has been made an offer to play the villain in the film, but a source close to the production tells TrekMovie.com that Urban is not up for the film’s villain (nor is he being considered for Kirk). The source would not go further when pressed, but based on the Actor’s age (35) either Scotty, Bones may be a good guess (or possibly Captain Garrovick?). Regarding the casting of the villain a studio insider recently told TrekMovie.com that they are looking for well known brand name actor (especially one who will help the film play in foreign markets). This fits with the report that there is interest in Russell Crowe for the part.

UPDATE: Orci talks about Urban’s Trek connection
Like with other rumored and actual cast Star Trek actors, Karl Urban has a connection to the team behind the new Star Trek. Urban had a recurring role on Xena: Warrior Princess while Trek co-writers and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci were showrunners for the series. Urban played Julius Ceasar (see clip below). In the comments section below Orci talks about working with Urban.

We worked with Urban back in the day, when Alex and I were the showrunners on Herucles and Xena. He always came through for us, and he is such a decent guy. None of what I just said, however, should be taken as a sign that any decisions have been made. Our only point is that, whatever happens, we’ve always loved Karl, and we all got our start in the same place.

Vote – pick a role for Urban
We just don’t know yet what role Urban is being considered for, so what role do you see him in. Vote in the current polll (right).
POLL UPDATED…added Kirk, Villain and Garrovick…vote again

 

Vogel/casting update
IESB’s other rumor this week about Mike Vogel being the ‘leading candidate’ for the part of Kirk has been partially confirmed, but a source tells TrekMovie.com Vogel is "just one of the people being looked at" for role and that they are still mulling options. Vogel’s publicist also tells TrekMovie.com the original article as written was "not true." According to sources, no major roles besides Spock (Nimoy & Quinto), Chekov (Yelchin) and Uhura (Saldana) have been cast at this point and that auditions are still ongoing.

 

PLOT SPOILERS BELOW

 

 


The IESB.net Urban article ties into the earlier Aint Cool news plot spoiler report. IESB are reporting that the villain is to be a Romulan and that the plot involves Romulans going back in time to destroy Earth. TrekMovie.com has confirmed that elements of the original  AICN  rumor report are true (such as the inclusions of the Romulans and time-travel), however a source tells us that much of the original AICN story is still pure speculation.

Kobayashi Maru
TrekMovie.com has picked up on a new plot element. We have previously reported that even though the film is not (as originally rumored) an ‘Academy Movie,’ it still will involve at least some scenes at the famed Starfleet Academy. TrekMovie.com can now confirm that one of those scenes will show James T. Kirk’s solution to the famous Kobayahsi Maru ‘no win scenario’ simulation (first described in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan).

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Interesting.

I don’t remember him from Lord of the Rings, but based on image alone I think he’d be a good bones

Oh! and First…I think…

Karl Urban… not a viable choice in my opinion.

Oooo I like.

Hello new Scotty or Bones!

Hmmmm Bones Yes !

Hello new Bones!

So we’ll finally see how Kirk solved the Kobyashi Maru… Cool! Still not sure about the whole time travel thing. Urban as Bones?… hmmmm… Different, but could work… The fact that they are including the Kobyashi, hopefully means this WILL be Star Trek.

I hope they dont do a time travel put Earth in danger again. That was done in Enterprise and that failed. Also hasn’t time travel been overused?

OH GOD NOOOOOO…….WHY MORE TIME TRAVEL…..AND DOES EARTH ALWAYS HAVE TO BE THE TARGET…….man…..

deja vu

LoL!!!

The IESB article also said old Spock talking to young Spock. They also did that in Voyager. Admiral Janway talking with Captain Janeway.

Hickory Dickory Dock
The Spock met up with Spock
The Romulan struck
They ran amuck
Hickory Dickory Dock!

awesome! sounds very interesting!

Aaron R.

oh and #7 earth is not always the target! both Generations and Insurection had small never before heard of planets as the target and a shit load of fans whined and complained!!!! Its like not matter what is done someone crys and plays like they are a little girl that skinned there knee.

It’s astounding, time is fleeting
Madness takes its toll
But listen closely, not for very much longer
I’ve got to keep control

I remember doing the TIme Warp
Drinking those moments when
The blackness would hit me and the void would be calling
Let’s do the time warp again…
Let’s do the time warp again!

It’s just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it’s the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane,
Let’s do the Time Warp again!

It’s so dreamy, oh fantasy free me
So you can’t see me, no not at all
In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention
Well-secluded, I see all
With a bit of a mind flip
You’re there in the time slip
And nothing can ever be the same
You’re spaced out on sensation, like you’re under sedation
Let’s do the Time Warp again!

Well I was walking down the street just a-having a think
When a snake of a guy gave me an evil wink
He shook me up, he took me by surprise
He had a pickup truck and the devil’s eyes.
He stared at me and I felt a change
Time meant nothing, never would again
Let’s do the Time Warp again!

Wow…

Good to see spoilers and juicy details start to roll in!

I hope not, but… judging by that picture, that is one ugly dude.

Mugatu?

The eyes do sort of say “McCoy”…

http://www.ageofthering.com/atthemovies/cast/karlurban.jpg

We’re getting some great ideas from all these rumors!

Re: #17 – Roberto Orci… will you hire me as a writer for Bad Robot?

I want him to be McCoy.

Yummy.

This would not be Urban’s first film in a spaceship:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=926icFvL4Y8

:lol:

18

I don’t technically work for Bad Robot. Ask Bryan Burk.

Maybe he’s captain pike?

I want him to be Captain Pike!

Yummy.

So Mr. Orci throwing some fake plots out their to mess with our heads? :)

We don’t do that, though we’ve considered it.

The natural rumor mill tends to do it for us.

I’d love to see him in this movie. He’d be great at EITHER bones OR McCoy.

as for the plot… I think it sounds better than previously rumored. I’d love to see the Enterprise do more of an Investigation type of thing, though. hopping from planet-to-planet trying to figure out something… maybe the origin of a quelled rebellion? I want to see how Kirk would respond to a type of situation that Picard had to deal with.

Karl Urban is HOT!!! If he plays McCoy, I’d find it very hard to believe a girl would pick the rumored Kirk over him (unless you’re a teen). This really appeals to my sense of humor.

But then, Bones was grumpy.

What a hunk! So manly.

Captain Pike? I like

I like alot

27. Musical? Does Kirk sing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds? lol!!! I hope so!

Mr. Orci just curious does shooting in Nov. mean the sets are built? Or will the set building start in Nov? I also am curious as to what the new Enterprise will look like outside and in.

Sorry about that. I wasn’t sure if he could answer a set constuction question. I’m not even sure if I want to read the script if it ends up online.

It’s just a jump to the left…
And then a step to the right!

Man, I know if I watch Star Trek long enough, I’ll see the Enterprise go whizzing past a DeLorean and a blue police call-box going the other way in a temporal particle slipstream… with as much time travel that goes on I don’t see how it CAN’T happen.

I want him for Captain Pike! I loved Pike. I’m with you, Penny!-#29

35.

He looks like a leader! A captain!

CaPtain Pike! Captain Pike!

Not sure about that plot. What’s really with the Kobayashi scenario that ‘s left to tell; Kirk reprogrammed a computer, got chewed out then got a commendation. Is there new stuff to tell? Give us new stuff.

27 LOL

Sets are already being built.

Star trek Enterprise FAILED because of the Time Travels FYI

R.I.P

Okay, after looking through this guy’s IMDB gallery and watching a few clips… I’m sold. Completely. And I’ve been more worried about McCoy’s casting than anyone else’s since the beginning, so this is excellent news for me!

… If the rumor is true. *crosses fingers*

I mean, just fix his hair, give him some contacts, and he’s perfect for the good doctor. C’mon, casting crew, let this guy be cast as McCoy! I only hope that he can play grumpy well. :D

(Well, alright, I guess he could probably play Scotty well, too… but I wanna see him play McCoy, darn it.)

I’m actually geeking out over the Kobayashi Maru news. No, it’s not “new” (cf. #37), but it’s a rare touchstone to Kirk’s early days that we know about, so it’ll be fun to see it in context.

Now if we can just get Gary Mitchell in there….

The plot sounds suspiciously like Of Gods and Men and First Contact. More interesting than FC because of the Spocks, but pretty much the same story.

#39–Enterprise didn’t fail because of time travel. It failed because it ignored continuity and wasn’t well written. A good time travel story will be fine.

40 :)
Karl Urban for McCoy.

The guy is obviously Bones… Look at him next to a pic of Deforest Kelley as McCoy… Warpspeed now, Sulu…

Im very happy with the casting news.

Good job guys!!

Zachary Quinto- Spock
Zoe Saldana-Uhura
Paul McGillion-Scotty
Karl Urban-Bones
Anton Yelchin- Chekov

Wow! This might work! Hallelujah!

Hmmmmm. I still say McGillion gets Doohan’s role. But, if you can’t get Sinese, I can see this guy as McCoy. The expression of his face above captures the character quite well.

I vaguely recall Urban from LOTR, but I remember him for sure in Chronicles of Riddick. He did a good job. If he can get the southern accent, might be right for Bones, although he’s fairly big and muscular and De Kelley was neither.

As for those plot spoilers, I can just hear the screaming over how it copy cats First Contact. On the other hand, I have always been a fan of the Romulans, and we were just beginning to see some really sinister and intriguing elements in their relations with the Vulcans during Enterprise season 4. Unfortunately, the Romulans were stuck in the middle of the insanity known as Nemesis (which if there was ever a Trek film to de-cannonize). It’s certainly not what I would have done for this film. I would have done something more like The Motion Picture. However, if this is true and there is time travel, and they still can’t figure out how to bring back Shatner as Kirk, shame on them.

Question to supposed Roberto Orci how do i know you are really you, instead of impostor using your name hmmm.

Ah, stupid me, I did not bother to read the comments, where Roberto basically laughed off the plot rumors. Wish this website had an EDIT button Mr. Pascale!