J.J. Abrams says 'Star Trek 2' will be post-converted to 3D and possibly shot in IMAX

Credit: Paramount

While out on the promotion trail for "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" this week, J.J. Abrams (who directed the third entry in the long-running franchise and serves as a producer this time around) has revealed that his hugely-anticipated "Star Trek" sequel, which is being released in 3D, will in fact be shot in 2D before undergoing a post-conversion process a la "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".

"We're shooting on film, 2-D, and then we'll do a good high-end conversion like the 'Harry Potter' movie and all that," he told MTV News in an interview. "Luckily, with our release date now [May 17, 2013] we have the months needed to do it right because if you rush it, it never looks good."

3 D purists out there probably won't be loving this news; while the post-conversion process has seen some improvements recently, many would argue it doesn't yet compare to the visual quality of a film actually shot in the format. By the time the "Star Trek" sequel is ready to undergo the conversion, of course, the technology may well have improved over what it is today.

As for IMAX, which is shaping up to be a growing trend going forward thanks to "Ghost Protocol"'s successful IMAX release last weekend, Abrams revealed that the possibility of shooting the "Star Trek" sequel in the large-screen format is definitely on the table.

"We were talking about [shooting in IMAX] and I would love to do it," he said. "IMAX is my favorite format; I'm a huge fan."

Sounds like Abrams doesn't have much time to waste in making a decision - the film begins production next month.

What do you think of the decision to post-convert the "Star Trek" sequel to 3D? Let us know in the comments!