Major Star Trek Spoilers Confirmed

AICN is reporting that they have rumors of three major plot points for the Star Trek sequel that is currently filming. One was leaked yesterday, another was assumed but never officially verified and the last doesn't come as a surprise because of interviews with the writers over the last few years. TrekMovie later is saying these rumors have been confirmed through their sources. Consider this your SPOILER WARNING!

Star Trek: TNG Season 1 Blu-Ray Release Date, Details

CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount have announced the details and release date for the HD Blu-ray release of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 set. The six disc set will be released on July 24th, 2012 and will include new interviews, gag reel, archival footage and more that was not part of the DVD releases. The episodes have been retransferred from the original film with improved special effects. Full details in the press release below. A sample clip can be seen here.

Leonard Nimoy Cameo in Star Trek 2?

An interview with Leonard Nimoy after the Enterprise final flight suggests that he might make an appearance in Star Trek 2. The idea isn't too far off since the original character is now stuck in the 2.0 Universe where the Vulcan population has been decimated by the previous movie's events. If you are Starfleet, you don't let that level of knowledge and experience just disappears into the sunset. In short, if Nimoy wants to do it, I doubt it would take much effort to write the needed scenes to explain why. Having said that, I doubt it will happen.

CNN: we were talking about the new Star Trek movie. It was great, you did a great job in it. And we were just about talking about that just before … will you be in another Star Trek movie?

Nimoy: Uhh, we’re talking. We’re talking.

CNN: Talking… [laughs] Hopefully.

Final Flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise

The Space Shuttle Enterprise took one last flight today. The shuttle was named after a Star Trek fan campaign back in the 70s resulting in President Gerald Ford officially changing the name on September 17th, 1976 with The Original Series crew and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry on hand for the dedication ceremony. The fly over was NASA's farewell wave as the shuttle will be on display at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum starting this summer.

The craft landed at JFK International Airport and met by Leonard Nimoy. This is a reunion for me," Nimoy said during a ceremony after Enterprise's touchdown. "Thirty-five years ago, I met the Enterprise for the first time." Five shuttles were built. The Enterprise, Challenger (exploded in 1986), Columbia (destroyed in reentry in 2003), Discovery (retired to Smithsonian), and Atlantis (retired to Kennedy Space Center). A video of its final flight can be found here. A gallery of great photos of the flight is here.

Cumberbatch Talks Trek Audition and Filming

While promoting the upcoming airing of Sherlock Season 2 (worth watching) on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery starting May 6th, Benedict Cumberbatch spoke about his audition (via iPhone) for Star Trek 2, filming the movie and working with JJ Abrams. As usual no spoilers but he did film scenes at the Budweiser Brewery suggesting he has a few scenes in the Enterprises' engineering section.

From THR about his audition via iPhone:

[Benedict Cumberbatch] recalls having received a call last Christmas that the director was "very interested" in Cumberbatch playing a "not-so-good guy," as he puts it, in the sequel. Cumberbatch, who was in England at the time, "begged" his best friend to shoot his audition. "I was pretty strung out," Cumberbatch said. "So that went into the performance."

It clearly did the trick: A day after New Year's, Cumberbatch received an e-mail from Abrams reading, "You want to come and play?" -- the director's way of telling Cumberbatch he got the part. Abrams tells the Times the iPhone-captured video was "one of the most compelling audition readings I've ever seen." As for the nature of the bad guy he'll be playing, Cumberbatch's lips are securely sealed: "You could stick a knife in my thigh, and I wouldn’t tell you,” he said.

From Zap2It on Abrams and filming:

56 Episodes of Star Trek: TOS At Once

Below is a video that gives you the opportunity to watch all of the first two seasons of Star Trek: The Original Series at once. At least in theory since after the initial theme music it becomes a bit of a noisy mess. The initial series pilot episode, The Cage, isn't part of the grid but then again it didn't air as part of the first season anyway as most of the cast was replaced with the now famous crew with the reproduced pilot episode of Where No Man Has Gone Before. The result is fascinating and best watched in full screen.

More Volcano Suit Set Pics

MSN UK and Digital Spy have posted more pictures of Zachary Quinto filming a scene in the Star Trek sequel. The other day a single image was posted but now more are available. He images show Quinto in his "Volcano Suit" (because of rumor the scene involves a volcano) but not a whole lot else. I guess technically its spoilerish but really a dude in costume in front of green screen could literally become anything. Hit the links above or click here to view all of them.

More from Alice Eve on Trek Makeup

Alice Eve continues the press circuit to promote The Raven and continued to speak about Star Trek even though the Abrams cone of silence remains in full effect. In an interview with MTV she spoke about being the makeup chair. It might lead you to infer some alien makeup but really not enough info to make that leap.

"I'm a healthy amount of time in the makeup chair -- though not as long as Spock," Eve teased. "We were filming until very late last night, and I know that's all I can say. It's a top-secret operation; it's like a war. I'm having a lot of fun. It's a very special experience to be on J.J.'s movies, you know," she said. "He's a real good leader."

Alice Eve Briefly Talks Abrams and Trek Prep

In an interview with Access Hollywood to promote The Raven, Alice Eve spoke about working with JJ Abrams on the Star Trek sequel and how she watched The Original Series to prep for her role (which I think is Yeoman Janice Rand). Sadly nothing specific was revealed about the sequel.

"J.J., I guess, really wins your trust… and you don’t want to do anything that would like, rock his ship," she said. "He runs a real gentleman’s set and we’re like his amazing army and he’s the kind general,” she added of their "Star Trek" captain behind the scenes. "He’s like a very efficient, generous filmmaker. It’s been an amazing experience working with him. It’s really special, actually."

"I’ve watched all of them. My grandfather used to watch the original series in the ‘60s every Saturday at 5 o’clock, so it was nice for me because it was the only TV show he watched," she said. "Now, I’ve watched them all and there are some scenes with [William] Shatner that break my heart… It’s so sweet."

(via TrekMovie)

IDW July Star Trek Comics

IDW Publishing has released their publishing plans for July that continues the adventures of the Enterprise 2.0 crew (Tribbles!) and the crossover with Doctor Who. Two comics and one trade are being released that month. If you are interested in the books, just let your local comic book store know. For the full details of IDW's other books including GI Joe, Transformers, Locke & Key and more click here.

Five Captains Together for First Time

The Destination Star Trek London Convention is starting off with a bang. For the first time, all five Captains from the five TV series will appear on stage together. The lucky few attendees will see William Shatner (TOS), Sir Patrick Stewart (TNG), Avery Brooks (DS9), Kate Mulgrew (Voy), and Scott Bakula (Ent) as they talk about their Trek experiences. The convention runs from October 19th-21st. Press release below.

New Star Trek Set Photo

A new Star Trek set photo has popped up online. It shows Zachary Quinto hanging in some red space suit that seems like a cross between Iron Man and the space suit Kirk wore in the TOS episode The Tholian Web. The description with the photo says its a "Volcano Suit". Speculate away as no clue what this means as far as the movie goes.

Zachary Quinto as Spok filming an action scene for the Untitled Star Trek 2 Sequel. After first rehearsing the scene with a Spok Stunt Double Actor Zachary Quinto was then rigged to a wire in front of a large green screen and lifted to a height of 10 stories high then dropped at a high rate of speed as if he was falling. In the scene Spok is wearing a "Volcano Suit" and carrying an unknown piece of equipment with the Starfleet Emblem. A Volcano is somehow involved in this scene. The crew had a real fire burning off camera to catch the fire reflections on Spok's "Volcano Suit".

Star Trek Video Game Teaser Trailer

In time for next year's release of Star Trek 2 (or 12), Digital Extremes is releasing a new Star Trek video game set in the 2.0 universe. The co-op game allows you to play as Kirk and Spock as they go on an adventure set between the two movies (but may not necessarily tie into either). Below is a teaser for the game. Click here for IGN's write-up about the game with concept art. The game is likely to be released in April or May 2013 on the 360, PS3 and PC. (via TrekMovie)

Full Sized Enterprise Almost Built in Vegas

If not for the cowardice and pure cover his rear move of then Paramount CEO Stanley Jaffe, Star Trek fans might have had a full scale replica of the USS Enterprise to visit in Las Vegas. Back in 1992, downtown Las Vegas was trying to revitalize its tourism that was lost to the main strip that had emerged (and remains) the new heart of Vegas with their huge high concept casinos like the MGM, Mirage, and so forth. Two concepts made it to the finalist’s stage - The Fremont Experience and The Star Ship Enterprise.

The Starship Enterprise was pitched by Gary Goddard as a destination attraction, provide international press (good for tourism), and create an "8th Wonder of the World" due to its size. If built, if you tipped the Enterprise on its nacelles, it would have been just a few stories short of the Empire State Building The cost to build was $150 million in 1992 (estimated $250M today).

Kurtzman Compliments Cumberbatch, Abrams

In an interview with MTV, Star Trek 2 writer Alex Kurtzman talked about new cast member Benedict Cumberbatch. Rumors and set video indicates Cumberbatch (Sherlock, War Horse) plays the big bad of the movie but this has not been confirmed. Alex had nothing but compliments for the actor and sadly revealed nothing about the movie.

"He’s incredible," Kurtzman said. "What he does with language is incredible. His training is amazing and he’s so magnetic, he holds the screen in any size frame, he really is a joy to watch."

"The movie is going unbelievably well," he added. "J.J. as usual is crushing it, he’s doing an amazing amazing job. I think as much as we put all of our love and effort into the first one, there’s even more in this one and he is really, he’s such an exacting and beautiful director. What I watch him do, it’s so amazing, he inspires everybody around him and he’s been so utterly true to everything that we all have honored and loved about Trek so that’s kind of where we’re at right now. The finish line is in sight."

"Without spoiling anything, the challenge is that you don’t want to jump too far ahead and assume that just because they got together they’re all comfortable with each other," he said. "They’re still all working out their kinks and still becoming the bridge crew that we remember from the series. That's still very much alive and look, any good sequel is about the challenge that the group faces in order to become the unified team and I think that that challenge in this movie is going to be hopefully amazing."

(via TrekMovie)

Star Trek: First Contact Complete Score

GNP Crescendo Records has announced the limited edition release of Star Trek: First Contact Complete Motion Picture Score for $19.98. The score was composed by the late, great Jerry Goldsmith. First Contact is considered the best of The Next Generation movies as the crew confronts the Borg in the past for the future of humanity. The score has 26 tracks, three alternate bonus tracks and a 16 page booklet. My favorite is the Main Title sequence in part because it was so atypical of a typical Trek opening. I like it enough that I ended up removing the "Locutus" portion to stand on its own. The full details can be found at TrekMovie. Click here to purchase.