It’s been two years since the last Star Trek outing arrived in cinemas, and pre-production is now in full swing on the threequel. Star Trek 3 is slated to begin principal photography this June and has a sterling batch of creatives steering this one to the big screen. With J.J. Abrams busy tweaking the details on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Fast & Furious veteran Justin Lin is directing from a script by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. And now thanks to a new interview with MTV (via Collider), Pegg has opened up on precisely what’s in store for the sequel.
Addressing the topic of Idris Elba’s supposed appointment as the film’s villain, Pegg affirmed that the actor is indeed set to appear. But it won’t be anyone you’re likely to have heard of:
“It will be [an original character], yes. This is the five-year mission now, we’re out there. We don’t always have to keep bumping into the same people… So we’re gonna try and reflect that in the movie.”
Paying homage to the original series that sparked this entire juggernaut franchise, Pegg says he and Jung are keen to keep a grip on many of the elements which made it so successful:
“We can invest in it the spirit of the show and get back to the essence of what it is, and so what we’re hoping to do is make a Star Trek for today that doesn’t forget where it came from.”
Based on Pegg’s comments in recent months, it seems that both screenwriters wish to embrace the humble beginnings of the series and craft “a story about frontierism and adventure and optimism and fun.” We can’t say we’re not incredibly excited by a throwback to simpler Trek times.
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana and Anton Yelchin are all set to reprise their roles for the next installment, alongside newcomers Elba and Sofia Boutella. Star Trek 3 opens on July 8, 2016.