Clifton Collins, Jr., who played the Romulan Ayel in the 2009 Star Trek movie, is holding out hope that he will be back for the 2012 Star Trek sequel. TrekMovie thinks that isn’t very likely.
More Ayel for Star Trek sequel?
Clifton Collins, Jr.’s latest Star Trek comments come from an interview with Ace Showbiz. Here is the excerpt:
"Yes, absolutely 100%," he said when asked if it is possible that his character or his Romulan leader, Nero, will be seen in the follow-up to "Star Trek". Urging producer J.J. Abrams to use him again for the sequel, he told ASB, "Now please go and tell JJ!"
Unlikely
Although all things in sci-fi are possible, Collin’s Ayel was killed by Kirk shortly before Nero and the rest of the Romulans were squished into a wormhole in the 2009 Star Trek movie. And of course no Star Trek film has seen the return of villain characters played in previous film. On top of that, most reviewers of Star Trek felt that Nero and Ayel were not the most compelling villains. The Romulans were not thoroughly explored in the film, especially after the Klingon prison subplot scenes were cut. (That being said, you do get a much better view Nero, Ayel and the Star Trek Romulans in the "Star Trek: Countdown" and "Star Trek: Nero" comics from IDW).
So it seems that Ayel’s dream of Trekking again may not happen, or at least not as Ayel. As for Eric Bana, he has previously stated that he is not coming back for the Star Trek sequel.
Ayel falling to his presumed death (before Narada was turned into a black hole) – hard to come back from that
Wishful thinking… He must’ve had a lot of fun filming to forget that his character was shot in the stomach and then fell epically to his death…
I don’t see it happening. But, give it 200(?) years, and he’ll be born again.
If they play up the Borg angle from Countdown then he could come back as Borg. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.
If Mark Lenard could play as many species as possible in Trek, why shouldn’t Clifton Collins come back as a Klingon?
This is a whole new universe, after all.
I’d love to see Clifton Collins, Jr., in the sequel, but he’ll have to play a different role. Hopefully, a larger one.
Maybe we can get another Wrath of Khan type story out of this. :P
I’m with Charles on this. Clifton could make an excellent Koloth. He has enough of a similar look to Campbell. Plus, Clifton Collins as Commander Koloth is alliterative. :)
I’m gonna pester Damon Lindelof on Twitter until he agrees to bring Clifton back for the sequel! :-D
Ok, I’m not… but I have asked him to consider casting him again.
yeah ayel is dead, but there is no reason why the actor couldn’t play someone else. Some of my favorite characters in star trek were played by the same actor. Like Jeffery Combs and Vaughn Armstrong.
I personally don’t think much of him as an actor, although he did a respectable job in Brothers with Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire. He also has a little bit of a diction problem and prior to working on XI, didn’t know jack about Star Trek.
Who knows, maybe he fell in water or had some help from the ships computer. I mean if he was integral to the next movie, he’ll be back but I really see no value in his return.
Collins is a great actor and was sorely underused in Star Trek. I’d love to see him in a more expansive role.
Diction problem? Marlon Brando talked funny too. And who gives s**t what he knew or didnt know about Star Trek.
I would say that yes, Ayal certainly doesn’t seem likely to return, but we can work around the black hole business easily.
First, the front part of the ship where the claws are located are not where the crew resided. They were in the back area. Which part of the ship did the Enterprise fire at? The claw part.
Second, the rear of the ship which most likely houses the crew areas was on the other side of the black hole. If you watch the pan around shot, you can see that both sides of the Narada are separated due the nature they’re rotating in opposite direction, and that each side of the black hole is a portal in on itself.
Third, good guys and bad guys have gotten better over fates worse than this.
#4
Because Clifton Collins aint no Mark Leonard.
: )
Since this is science fiction however, he could easily come back as a Klingon or something perhaps.
Another thing implying clifton could return: we have no real idea how old Nero or Ayel really were before they came back to the 23rd century thru the black hole… NimoySpock at about 169 or so looked as old as he did because he is half-human…MEANING in theory, although itd be a stretch, they could get Clifton to come back as the Ayel from the NEW timeline…or, giving a nod to Michael Dorn’s apprearance in Star trek VI as 23rd century ancestor Worf to the Worf from TNG, Clifton could star as another Ayel; perhaps grandfather or father of the Ayel from 2009 Trek
Has Clifton Collins seen the movie yet. Oh, wait. Wrong thread.
#14
I like it when you put a little smiley thing on your comment like you weren’t trying to snark on me. Just a bit.
#15
That’s what I said.
The sequel’s gonna have Khan in it ! Forget about Nero and his lousy henchmen Ayel.
#18
That’s because I wasn’t trying to snark on you pal!
Just expressing my opinion :)
Besides I haven’t seen Collins in anything else so I am not a good judge of whether or not he is a good actor.
But Mark Lenard was a GOD!!!!!
(lol)
:)
i loved that guy in the film. real bad nasty. perhaps he should recur as darvis the fake klingon in a tribble scene.
still wish kahn would show up as a sweet, fey and generally nice guy with big man-tits and one glove in the alt universe.
Oh, maybe the next Trek movie can be a henchman/second banana reunion from previous installments! Joachim, Maltz, Ayel, that ugly bald guy from ST:V– They’ll all be there! It will be epic!…
Keep dreaming, buddy.
He could be the next David Warner (get it…?)
@ 24
we get it
Anyone who says Collins is not a good actor either A.) does not know the first thing about good acting, or B.) has not seem much of his work.
The essential Clifton Collins, Jr.:
One Eight Seven (1997)
Tigerland (2000)
Traffic (2000)*
The Last Castle (2001)
The Rules of Attraction (2002)
Alias (TV series, 2003)
Capote (2005)**
Thief (2006 TV series)***
Little Chenier (2006)
Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009)
Brothers (2009)
Southland (TV series, 2010)
*SAG Award winner – Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture
** SAG Award nominee – Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture; ALMA Award nominee – Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
*** Emmy Award nominee – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
He’s Latino, so if they cast Javier Bardem as Khan he can be Joachim or another of Khan’s Augment crew!
NOOOOOOOO KHHHAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNN!!!!!!
Whose to say Clifton Collins has to play Ayel? After all, David Warner played St. John Talbot on Star Trek 5 and then Chancellor Gorkon on Star Trek 6. And then the sadistic Gul Madred on TNG, Chain of Command.
Um… this guy’s character is dead.
#26 He’s no Jeffery Coombs as an actor, meaning he’s not capable of convincingly playing multiple roles.
His performance in trek was at a “stunt-man with a line or two” level; acceptable, mediocre, certainly not worth seeing more of.
As for his “awards”, I’d remind you that you just have to show up in something that gets distribution to get a SAG nomination.
I think Wilmer Valderama’s had like 15 of those.
Does that mean Fez should play Khan?
Great job playing “generic thug number 1”, buddy, but the gravy train has left the station & you aren’t on it.
Bye.
Trek may not reuse villains often, but it has a long history of using supporting actors in more than one part. Given that Collins played Ayel under pretty heavy disguise, there’s no reason at all that he shouldn’t reappear in a different part.
I don’t think he was barely better than a stuntman. In his one big moment when he monologues over Kirk about how weak humans are, he totally ate that scenery with relish.
“Whhhaaaattt?”
There is a long tradition of guest actors playing numerous roles in many of the Trek incarnations.
32
Hmmmm, usually I have mustard, not relish, with HAM!
Now that he’s been in a JJ film, doesn’t that guarantee that he’ll at least be able to recur and sell Slusho on the Harvard Commons in “Fringe?”
34. Yes, but I relish ham too. In fact, all Trek fans should love a good slice of ham and cheese. It’s Star Trek, it’s in it’s DNA.
Or, to beat the food metaphor into the ground, it’s a key ingredient of the Star Trek sandwich.
There are advantages for directors to work with actors that they’re already familiar with, especially in films that require heavy effects and/or makeup work.
Collins is a fine actor who took a small part. Not a thing wrong with that. And if there were an opportunity for the actor to appear again as a new character (good, bad or indifferent) in the sequel, there would be nothing wrong with that, either.
#27I thought that we had decided not to run with the Khan idea?
or did I not get that memo? ;-)
#7 I thouht we had decided against yet more Klingon stories?
or did I miss that meeting? ;-)
Sorry Ayel but…………………. I got your gun!!!!!
He’s dead, Jim….
29. Robert H: Don’t you mean IN ‘Star Trek 5’ and IN ‘Star Trek 6’. It may be a good idea for Clifton Collins to co-star in ‘Star Trek XII’ playing a different character.
My guess is he could come back with sufficiently different (or a lack of) makeup. Have him play a human character 180 degrees from Ayel (perhaps with a different voice and accent) and it could work.
He was memorable in his role, and I wouldn’t be surprised if JJ Abrams and company tried to accommodate him somehow.
; )
@29 — I second that. Ayel’s dead, but why not bring back Clifton Collins as another character?
I think it’s time for more Klingons, I’d like to see them portayed as some kind of space pirates. Maybe Clifton Collins could do a great klingon officer?
It looks like he survived to be in Boondock Saints III- That’s no small feat with all the bullets flying at the end of that one.
Maybe a spin off series with him and the Kelven ;]
Question:
How many times did TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY,
ENT, and the Movies re-cast certain actors
into different roles/characters?
Answer: A LOT!
Exactly my thoughts too AnotherQ, Clifton could return in a part requiring much more extensive makeup.
Paint him blue, stick on some antennae, and he can play Son of Shran in STXII.