Now that the cycle is complete and Star Trek is on home video, it is appears it is time for the next cycle start up in earnest. In the last day their have been rumors running around the interweb that the Star Trek team are not only focusing on Khan for the sequel, but they are already settling on a specific actor, Nestor Carbonell. However, TrekMovie’s sources say it just isn’t so.
Nestor Khan?
Of course discussion of the return (and recasting) of Khan Noonien Singh has been the focus for much of the talk regarding the Star Trek sequel. Khan, who appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" and the 1982 feature film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, is probably Trek’s most famous bad guy, akin to Batman’s Joker. So it makes a sort of sense for Khan to appear in the Star Trek sequel, as Joker did in The Dark Knight (sequel to Batman Begins). In fact, the film makers (JJ Abrams, Bob Orci, etc.) have gone on record saying that Khan is a possibility. Co-writer Alex Kurtzman once said chances of Khan were "50/50."
And if you listen to the commentary on the Star Trek DVD and Blu-ray, producer Damon Lindelof states that they did consider putting in one of those ‘after the credits’ scenes that would have shown the Botany Bay floating in space; something Bob Orci has also talked about here at TrekMovie.com. Bob has made it clear that even though the new film sets out a new timeline, many things from the ‘prime timeline’ are still intact, including the Botany Bay.
Botany Bay from remastered "Space Seed"
The new wrinkle this week seems to have been kicked off by ComingSoon, which stated JJ Abrams and the Star Trek team "already have a favorite" to take over the role made famous by the late Ricardo Montalban. Coming Soon says that the team are looking at Nestor Carbonell, who plays Richard Alpert on JJ Abrams’ and Damon Lindelof’s Lost. Many other sites are now running with this rumor.
Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert in "Lost"
However, multiple sources have confirmed with TrekMovie that there has been no change on the decision regarding Khan. And for this week’s rumors, a trusted source tells TrekMovie that discussions of Carbonell being on some sort of short list is "total BS." Sources do confirm that Khan is still a possibility for the film, but that is not anything new.
In fact, the only name that members of the Trek ‘Supreme Court’ have discussed as a possible Khan is Javier Bardeem, the Oscar-winner from No Country for Old Men, although comments have mostly been stated in the hypothetical, as in "he would be cool", however, as noted, there are no talks yet regarding casting as there isn’t even a story, let alone a script for the Star Trek sequel.
This will not be the end of Khan rumors. If we think back to 2006 and 2007, there was a constant stream of casting rumors. Although the main crew has been locked down, we will see the same for the additional cast for the next Star Trek. As we did for the last film, TrekMovie will stick with what we can confirm.
I wouldnt be too upset if Nestor was Khan.
I still think no Khan is good Khan. Move on to something new or combine some other things to make something better. I just think the Khan story was done well already and to compare it to the Joker situation just doesn’t work in my book at least. But that is just my opinion on this subject.
Unbelievable.
I think he’d be great. Just have to bulk up and drink alot of caffiene between takes. Still hoping for no Khan.
Like him, but not right for Khan. Low key and doesn’t strike me as physically imposing, either. Khan has to be intense!
Keep him as Batmanuel on The Tick!
Leave Khan alone! The Wrath of Khan is a CLASSIC. Don’t FRAK WITH IT. Some things are just sacred and should just be left alone!
Let’s just get past Khan and go for something original.
Please?
PLEEEEEAAAAAAAAASSSSSSEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can the Khan idea! No more Khan! They want to bring Trek back? Khan is not the way to do it! IT wasn’t even the best ST movie out ov the original movies! Khan was good, but know it’s time to Can Khan, and do something original. If there is going to be a known villain, have it be the Klingons, or maybe the Borg, but no Khan.
Khan has been done and what’s done is done, at least when it come to villains. After 11 movies there is no way star trek is already running out of inventing new villains. Bond has 22 films and even though Bond is a reboot they have yet to re-tell a story or redo a villain. Yes a new Khan can be tempting but I feel that the new movie was so great something far more epic than Khan could be in the works. I still say no Khan, please oh please no Khan.
Carbonell would be alright for Khan but Bardeem would be great. Wonder who started up this rumor
Just use the Klingons. They looked badass in the deleted scenes from Star Trek. I was surprised when I saw there was a mix of brute angry sounding Klingons and soft spoken intellectuals. That makes them seem smart enough for space travel.
The Wrath Of Khan will always be The Wrath Of Khan, just like the Batman movie from ’89 will always stand alone regardless of the happenings in The Dark Knight. I’m gonna take the leap of faith.
So no Indian actors available to portray an Indian villain? Reminds me of that scene from “Dragon: the Bruce Lee Story” where the studio rep tells the director of the Green Hornet to get rid of Bruce Lee because he’s “too Asian looking” the people watching in the early sixties couldn’t handle Asians on tv. That was the reason Bruce lost out the role on Kung Fu to David Carradine- according to the movie. So yeah, get Bardem or Campbell for Khan, lets get this century’s David Carradine ready for his closeup. Maybe they can even fake a psuedo Indian accent like Apu from the Simpsons.
Heh. I’m still hoping, if they go with Khan, to get someone like Javier Bardem to play. Seriously, that guy was fierce in “No Country For Old Men!”
#11 — Ha! I didn’t even see that. So yeah, that’s two of us who agree on that guy.
I’d rather have an original story that deals with an ethical dilemma than yet another “bad guy trying to take over the galaxy” storyline. How about boldly going, for a change?
i’m sure that Orci, Kurtzman and Lindelof could come up with a new alternate take on Khan and both Carbonell and Bardem are great casting choices but I still think that the Klingons would make Part II sing. And remember, the sequel will hopefully be the second act of a trilogy. Let’s hope for something nearly as good as The Empire Strikes Back.
14. It always amuses me in Space Seed to hear Lt. McGuiver describe Khan as a Siehk warrior only have the admittedly great enunciate with such Latino gusto.
That was meant to read “The admittedly great Montalban” — just to clarify.
Lorenzo Lamas as Khan! Or Antonio Banderas!
To mirror whats already been said no KHAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!! lol couldnt resist. Ok boys time to put up or shut up you gave us shiny new Trek now give us shiny new Trek with a really good story.
Khan is not like “The Joker.” The Joker is a recurring villain to Batman, like the Penguin, etc. Khan is in one episode and a sequel was made, in one movie.
So many posts by fans are against bringing back Khan, and I agree. And yet despite all that, the Supreme Court still puts it at 50/50. A whole new franchise, a whole universe, and all we might get is Khan redone. It’s disconcerting to me.
@JJ-Abrams
Khan,KHan,KHAn,KHAN!!!!!!!! Put Khan in Star Trek 2!!!!! Don’t use Antonio Banderas!!!
It seems to me that a better story would be the Enterprise crew having to deal with Klingons who are now equipped with technology and knowledge of the future gleaned from having captured the Narada and studied it for 20+ years.
What about a primary “villain” other than Khan, but the Botany Bay is influenced by the main story, setting up Khan for down the road?
14
That’s what I’ve been saying. I’m the last person to be touting political correctness. I think it’s silly most of the time , counter intuitive, and lacking common sense ….again, most of the time. But Khan was supposed to be Indian. Lt. McGivers identified that as they opened his hibernation chamber. Where is politically correct Hollywood on this one?
And oh yeah…..no Khan. Seeing as how they’ve changed everything else….leave this alone.
Additionally, with the timeline altered, I could see how it might end up being another ship that finds the Botany Bay. Ships were destroyed in the battle with the Narada that would have otherwise been assigned Starfleet missions. Now the Enterprise will have to pick up some slack and may not be available for exploratory missions – like when they came across the Botany Bay.
Unless, of course, Spock Prime says to Starfleet, “If you find an old ship from the 20th century called the Botany Bay, just blow it the hell up.”
Yeah… please no Khan. In much the same way that Nimoy shouldn’t be in the next film (I was glad to see Leonard Nimoy play Spock one last time, but now it’s time for the new cast to stand on its own two feet), they need to establish new threats for the crew. Maybe an exploration into the unknown — have the actually explore those “Strange new Worlds” that the Enterprise never seemed able to reach…
Or maybe throw Klingons at ’em…
But no Khan. Maybe later down the road, but not now.
I can’t wait for this sequel to Lens Flares. Part two should be called The Khan and the Wrath of Lens Flares!!!
They should do a ‘Psycho’ with Khan….he dies in the first 10 minutes of the movie, then they move onto the real story.
Since we know that J.J. and everyone come and see what everyone on this site write. Guys resist the urge to redo Kahn, atleast not yet anyways.
If you want to give us an update on a classic trek villian have it be a classic trek Klingon on Villian like Kang or Koloth.
watching the deleted scenes featuring the Klingons, It would be real cool to cast Victor Garber as Kang or Koloth
otherwise create a whole new villan like you did with nero.
Since we know that J.J. and everyone come and see what everyone on this site write. Guys resist the urge to redo Kahn, atleast not yet anyways.
If you want to give us an update on a classic trek villian have it be a classic trek Klingon Villian like Kang or Koloth.
watching the deleted scenes featuring the Klingons, It would be real cool to cast Victor Garber as Kang or Koloth
otherwise create a whole new villan like you did with nero.
ps trek movie, edit buttons are our friends would be so cool to have the ability to correct a mistake in a post
NO KHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
25, That sounds really good… Then throw Khan in the mix!
Just kidding.
Star Trek 2009: Time-travel. Again.
Star Trek 2012: Khan. Again. Also probably involves time travel.
They should call it:
Time Trek: To Boldly Go Where We’ve Already Been At Least Twice.
I really don’t want Khan. I really think it has been done twice and as good as it can get each time. Don’t redo that story. That said, I think the physical speciman that is right for Khan is Dwayne Johnson.
Want to bring someone back? Try Koloth, Kor, or Kang — or all three coming to destroy the Earth.
Here’s a thought for a sequel: please not a rehash, but what about a movie similar to the original episode of “the Balance of Terror”? Again, not a rehash or remake, but something along the lines of this episodes with Klingons … lots and LOTS of Klingons … and only the Big E standing in the way of them and the Federation.
What do you think?
P.S – why am I picturing Sean Connery as Captain Ramius yelling over the Big E’s intercom “WE SAIL INTO HISTORY!!!” ?
I think that any main bad guy, whether Kilngon (my choice for the next movie) is just going to be compared to Khan anyway. It always happens, so why not just do Khan? You might well get a performance as good as Heath Ledgers when he re-invented the Joker.
I’d still wantbthe Klingons though, they looked great in the deleted scenes!
If they’re so dead set on bringing some storyline or villain back from TOS, they should do what Harve Bennett did before The Wrath of Khan – watch the original episodes and pick up on something there (besides “Space Seed” – that’s what Harve picked, you guys should give something else a chance.) ;-) Besides, it seems like every other Star Trek movie since The Wrath of Khan has tried to duplicate it – with a couple of exceptions, like The Voyage Home and First Contact, which just happen to be two of the most well-received Trek films. On the other hand, look at the most bald-faced attempt to replicate The Wrath of Khan – Nemesis. And we all know how that went.
#25
The movie starts with a Klingon hacker attempting to gain access to the Narada computer, he is killed by Nero during the escape sequence but before he is killed the screen reads KHLJIH VAMADJE VVKKAZ (Klingon for decryption success transmission sent to high council).
The Klingons are aware of the future and all of Federations potential future history, including Khan. Khan is picked up by Klingon scientists and revived to serve the empire against the Federation.
Spock Prime shares his knowledge of Khan with Starfleet/Federation.
Khan offers Kirk a match in space to determine if the Federation will bow to the Empire, Kirk accepts and before ending the match while attempting to lower his opponents shields (KM move/Wrath of Khan move). Omnipotent being transports both vessels engaged in battle to the past, where ancient earth is engulfed in intergalaxtic war between a reptilian species and a divine human like species. The must pass 3 tests before being allowed back to their time or be forever stuck in the past. Kirk now must beat Khan in a new game to get his crew safely home.
If they bring Kahn into the next film he would have to escape to maintain the validity of TWOK.
And that would make for a pretty boring film.
Now if they found a casket from the early 21st century and inside were several cryogenically frozen bodies including that of Denny Crane, well i could go with that.
proofreader for this post please
Khan = Money in the bank guarenteed..the franchise lives
Companion movie to wrath of khan!
Khan khan khan khan wonderful khan, wonderful khan!
Have they bothered to look at the polls and reactions here to the idea of Khan? Khan is not the Joker, not by any means. Plus, back in the day, I think Nicholson’s Joker left a lot of room for improvement. Then came along Ledger and did an awesome job, which was made bigger by his untimely death. Ricardo Montalbán was at the top of his game when it came to Khan and I think the chances of finding another actor who could even match that are next to nothing. And come on, its taking the easy way of a story. “Hey, lets take someone everyone knows and loves as a villain and use him again”. How about doing something original, like you just did, and it worked. So honestly I’m glad they’re not eying this guy as Khan, because its not that I care who plays Khan, I just don’t want it to be anybody.
#41, you make a good point about the fact that the Klingon’s apparently had the Narada for a long time (I haven’t seen the extras yet), but I think that alone could make a good primes, or at least something they must consider no matter what in the next film.
#45 what do polls matter. Trekkies are in the minority of the movie going audience that saw the last one, and I seem to recall that shatner would often lead the polls for an appearance in the last one and look what happened there lol
An Internet poll is about as powerful as an Internet petition.
It would be so wrong to have the next encounter of khan happen on screen.
If some of the more vocal Trekkies get there way the next film will be about exploration (yawn for 2 hours) facing some gas cloud.
If people do truly want exploration then there’s a sleeper ship out there waiting to be discovered!
Oops I meant off screen, not on screen
Looking at the comments,
There is good arguments FOR Kahn, and good ones NOT for Kahn. personally I do not want to see an attempt at Kahn. The Jack Nicholson joker, was brought up, and how Heath ledger improved on it. IMO, the two are a separate game. I always loved the Jack Joker, he was good for the feel of that film, but Kahn… Kahn is Epic. there is no way that could be replicated. even if thats not what happened the two would be compared to each other until all out war! (heh.. talk about war when Kahn is involved go me) I dont think that the Heath ledger joker replaced Ol Jacky, and I dont think you can replecate or “reboot” Kahn. let sleeping superhumans lie says I!
In a sense Kahn was just redone. Nero instead and his wrath was against Spock rather than Kirk. I don’t see that as a problem but just saying.
The previous film it was Shinzon who’s wrath was against Picard. (i slept through most of that film so forgive me if that’s not entirely accurate).
I would like to see an opening sequence with the Borg who due to Nero’s ship having Borg tech in the last film have come to investigate. During this scene and confronted by a far superior technology Kirk pulls something brilliant to destroy the Borg and save earth, but only as an opening sequence.
I’m not against the idea of Khan…especially seeing as ST was essentially a reboot…technically.
However, what I really want is Klingons! Having seen the deleted scenes those Klingons were PERFECT! The semi-aggressive kind and the intellectual king, perfect mix between TOS and TNG, and I want to see more!