There are three new images of Benedict Cumberbatch’s villain from Star Trek Into Darkness to share. Plus in a new interview Cumberbatch talks about John Harrison’s motivation. Get the details below but beware of spoilers.
New Harrison Images
There are three new images from Star Trek Into Darkness with Benedict Cumberbatch’s John Harrison to share. The first was just tweeted by MTV.
John Harrison on Qo’noS – with a really big gun.
The MTV tweet also let fans know to there will be a special mission on the official Star Trek app for the MTV Movie Awards – airing live Sunday at 9PM Eastern. TrekMovie has already reported there will be some kind of promo so watch the show with your app ready.
The second new image is in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly from the table of contents page. Here is a scan (TrekMovie will try to find digital version without the copy text).
John Harrison on floating barge in San Francisco
The final new Cumberbatch image comes from the official Star Trek Latin America Facebook page. It is a character image of Harrison. TrekMovie has confirmed this image is not part of the new domestic character poster series (the first of which was revealed today with Uhura). TrekMovie
John Harrison International Character poster
TrekMovie is trying to find out if there are additional international character posters but we have already shown this image as part of a new international banner.
Cumberbatch talks Harrison Motives (minor spoilers)
Rounding out our Cumberbatch/Harrison news are some comments the actor made in an interview with India’s The Hindu. Interestingly Cumberbatch revealed that Harrison has some kind of political agenda:
What can you tell us about the character you play, John Harrison?
He’s a terrorist. He’s not the usual villain and there’s a real calculation and intelligence to his actions. But also he is a ferocious warrior, for example in hand-to-hand combat and with weapons. We did these fantastic choreographed fight scenes, which I really enjoyed. But he’s equally dangerous in a still moment where he’s not necessarily physically seen to be in charge.So he’s politically motivated?
I think within the world of the film, very much so. It is a political ideology he is fighting for.
Cumberbatch also talked about his stunt work noting "at one point my character jumps off a bridge" and how he worked out a lot to bulk up for the role – and he also offered this intriguting bit about a scene that may be cut:
You mentioned fight scenes. What kind of physical preparation did you have to do for the role?
I was consuming 4.000 calories a day for about a month and a half. Before that, just eating five times a day was enough but it really ramped up for the last month and a half for this scene, which might be cut (laughs).Why?
I can’t say why at this point. But it was for a scene where my physicality is revealed at one point. But it might be cut because it might not fit in with the final edit. My trainer and I are heartbroken! (laughs)..
Cumberbatch says that Harrison is a terrorist with a political ideology
Thanks to Carol and Geri.
I’m most interested in the scene which he said may be cut that his physicality is revealed – what could that mean?
AMAZING!!!!
First!!!!
Cant wait for the movie
Looks good. I think he’s gonna do very well in this film.
In The Hindu’s int. he also said that they might chop off his shirtless scene. I’m mad at this :(
lovely pics!!
In that first picture, am I crazy or does it look like he’s going out to work in the yard with a big leaf blower?
OK…so anyway, can’t wait to see this flick!
That doesn’t sound like Khan too me.
Lots of Cumber-goodies. Thanks, Anthony.
Just what this movie needed; More dakka and CHAAAAAIN GUN!
Is that a leaf blower??? Hahaha!
“Dragged accross the floor at 60 mph by rope pulls and being jerked back” So, he’s the other guy doing the space jump?
@9
Or possibly he’s sliding across the deck of a starship that’s taken heavy damage.
Oh, the Star Trek equivalent of a Minigun, I guess… Guess this one will be heavy on the action aspect again, eh…
I firmly believe (hope) that Cumby’s character of “John Harrison” is just that – an original villain we haven’t seen before. If this is so, if he’s the ultimate badass that I hope he’s being made out to be, John Harrison might not just go down as the greatest Star Trek villain of all times (and unseat Khan), but in cinema… at least, that’s what I’m hoping for!
I so cannot wait! Just another month to go….
“So he’s politically motivated?
I think within the world of the film, very much so. It is a political ideology he is fighting for.”
I like that, it make the character more interesting and not just someone who is looking for revenge for personal reasons.
It probably means, as some have speculated, that he is against the Starfleet establishment’s non-involvment-a-la- prime directive and yet very angry over the Intelligence divisions heavy involvement. Much like the CIA was behind in many ways the political moves in many countries without the official backing of the White House.
Bin Laden was supported by the CIA for years as a mujahedeen against the Soviets but also ironically turned against the U.S and this is what I believe is the main inspiration for this………..albeit with a 23rd century twist.
That being said-how does Kahn fit in all of this?
Well, we do have what was a supposedly “official” shot from the film showing two figures walking out of a hanger with what appears to be cryo-tubes and one of the figureswalking out is bulky/muscular and is wearing an outfit similar to Montalban’s and even seems to have the same ponytail hairstyle…………
We shall see…
1. Dink shot.
Ps. Bob, there’s still time to put back on any cut shirtlessness/partial nudity. I’ll personally see it 72 times if that scene’s in there.
This must be the April Giant Gun!!!
Killamarshtrek, we were right XD
“I will walk over your cold grass”
It kind of looks like he’s holding a leaf-blower.
“I can’t say why at this point. But it was for a scene where my physicality is revealed at one point. But it might be cut because it might not fit in with the final edit. My trainer and I are heartbroken!”
Look all the publicity Crazy Stupid Love got because Ryan Gosling was sort of naked. They’d make an extra $25 million alone from folks like me, Keachick and George Takei. I’m not really kidding.
Chris Pine said:
“There’s one scene in it that’s like, you know… in all kinds of heavy science fiction there’s got to be the exposition scene where it’s like, what the hell’s going on? It’s a really, really, really hard scene. Not for me, for Benedict – and watching him handle that and to make something that I think, on paper, could have been a death trap for an actor and to see how he [deals with it]…”
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-11-16/chris-pine-on-a-heavy-science-fiction-scene-with-benedict-cumberbatch-in-star-trek
I think Chris Pine was referring to that scene that Benedict Cumberbatch mentioned in the above article.
………….I want to see this scene!!! ;-) :-)
19
Hah! He infiltrates by posing as the gardener!
Damn, I really want to see that potentially deleted scene. XD
Sounds exactly like Khan.
“at one point my character jumps off a bridge”
Exactly. He doesn’t say he leaps 50 feet into the air. He’s not superhuman.
But why does he qualify his answer here:
“So he’s politically motivated?
I think within the world of the film, very much so. It is a political ideology he is fighting for.”
Why might it not be politically motivated in the real world? What political ideology might exist in the film world that does not exist in the real world? Interesting.
Adm. Marcus is probably the head of SI or 31, and Harrison is an operative changing sides after realizing Starfleet did something very nasty… XD
Just trying to combine all the information we have so far!
That leaf blower should come in real handy.
A Leaf Blower? That’s what Mats Sundin’s wife is (Mats Sundin was captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, for the hockey impared)
Kewl, Harrison plays a djembe drum!
Jaysis, #28. You seem to be censor-impaired.
I’d be more ticked off if they cut the Cumberlord’s shirtless scene than if he’s really Khan! I mean, he’s yummy as slim Sherlock! Why did they have to feed the fangirl this bit?!
“You think your garden is safe…”
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek V: The Wrath of Sybok
Star Trek VII: The Wrath of Soran
Star Trek IX: The Wrath of Ru’Afo
Star Trek X: The Wrath of Shinzon
Star Trek XI: The Wrath of Nero
and now we’re being treated to
Star Trek XII: The Wrath of Harrison
You forgot Star Trek III: The Wrath of Kruge
And Star Trek IV: The Wrath of Probe
Well, if we’re going down that path, then we also have:
Star Trek I: The Wrath of V’Ger
Star Trek VI: The Wrath of Klingons and Humans Who Believe Klingons and Humans Can’t Get Along Together
Star Trek VIII: The Wrath of the Borg Queen
Totally wrong.
>Bin Laden was supported by the CIA for years as a mujahedeen against the Soviets but also ironically turned against the U.S and this is what I believe is the main inspiration for this………..albeit with a 23rd century twist.
Why is this new?
Cumberbatch has said his character is a terrorist on several occasions. Terrorists have ideological agendas.
> Interestingly Cumberbatch revealed that Harrison has some kind of political agenda:
32. Or Star Trek V: The Wrath of God
28. Ouch.
#33 34 35.
You forgot Star Trek. The search for more money.
Oops. Spaceballs already to that. Lol.
“Why might it not be politically motivated in the real world? What political ideology might exist in the film world that does not exist in the real world? Interesting.”
Since Starfleet doesn’t actually exist in what we think of as the real world, and since Harrison’s beef with that organization as his motivation is well-established by now, I’m not sure why is this new quote is interesting, let alone a spoiler.
#38 Mr. Mike:
LOL!
“My trainer and I are heartbroken!”
Well, you’ve got to admire the guy’s sense of humor.
4000 calories a day? Wow. Unless one is dining at the Cheesecake Factory, in which case 4000 calories in contained within one slice of cheesecake, that’s an insane amount of food!
BC says , ” I can’t say why at this point. But it was for a scene where my physicality is revealed at one point.”
I wonder if this the scene where Carol Marcus screams.
@43 Trekkiegal Not necessarily. Athletes frequently have that sort of calorie intake while in training. It all depends on the type of food (grains such sa quinoa have a large calorie levels) and how the calories are used. There’s a big big difference between taking in and using good quality calories than in stuffing yourself with Big Macs
@36
Totally wrong.
>Bin Laden was supported by the CIA for years as a mujahedeen against the Soviets but also ironically turned against the U.S and this is what I believe is the main inspiration for this………..albeit with a 23rd century twist.
Actually, William, this is mostly true.
Regarding John Harrison’s political “agenda”.
Mr. Cumberbatch alluded to it, before :
“ He is a terrorist. He operates as a terrorist. He has extraordinary physical powers, but also mental powers. He can sow an idea, which is as powerful as any of the…gunshots or close-hand combat that he’s masterful in…..Vengeance is talked about…it is personal,but, it is also political, I think…It’s what drew me to the role. He’s not a cookie cutter villain etc, etc…”
https://trekmovie.com/2012/12/12/watch-cumberbatch-and-quinto-reveal-into-darkness-villain-details-chris-pine-talks-kirk-romance-more/
…At any rate, very interesting interview with India’s The Hindu….
:)
#45. Karl:
Oh I know. I go out of my way not to eat over 1800 a day so I don’t ever gain weight (special occasions and the monthly ‘cheat day’ notwithstanding) I’m pretty aware of calorie content in food, and an ’empty’ calorie vs. a nutritious one. But I was just going on the fact that the average male only needs 2000 calories a day. I look at it like this: I run for 30-45 minutes around four times a week (sometimes more, sometimes less) and according to my calculations, that burns around 250 to 300 calories. So 4000 calories, 2000 over what the average male needs, means that the man must have been practically living at the gym, i.e. working out as much as a professional athlete. If he was doing that, eating that 4000 calories, AND filming scenes for Trek, one has to wonder when the poor guy slept. ;)
I WANT and NEED that shirtless scene. Come on JJ And Bob Cumberbatch fans are gutted at this becase lets be honest he’s unlikely to bulk up for a role like this again.
Unless of course JJ abrams offers him a Star Wars role which I would LOVE to see.
So what we’ll have is basically 9/11 in the 23rd century.
DC/NY = London/SF
Planes = Starships
Bin Laden = Harrison
CIA = SI/31