We may finally know who the Star Trek 2 villain is. And no, it isn’t Khan…
Several sites are reporting that Karl Urban (Bones) may have mistakenly let the name of the character slip, but you also get the impression maybe this is how the studio ultimately wanted such coveted information leaked, especially so close to Comic-Con 2012 San Diego.
There are quite a number of deliberate moves made in Hollywood, and perhaps instead of a big announcement, JJ Abrams and crew wanted the name to slip out without fanfare, allowing it to evolve and morph into an urban legend. Who knows?
So without further ado, at the press conference for the upcoming Dredd flick, Urban said that Benedict Cumberbatch is “awesome, he’s a great addition, and I think his Gary Mitchell is going to be exemplary.”
Now for those of you who aren’t Trek inclined, Gary Mitchell – played by Gary Lockwood of 2001 fame – was actually a villain in the original show and appeared in an episode titled “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” Mitchell and Captain Kirk went to Starfleet Academy together, and after an accident, Mitchell becomes a villain with powers of ESP, the ability to move inanimate objects and more.
If the villain is indeed Gary Mitchell, well, it’s certainly a choice most wouldn’t have expected or predicted, as we really haven’t heard his name brought up before as a potential character for the role. Yet, it’s still somewhat interesting that team Abrams would go all the way back to the original show to pick a bad guy.
As noted above, if accurate, well, I doubt the slip was accidental, especially considering that Hollywood actors have to sign lengthy confidentiality agreements not to reveal anything about a movie, or the studio will steal their first born and burn their house to the ground.
I also have to say that I’m somewhat surprised more Trekkies out there didn’t point to Mitchell as a potential villain, especially considering they know every episode backwards and forwards.
Again, if it is indeed Gary Mitchell, interesting choice, and a good idea not to go for a more obvious character – as much as we’d all love to see Khan resurrected once again on the big screen.
