To Boldly Go ...

The mastermind behind LOST and FRINGE - J.J. Abrams - is going to boldly go ... where many have gone before him. The genius of Abrams is going to take the beloved STAR TREK franchise into a totally new and fresh direction, and I am literally shaking with anticipation at the thought.

Simply entitled STAR TREK - not STAR TREK 11, even though it is the 11th feature film - Abrams is finally going to shed light on how the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise became the legends we have come to love. For years, I've been hearing the rumors of a new STAR TREK, but after the feeble attempt with the last movie - STAR TREK NEMESIS - I had given up hope. Don't get me wrong, I am a NEXT GENERATION girl, but I didn't like the last movie, even though Jean-Luc Picard remains my favorite captain of the Enterprise.
That is until it was announced that Zachary Quinto had been cast to play a younger version of Mr. Spock. OMG, Sylar as Mr. Spock - he was the absolute perfect person to play this pivotal, iconic role. At one point a few years ago, the rumor mill was saying that Adrian Brody would be playing Spock. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Adrian Brody - THE JACKET was truly disturbing - but he is no Spock.

When it was announced that Chris Pine would be playing James T. Kirk, I asked my hubby, "Who is Chris Pine?" After Googling him, I realized the only movie of his I had seen was PRINCESS DIARIES II. Huh - a prince playing a rogue - sounds logical to me.

Eric Bana - of BLACK HAWK DOWN and HULK fame - will be playing Nero, the movie's time-travelling Romulan villain. The trailers I've seen for the movie depict Nero as a truly evil villain, but can he compare to Kahn? Time will tell.

Leonard Nimoy will reprise his role as Spock - Spock Prime - who has come from the future to provide help. The movie will explore his half-human, half-Vulcan origins and learn how his character developed over time.

Lieutenant Uhura - originally played by Nichelle Nichols - was my favorite character from the original series. She was such a good female role model for young girls growing up in the 1960s. The new Uhura will be played by Zoë Saldana - I have only seen her in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL.

Rounding out the rest of the Enterprise crew are:

Karl Urban - from the 2nd and 3rd movies of THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy - as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Simon Pegg - from SHAUN OF THE DEAD and RUN, FAT BOY, RUN - as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

John Cho - from the AMERICAN PIE movies and the HAROLD & KUMAR movies as Hikaru Sulu

Anton Yelchin - from HOUSE OF D and CHARLIE BARTLETT - as Pavel Chekov
Rounding out the cast are: Bruce Greenwood portraying Christopher Pike - the original Enterprise captain from the first STAR TREK pilot; Ben Cross as Sarek - Spock's father; Winona Ryder as Amanda Grayson - Spock's mother; Chris Hemsworth and Jennifer Morrison as George and Winona Kirk - Kirk's parents.

So, if you come calling at my home on Saturday, won't be nobody home - we'll be out to the movies ...