The Star Trek sequel has taken another big step forward with the casting of a major role. A new report has veteran actor Peter Weller tapped for a major role in JJ Abrams next trip to the final frontier. Of course this will not be Weller’s first trip to the final frontier. Details below.
Weller tapped for Star Trek sequel role
According to Variety, producer/director JJ Abrams has tapped Peter Weller to join the cast of his Star Trek sequel. No details on the role, but Weller is likely being being cast for the previously reported third major new role for the film. The other two major roles (in addition to the film’s returning main cast) are the villain (Benicio Del Toro is in talks) and a female role (to be played by Alice Eve). Previously Variety noted this third role "could be another villain, someone who’s older and in more of a supporting character to del Toro".
The 64 year-old Weller is a veteran of film and TV going back to the early 70s. He is probably best known for his starring role in the first two Robocop movies in 1987 and 1990. More recently he has been spotted doing guest spots on such shows as Psych and with recurring roles on 24 and Dexter (for which he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award). This will not be Weller’s first time working with JJ Abrams Bad Robot production company either. Weller did a guest spot in the second season of Fringe.
Peter Weller in Robocop (L) and on Dexter (R)
Weller is also a writer, producer and director. He has directed a number of TV episodes (including recent episodes of Sons of Anarchy), and received an Oscar nomination for his 1993 short film Partners.
Of course, Weller is no stranger to the Star Trek universe. In 2005 the actor had a major guest role in two episodes of the fourth and final season of Star Trek Enterprise ("Demons" & "Terra Prime"). Weller played John Fredrick Paxton, the leader of the "Terra Prime" terrorist organization.
Trailer for "Demons"
Stay tuned for more Star Trek movie updates soon.
Maybe a Klingon? Kang?
dear boborci,
Khan or not KHan….. I LOVE THIS CASTING. I hope he has a lot of screen time. Marvelous Actor !
Half Man, Half Robot, ALL COP!!
Wow. I can totally picture this guy as a Klingon…
Robocop and nu-Dredd in the same movie? Rock it out.
He’s an underrated actor and it’s good to see him finally in a mainstream movie again but he was already a special guest star on ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’ in 2005. I would have liked to see a new actor to the franchise unless Weller is playing a descendant of John Frederick Paxton which would probably mean the villains are Terra Prime, the extremist xenophobic terrorist organisation.
Talosian for sure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0yuaUCKFII
RoboCop is one of my fave 80s sci fi movies.
its just brilliant, hmm think i will have to rewatch it again tonight.
@ 6
Thats the feeling i get too when i see that robocop picture in anthony’s article up there, lol
Don’t forget folks Paxton didn’t die at the end of Terra Prime………
This casting has me really syched.
Time to pull out that old Terra Nova Episode From Star Trek: Enterprise to see him try to blow up Earth, lol….. BUT FAIL.
@ 10.
I meant ‘Terra Prime’….. Not that horrible show Terra Nova, lol
Peter Weller was one of several great things in that final ENTERPRISE 2-parter “Demons” & “Terra Prime”. I generally disregard the stupid episode that followed it… ;)
“No matter where you go . . . there you are.” -Buckaroo Banzai.
What great news!
@ 12
Agreed.
I wonder if he will play a red shirt brought back to life by McCoy after an ill-fated landing party assignment.
I think this is a Big Time move for Trek 13 or is that 12.
Peter Weller will bring a strong performance to the new movie. Now. He could be playing Col Green in the new movie or another possible role would be reprising the role of John Fredrick Paxton from Enterprise and he would be helping out Col. Green played by Del Toro.
Again. I see him reprising his Role of John Fredrick Paxton from Enterprise and helping out Del Toro as Col. Green somehow brought back from the late 21st Century. Or a Clone. I know. I hope they stay Far Far away from Clones.
I agree! LOVE THE CASTING! Loved him in the series finale of Enterprise! (Yes, we all wish that had been the case.)
Or. He could play a Borg. He was at one point Half Man and Half Machine. Lol
#18. As Far as I’m Concerned those two final eps were the Series Finale of Star Trek Enterprise. Those were also some great eps. Of course just about anything of Peter Weller does is Great!.
Matt Decker please…
YEEEEEEEES! YEEEEEEEES! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!! Wonderful news!
16. Hmmm. Dabbling with science to get Tucker and T’Pol a baby. Maybe he’s cloned Colonel Green. He was an obsessive believer in his ideals of a pure humanity, while Paxton wanted to prevent any relations between us and the Vulcans. Enter Spock and his depleted race, struggling to survive…
Fantastic actor, man I like the acting choices big time so far no matter who the villian is.
Very good! :]
#23. That was what i was thinking. If he can do that then why not Clone Col. Green. Or it could be that he could have somehow contacted Excalbia and talked to Yarnek and they got Col. Green for them. Alsong with Khaless and Zora and Genghis and he uses them to help him in his plot.
As much as I like the original Robocop, I always associate Weller first and foremost with his role as Buckaroo Banzai. Great actor and I hope he gets a juicy part in Trek Tu.
I’m loving the casting so far for the new Trek film. First Alice Eve and Benecio Del Toro, and now Peter Weller! I love Peter Weller — his dedication to the craft of acting and the thoughtfulness and commitment he puts into his roles are always stellar and amazing.
I’m not an actor but in hearing and reading various interviews with actors it seems that having some very strong actors in a production tends to raise everyone else’s game as well. Not saying that the main cast of Trek are slouches in the acting department, but having heavy hitters like Del Toro and Weller on set can only raise the level of everyone else in the entire production.
I still hope it’s not Khan as the antagonist — does it really have to be a villain in the traditional “evil” sense? Maybe it’s just an antagonist who operates at cross purposes to the crew but for “good” reasons — but the recent casting news has gotten me excited for Trek 12 in 2013.
However, can we at least get hints of a subtitle for the movie? :D
“However, can we at least get hints of a subtitle for the movie? :D”
Yeah, he’s talking to you Mr. boborci.
Yes Bob Orci. We all promise to play Dumb for a couple of Hint’s. Don’t we guys.
“Your move, creep.”
yup i am thinking( and crossing my fingers) he is in fact someway connected to Paxton (either as Paxton himself or related)
The mad scientist who creates the evil tribbles!
#32. I think a good bet would be for him to be a Grandson or something along those lines. Or. Maybe he froze himself in one of the DY Class Sleeper Ships that Khan used. Some great possibility’s
‘Does it hurt? Does it hurt?’
Great casting choice. I don’t even care what role he plays.
I could see him as some crusty admiral, or a haughty Klingon bastard.
Alternatively for a more TOS fan-fic approach (instead of an ENT one), I’m getting a Koloth-vibe from Weller’s casting.
Del Toro as Green and Weller (aged-up or in flashback) as Paxton… would be awesome.
For one thing, Khan’s story is still fixed to the 1990’s and covered by two appearance (plus three classic books by Greg Cox).
Colonel Green is yet to come! As the other main player in the WWIII era, with Zefram Cochrane.
I had always associated Weller with Buckaroo Banzai, for some strange reason the Robocop shows don’t come to mind when I see something about him…
JJ must not have actually contacted HitFix…putting all of boborci’s clues/nonclues to work… he said that IF JJ said there was no Khan, there’s no Khan…
Seems like Weller= Green, del Toro= Khan after all, or some funky alt. timeline variation of this formula. Maybe we’ll see different time periods…Eugenics war (moved to a more reasonable point of Earth’s timeline) leading to Khan’s freezing, flash forward to Khan being rediscovered many years later.
Of course, my knowledge of Col. Green comes from a vague recollection of that TOS episode and a quick peek at memory alpha, so I could be totally wrong (could? likely)….
Sounds cool. Didn’t expect Robocop, that’s for sure. Will look into his work more and how this may tie into Trek….
30. Commodore Mike of the Terran Empire – December 5, 2011
All I can say is that I wouldn’t cling on to any preconceived notions about what things will turn out like.
He’s new to me, but I take the excitement here as a good sign. I wonder, though, how the team will manage the necessary task of more fully developing not only the individual characters of K, S, Mc, U, Sc, Ch, Su, but also the relationships, K-S, K-S-M, S-U, while also developing not one, not two, but three major, new roles. This is going to be one big, busy movie, but that’s no surprise.
I think three major roles also makes it more likely the major new female role will add more female presence to the Enterprise, and that Eve will be a much revamped Rand or Chapel. I’d bet on the former, but hope for the latter.
I’m betting Peter will be playing Fleet Captan Garth who joins forces with Cmdr.Kor (B. Del Toro hopefully).
so bob, when will there be an official announcement on who plays who ? lol
#39. Bob Orci . May I call you Bob. I try never to have any preconceived notions on anything as that would lead to the notion that I know something when in fact I may not but pretend to know everything. I hope you understand Bob.
I think Peter Weller has sealed the deal for me with the Trek Sequel. To see him alone in the Trek Sequel is enough for me.
@ 43
I think what he was trying to say was that Neither Khan or the Klingons are involved in the sequel ;)
39. boborci – lol nice! Very in keeping with your ‘hints’ if that’s what they can be called :)
@39: “…wouldn’t CLING ON…”?! Come on, now, you’re doing that on purpose!:)
Paxton and Kahn would make a great team. Paxton had a thing for eugenics. What if he found the botany bay? Would be a totally different spin on the story.
39. boborci, Groans off the starboard bow! >:->
Yes. The Hint he gave with the Cling On is pretty funny. I was just playing a little Dumb. So to speak. Lol.