JJ Abrams says Benicio Del Toro is not playing Khan in 'Star Trek' sequel
Could the best-known bad guy from the films be on-deck for this new one?
'Wait, so this is a new timeline, which means that things can be totally different, and there's no inherent reason I have to be the bad guy in 'Star Trek 2'? Whoa... mind blown, dude...'
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There are two things you should know before you read this.
First, El Mayimbe of Latino Review has a very, very high accuracy rate with the scoops he breaks. No one is perfect, but he's got a track record that demands that you pay attention when he runs something.
Second, JJ Abrams has never directly lied to me about something. He's demurred when asked some questions, and he's played coy about some things, but outright fabrication does not appear to be his bag.
So… take those two things into account when I tell you that Latino Review is reporting that Benicio Del Toro will be playing Khan Noonien Singh in the upcoming sequel to 2009's successful reboot of "Star Trek."
And when asked to comment on the report, Abrams responded with two very direct words: "Not true."
There's been this overwhelming belief in the film nerd world since the first film came out that any sequel to the Abrams "Trek" would have to introduce Khan, and that he would have to be the bad guy. I'm not sure how Khan became the default Joker to Kirk's Batman, and I'm not sure I buy that we need to see that story told again. You'd have to somehow deal with all the "Space Seed" stuff that didn't happen in this timeline, and without that, there's no reason for Khan to be seeking personal revenge on Kirk.
More importantly, it seems like such a simple choice that I have to believe the guys making this film have something more interesting in store. Now, that's not to say that it's impossible they'd use Khan, but why just tell the same story with him? What clearer way could there be to show that this is a new timeline than to find the Botany Bay, thaw out Khan and his soldiers, and have them end up becoming allies to the Federation? You could make a powerful film about the assumptions we have about people that would really play with an audience's expectations if you wanted to, and it would make it very clear that just because a familiar name or face shows up in this continuity, there's no guarantee that you know what's going to happen.
Then again, Abrams didn't play coy or dance around it. He just plain said, "Not true." So that seems pretty firm as a denial.
We're not going to know for sure until they make some official announcements, and until then, all I can do is print both sides of this one. I have no real feelings about this one way or another until the film starts to come into focus. Until then, it's all speculation. I will say that if this turns out to be true, it seems to be further support for the theory I had at the start of the week.
Whatever the case, "Star Trek 2" is headed to theaters May 17, 2013.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupYankee White
December 3, 2011 at 1:51AM EST Reply to CommentIf BDT has not signed contract then any statement about him playing character "X" are obviously "Not true." He can't play any character until they get him on contract first, ya'll know that. Wonderful spin master that JJ Abrams. THE SPIN!
zillabeast
December 3, 2011 at 3:51AM EST Reply to CommentMori, I don't suppose JJ is mad at you for all the super-early news you broke on Cloverfield, Star Trek, and Super 8? You've been pretty on top of his shit early on. Maybe he's playing you?
Metzner
December 3, 2011 at 5:14AM EST Reply to Comment• The Orion Syndicate as the villains
• Large all-star cast as well as many cameos
• More planets
• Larger space battles with more starships
• Kirk having better fighting skills
• Kirk having several human love interests played by Hollywood’s most beautiful young actresses
• The Star Trek theme music from the Insurrection end credits used at the end
briguyx
December 3, 2011 at 5:28AM EST Reply to CommentI admit I have worries about Del Toro playing Khan or someone like him. While Del Toro is an excellent actor, he's always been more of a method simmering Brando type. Khan should be played by someone whose personality is big and full of charisma.
Tedd Wait...Brando not big and full of charisma? Are you talking about some Brando other than Marlon? Have you seen A Streetcar Named Desire? Or any other Brando movie, really.
December 4, 2011 at 10:45AM ESTAnd I think Che proved Del Toro can go big too, if he wants
alex_p._michaels
December 3, 2011 at 5:30AM EST Reply to CommentSeeing as this an alternate timeline, they can go anywhere with characters. Of course Khan was great, but without Space Seed and an older Kirk, that story would not make any sense. It would be interesting to have a female villain seeing as how Kirk's libido is as powerful in both timelines. A spurned lover could be attacking him which would make sense. Kirk loves them and leaves them.
scotchyscotchscotch Dude I'm with you but think about the first two sentences you wrote. Yes it's an alternate timeline, so who's to say anything has to make sense the way we know it? I'm as skeptical as anyone else though, for the record.
December 3, 2011 at 10:46PM ESTDarthLocke
December 3, 2011 at 9:41AM EST Reply to CommentI think since we are in an alternate universe that 1. Khan can exist and not be the villain. 2. After thinking about Reciprocity, as Mr. Abrams has explained, exists in the first film (cause and effect of balancing the universe out after variable exchanges), and thinking specifically about Spocks, I remember that the original timeline was connected to a parallel universe, known as "The Mirror Universe"...I have to wonder if the newest version of Spock is fighting against the personas of both other Spocks? --If that's the case, then there may be other characters that teeter-totter around. In the films featuring characters of the original series not only is Khan a large figure head, but so is a Klingon named Kruge who is apart of "The Search for Spock" film. 3. Since this is an alternate timeline, it still has potential to create similar scenarios, but with different people...so we may meet a new character, with a new name, but we can still draw parallels to their role with others in previous Star Trek timeline.
Mark
December 3, 2011 at 11:20AM EST Reply to CommentDrew is an imagineer after my own heart. When I first began hearing fans speculate about Khan, I just rolled my eyes. Been there done that (twice). It would be terribly unimaginative for this creative team to go back to that well... UNLESS they decided to turn the entire premise on its head. I can totally see Khan being a part of a larger story but certainly not cast as the villain. Perhaps he becomes an anti-hero in this new Trek timeline. Someone along the lines of Magneto when Magneto is allied with Charles Xavier. As a Star Trek fan I want to see a film that deals with a larger story... an event, an invasion, a meltdown between the Klingon Empire and the Federation, a galactic disaster involving many different worlds... something epic in scope. A captain and a villain going head to head in interstellar battle has been done to death. Can we please have an epic adventure in a Star Trek film?
alexd I think Kirk and Khan could be tennis partners, and when Khan misses an easy one, James T would yell: KHAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!
December 3, 2011 at 12:49PM ESTalexd OR go an entirely different direction and have Chaka Khan be the bad guy. As mentioned, it's an alternative universe so anything can happen....
December 4, 2011 at 4:58PM ESTyes, I amuse myself.
mmcb105 Better yet, time travel back to ancient China with a stuck in limbo Donald Sutherland, playing himself of course, and have Kirk fight Ghengis Khan...TO THE DEATH!
December 5, 2011 at 11:53AM ESTpumpkinshirt
December 3, 2011 at 2:35PM EST Reply to CommentI'm not sure I agree that there's been an overwhelming lust for Khan in the nerd-verse. More people I've talked to have said, "oh, I hope they DON'T do Khan, because it will inevitably suffer by comparison." I think a lot of people feel the same way about Zod in the new Superman movie.
cracker Oh, at least be honest. Most people you have talked to have said "They still make Star Trek movies?? Hmm... didn't know that."
December 3, 2011 at 8:43PM ESTKlarkKent
December 3, 2011 at 4:22PM EST Reply to CommentI don't think he'll be Kahn. I think he'll be a Klingon. Much as everyone loves Kahn thanks to the second film, there's no way they're skipping the biggest Trek villians of all time AGAIN.
mjayp99
December 3, 2011 at 5:25PM EST Reply to CommentI love Trek II, but it's been done. So much to choose from...or make up something new. You will never top Shatner and Mr. Roarke. Dont even try.
mario_daniel_rodas
December 3, 2011 at 9:46PM EST Reply to CommentWow, this guy really has character. Taking the time to confirm or unconfirm stuff to you after you gave his very good Superman script the most unprofessionally scathing review the world has ever seen? Can't say I'd do the same.
drew Not only that, but he wrote a guest column for me here while I was on vacation one time a few summers ago.
December 4, 2011 at 2:35AM ESTAbrams is a class act. We've hashed out the "Superman" thing between us years ago.
mmcb105 How does a scathing review qualify as unprofessional? Isn't the whole point of criticism to give an opinion one way or the other?
December 5, 2011 at 11:49AM ESTBen Kabak It was unprofessional because it wasn't a finished script. Like someone reviewing an unfinished film. Just not cool
December 5, 2011 at 2:48PM ESTParanoidAndroid A script whether it is finished or not can shape the direction of the whole project. If it is a bad direction someone needs to express their criticism so the project has a chance to get fixed.
December 5, 2011 at 6:26PM ESTCriticism of unfinished films is important as well because reshoots and different editing can save a film that has poor pacing or plot inconsistencies.
bottleHeD
December 4, 2011 at 3:16AM EST Reply to CommentMaybe Del Toro is playing the same character, but with a different name. Or he could be a relative/descendant. So both Latino Review and JJ would be right in a way.
duingtime
December 6, 2011 at 1:43AM EST Reply to Commentboy, what a bunch of youngsters! You don't have to chand any timeline people. Your all thinking of the 2nd MOVIE! Kahn as introduced on the original TV show. It makes perfect sebse to reintro the charter now. Kirks greatest villian.
Philippe Jean
December 7, 2011 at 10:45PM EST Reply to CommentNot Khan again! The last ST movie had a villain on a vengeance rampage, again. What ever the reason, Khan stranded on city alpha 5, or Nero missing is planet, or a nemesis in seach of recognition, we need mind blowing scifi.
We need to see new lifeforms and new civilizations, we want to boldly go where no man before, not fight and kill like no man before!!!
Although the Genesis Project was in fact mind blowing, what could be done to retold STWOK. Yes the reboot was very good, but not good enough.
ST, originally, was an allegory for the mankind adventure, endeavor, venture, about the search of new knowledge that could help create a better future for humans, to better understand the universe (VGER). STWOK talked about the fact that some humans substitute themselves for god (the genesis project, and khan as a engendered human).
We want mind blowing SciFy.
Philippe Jean ERRATUM/ADDENDUM
December 16, 2011 at 5:16AM ESTAs for Khan, I meant engineered (not engendered), and as for the reboot, I meant the last ST movie introducing a new timeline, which was good (very nice, like Borat use to say), but not good enough ; there was no allegory in it. As for VGER, remember that "it" merged with Decker which might be seen as Human and Technology evolving into a new form of live.In fact, out technology might or will have some human features. VGER was like a little child??? As it becomes more mature, with infinite knowledge, it merges with a human in becoming something else, something new, something unknown.
As for faith, I also had such faith with ST-TNG, but 1 episode out of 10 where really good. Don't take me wrong, I watched them all, many times each. But ST-TNG never really fulfilled my need for Sci-Fi. Babylon 5 quenched my lust and thirst for sci-fi.
Remember that STOS inspired generations to create new technologies that shapes our every day lives. ST is more than a profitable franchise, it must be. What did we learn about human king thru Nero ; nothing. But with Khan, wow!
They have a duty to maintain the allegorical, metaphorical, figurative, meaning of what ST was all about. Yes the reboot was nice to watch, the Enterprise is exquisite, but the story was a little thin for my taste. ST was also an endeavor into better understanding what make us Human!
JoeK
December 13, 2011 at 2:09PM EST Reply to CommentI love what these guys did first time out so I have faith. This is one of those things were the nerd posse needs to be categorically ignored by the filmmakers. Mining the Khan vein is the epitome of pandering and laziness to me. Let the TV show that spawned it and ST2 continue to stand on their own. They've already pretty much created carte blanche for themselves I don't know why the reflex would be to regurgitate.