It is true, he has spoken. While he didn't say much more than Simon Pegg or John Cho did, it was possibly enough to infuriate loyal Trekkies. In an interview with the Associated Press (via Empire), director J.J. Abrams swore he would reinvent Star Trek.
"I feel like this is so unlike what you expect, so unlike the Star Trek you've seen. At the same time, it's being true to what's come before, honoring it. I can say the effects for Star Trek have never, ever been done like this. ... I can only tell you the idea of the universe of Star Trek has never been given this kind of treatment." (That is a lot of Star Treks in one paragraph. Don't blame me, he said it.)

Abrams has been adamant that he wants to capture new Trek fans, as well as please old ones. He pretty much has to -- the Trek fanbase has shrunk more with each series, the conventions a faint memory in most cities, the market of Spock ears all but gone. (I can say that, I went to my local Trek convention in the days of Enterprise, and it was just sad.) He repeated his goal to the AP, and while I see nothing to upset even the diehard fans ... well, you never know.

Simon Pegg is going to be in trouble! Even he says so. When asked about Star Trek by AICN, he was extremely wary. "There is very little I can say, because there is a Paramount sniper trained on the back of my head as I speak. He's on a building and I'm not going to look, because he will know I know he is there."

But he talked anyway. You need to head over to read (and listen to!) the entire interview, where Pegg talks about everything from Run Fatboy Run, to Spaced, to Hot Fuzz, and, of course, Star Trek. I will post the best bits here, though, because I know you're dying to read them.

Pegg elaborated on taking on the iconic role and stressed how conscientious he was to play the part with the utmost respect. "One thing I didn't want to do is an impression of James Doohan, because I wouldn't want anyone to think I was making fun of him, you know? If I started doing an impersonation of the actor that played Scotty, that would be doing the part and the actor a disservice, so my intention was to take it as James did when he first picked up the script, and just say 'Okay, he's a physics genius, he's an engineer, he's from Scotland ...' and approach the character like that and to have my interpretation of it."

This will no doubt be an illegal movie forever. After seeing it at the UC Theater in the summer of '82, I recently found a copy on a bootleg VHS for $1 at a Friends of the Library sale, still burned with the Sundance Channel bug. In today's cinema, much is made of the nostalgia value of the 1980s soundtrack: a famous example being Tears for Fears' "Head Over Heels" during Donnie Darko's opening. You can have your MTV, though, since URGH! A Music War was the soundtrack to my 1980s. Hey, what a surprise, no Duran Duran, no INXS, no Soft Cell covering a Gloria Jones soul classic and convincing a history-impaired generation that they wrote it. And yet it's clear why this film failed.

As a business scheme URGH seems, in 2008 hindsight, a uniquely quick way to burn a fortune. The film documents second-wave punk and New Wave bands playing from LA to London, editing them together without any particular zeitgeisty event like a music festival. So: play it a little under a real kiss-of-death title, and then wait to be deafened by the wails of bands, managers and lawyers zooming in to fight over the non-existant money. The Police were the headliners, opening and closing the film. They wrap up the film, too; you can see drummer Miles Copeland wearing an URGH! T-shirt. Is this perhaps all he was paid for this film? There are mostly cinematic performances here, and we see how much was lost by the fact that the Industry couldn't figure out a way to use their talents in the movies. Here's a key to the best of the show, omitting slurs of forgotten bands who perished long years ago.

• Leonard Rosenman (1924-2008) - Oscar-winning composer of the scores for Barry Lyndon and Bound for Glory. He also received nominations for his scores for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Cross Creek. Other scores he composed include those for East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, RoboCop 2, Fantastic Voyage, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Race with the Devil, Hell is for Heroes, Hellfighters, A Man Called Horse, The Car, the 1980 remake of The Jazz Singer and the 1978 animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. He died of a heart attack March 4, in Woodland Hills, California. (Variety)

• Carole Barnes (1944-2008) - British television newsreader who appears as herself in Shaun of the Dead. She died following a stroke March 8, in Brighton, England. (The Guardian)
• Sidney Beckerman (1920-2008) - Producer of Marathon Man, Kelly's Heroes, Joe Kidd, Red Dawn and Inchon. He also was president of Allied Artists, where he oversaw the production of Cabaret, and he was executive producer of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and The Sicilian. He died of cancer February 25, in Los Angeles. (Variety)
• John Bliss (1930-2008) - Actor who appears in A Face in the Crowd, Intolerable Cruelty, The Miracle Worker, The Thing with Two Heads, Imaginary Heroes and Art School Confidential. He died of complications related to an abdominal aneurysm February 28, in Los Angeles. (Variety)

Star Trek news is so rare that I have actually been asked by a few people "Oh wow, if you hear anything -- anything, you must pass it on." So I am trying. No snippet is too small, no evasive response too bland. I even know of one Trek fan that was sold on the new movie by just the Simon Pegg story, so there you go -- even the smallest story can change the course of the future.

This one is in a very similar vein. John Cho was interviewed over at AICN for Harold and Kumar Escape Guantanamo Bay and though he tried very hard, a few Star Trek snippets leaked out. Don't punish him, Mr. Abrams -- how can you resist both Quint and Neil Patrick Harris?

Cho was quick to defend the secrecy surrounding the film. "The reason J.J. [Abrams] wants to keep that under wraps is he just thinks that that the surprise -- he really is looking out for the audience. He feels like it's a good move, so that the audience really experiences it in a fresh way. But what I can say about it is the spirit of it feels like it's honoring what has come before it, just visually, and the script, and all of the actors he has chosen. And it just feels like it is honoring what has come before and I feel like, fingers crossed, we will garner some new fans as well."

Has there ever been a set more tightly guarded than J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot?
Even Eric Bana was twitchy and guarded on Jay Leno about his shaved head, as if we don't already know who he's playing.

I respect it. It's nice when everything isn't spoiled right off the bat, but it doesn't seem as though your actors should fear you.

But Empire managed to get Simon Pegg, who's playing that famous Scottish engineer, to talk a bit. He revealed he had finished his scenes and that he thinks the movie is going to be "fantastic." A Star Trek geek himself, the biggest moment for him was "just being there on the Enterprise, it was incredible."

It should hearten any Star Trek fan to hear Pegg's devotion to the original Scotty, James Doohan. "Everything is just a tribute to James Doohan and it's his role. I'm just very honoured to be able to step into his shoes. I just hope I do him proud." He's borrowing his wife's "merry [Scottish] accent" for the part, but isn't at liberty to say whether she's a Highlander, a Lowlander or of that special Glasgow variety. "I'll get sued," insists Pegg. (That means it is Glasgow and fans will be angered. Just kidding. Now I'll be sued.)

Star Trek will be released May 8th, 2009. And we'll all be sued for talking about it until then! Why, this post could be yanked before any of you read it. . .

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Above: New Iron Man poster from Wondercon, courtesy of ScreenRant.

We're at Wondercon in spirit ...

Our friends over at Film School Rejects claim they know who's been cast as The Blob in next summer's X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I'm sorry, but how many friggin' characters will there be in this film? There's just too many. Now it sort of feels like an episode of A Different World -- ya know, you have Denise from The Cosby Show, but everyone around her is different; almost to a point where it takes away from having that familiar character because there's so many new characters to get to know. But anyway, FSR says Kevin Durand was "live-scanned" for the part of Blob, and will shoot his scenes in Canada. Since the actual film is shooting on the other side of the world, we're not sure if Durand will be shooting his scenes via satellite or what. Either way, chalk up the casting of another character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

ReelzChannel recently caught up with J.J. Abrams and managed to ask him a bit about Cloverfield 2, as well as his upcoming Star Trek flick. We've included the video interview after the jump, but essentially Abrams said they have an idea for a Cloverfield sequel that they're currently tossing around, but are not sure what's going to happen. (As if Abrams would ever be truthful about anything -- dude probably hides his real name from us as well.) Good news: Abrams admits the shaky cam that annoyed practically everyone who watched the first Cloverfield might not make it into the sequel. (Video after the jump.)

Finally, Wondercon 2008 is in full swing over in San Francisco this weekend. Cinematical is not there this year, but several other websites are -- so we'll let them do all the work. You've already seen the new Iron Man poster above, and AICN also has up a pretty long report from yesterday's Wanted and Forgetting Sarah Marshall panels, including a rundown on the scenes screened, as well as what the cast in attendance had to say about the film(s). Not the most exciting stuff you've ever read, but if you're itching for anything Wondercon-related, head over there to check it out.

I'm still amazed that we've only seen two images from this summer's The Incredible Hulk so far (not counting toys), considering the other big summer blockbuster flicks have already shelled out loads of images, trailers, behind-the-scenes featurettes -- what have you? At this point, we've seen more from the new Star Trek film (which bows in May, 2009) than we have The Incredible Hulk (which comes out on June 13). And at the beginning of each week, I usually predict the Hulk trailer is only two or three days away -- but alas, it never comes. Could this be why fans are so hesitant to put Hulk on their must-watch list this summer?

We recently asked you which films you were most anticipating in 2008, and only a very small amount put The Incredible Hulk on their list. Furthermore, Moviehole cites a recent Blockbuster poll (asking readers which summer film they were anticipating the most) which found the flick coming in dead last with 1% of the vote, behind Speed Racer. Yet, it's hard to imagine why folks would be so iffy on this new version of the Hulk when the cast absolutely rocks (c'mon -- Tim Roth is your friggin' villain!). So why isn't there more love? Is it because the Ang Lee version left a sour taste? Is it because the studio refuses to promote the film? Is it because there are that many better looking films to choose from? Let's try to figure this one out in the poll below -- and please answer honestly.

Is this breaking news? I don't know. Variety thinks it's breaking news, so I guess it's breaking news -- but, to me, breaking news would be, "Star Trek Not Happening Because J.J. Abrams Crapped Himself and Hates Life." Star Trek's release date being pushed back to May 8, 2009, from December 25, 2008? News, definitely. Breaking news? Not so much. Why the move? Some feel the film has more box office potential in May than in December (which I certainly believe, to some degree), but I'd bet the cattle ranch J.J. wanted to fine-tune that script a bit now that the writer's strike is over, and he'd like that much more time to do so. We know he had problems with the script they're shooting with now; minor problems, probably, but I could see him wanting to change it up now that he's able to.

Anyway, yeah, Star Trek will now arrive in theaters on May 8, 2009. Its competition will come from X-Men Origins: Wolverine (due out May 1, 2009) and Angels & Demons (due out May 19, 2009). Also of note, Variety says Dreamworks pushed the Tropic Thunder (Ben Stiller comedy) release date back to August 15 from July 11. What do you think about the release date shift? Does it mean a whole lot to have those extra few months?

Aussie thespian Eric Bana was on hand at today's junket for The Other Boleyn Girl in Manhattan, and no surprise -- he was peppered with questions about his recent, confusing comments regarding his role in the upcoming J.J. Abrams film adaptation of Star Trek. Bana was recently quoted in an Australian newspaper as speaking of the part of Nero -- thought to be the film's main villain -- as only a "cameo," so after a few polite questions about TOBG were tossed around today, I broached the subject with Bana. Isn't Nero the main villain in this movie, I asked? To which he replied: "Well, I guess he kind of is, but I guess what I mean is that in the context of the roles I usually do, the weight is firmly on other areas, you know what I mean? It's not one of those roles where you're carrying the movie, is what I'm saying. I feel like I'm very much in a supporting role, not one of the main guys. So 'cameo' is a way of saying I don't feel like, as I am in this film or some other films, where you're clearly carrying a lot of the film. It's a luxury to not be in that position. It's nice to be offered a part like that."

Bana went on to say that he had not filmed his part yet. "They started shooting quite a while ago," he said. "I've got the plum gig on that film, I've gotta say. I haven't even started yet. I just go in at the very end and do my cameo." When asked if he was a 'Trekkie,' he responded thusly: "I like the show, I liked the original as a kid. I loved it. I haven't seen a lot of the movies since, but I was a fan of the original series. But that wouldn't have been enough, even if I was crazy about the original series it wouldn't have been enough to make me sign on to a film I didn't want to do. I just read the script and I went 'that is an awesome script' and it's J.J. and it'd be a good time, to play a character like that. It was a very easy decision."

The Sundance Flu, The Sundance Cold, The Sundance Fever ... how about The Sundance I Feel Like Complete Sh*t ...

Looks like J.J. Abrams does plan to go all Wonder Years for his Star Trek flick! Coming Soon reports that 11-year-old (about to be 12) Jimmy Bennett has landed a role as Young Kirk in Abrams' upcoming Star Trek film, due out at Christmas. Bennett has played a little kid in films like Hostage, Firewall, Poseidon and Evan Almighty. A young Spock will also be featured, leading this writer to believe both characters will appear in the film and talk about how much they "like, like" Winnie Cooper. Fingers crossed.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed (what was already previously reported) that New Line is in talks with Platinum Dunes to re-launch the franchise that helped secure their name as one of the big players in town, A Nightmare on Elm Street. Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form will produce, and a writer will be hired once the strike comes to an end. Since it's a full-out re-do, expect Robert Englund to not play Freddy Krueger, though we imagine he'll still have a role in the film (perhaps as part of Freddy's family). God bless the guy they get to fill his shoes; he'll have to convince tons of hardcore fans that he's the real deal. Dunes and New Line are also prepping a re-launch of the Friday the 13th franchise, with Marcus Nispel directing.

And finally, though it's not really a fanboy film (but I needed one more thing to throw in here, so cut me some slack), Moviehole reports that director Phillip Noyce has officially dropped out of that planned Amelia Earhart biopic starring Hilary Swank. MH spoke with Noyce, who gave the following reason for his departure: "I had worked on Amelia for 5 months from July to end of December 2007, finding all the locations and extensively storyboarding the flying sequences - When it didn't appear that the film was going ahead, I had to make a painful decision to move on and returned to a project that had long fascinated me... Mary Queen of Scots. Scarlett Johansson will play Mary in a film to be shot on location in Scotland, England and Ireland during 2008." Apparently Swank is still attached to the film, which we all thought was moving ahead as planned (script issues, maybe), so we'll keep you updated and let you know what happens.

Am I the only one already wishing it was Friday? Alas, it's a new week, and here are some casting bites courtesy of Variety:

• Texas Battle, who recently co-starred in Wrong Turn 2: Dead End, has a starring role in Hitting the Bricks, which just wrapped production. The Brian T. Jaynes-helmed film is about the Spanish Harlem music scene and focuses on the regular bits: ex cons, drugs, and sexy women. Aside from that role, he's also got a part in Dragonball. Now, if you're wondering about his name, he was born Clifton Quincy Battle in Texas, but I guess he decided to use his home state as a first-name to make it stick out more. Or, is there another reason? If you know, chime in below!
• Marlene Forte, meanwhile, is boldly going to Star Trek. She's landed a role in the eagerly-anticipated J.J. Abrams' film as "Chief Transporter." There's no word, however, on exactly what she's transporting. Forte got her start in the crime flick The Bronx War, and has since had parts on shows from Crossing Jordan to CSI, and in films from Real Women Have Curves to Adrift in Manhattan.
• Finally, actor Micah Hauptman has just finished production on Iron Man, and is now heading to the North Hills -- a film that he also wrote. There's no word on who he plays in the Robert Downey Jr. flick, but he'll play Caleb Kaufman in Hills, which focuses on a rising star with a self-destructive streak. According to IMDb's summary, he "returns home to find his family in decay," and the film "takes an unflinching look at two best friends from different worlds whose lives run parallel. Basketball is their language." Bit of trivia: Sylvain White was originally attached to direct the film.

When I went to see Cloverfield over the weekend, the crowd was pretty lively through the trailers. It was not in an excited fan way, but in that last-minute rush of chatter during something that holds little interest. That being said, conversations wrapped up pretty quickly when the Star Trek teaser popped up. At first, when the Bad Robot emblem appeared, people kept talking. I waited. It got a bit more silent as J.J. Abrams' name hit the screen with John F. Kennedy's words bellowing from the speakers. But then, a split second later when the Enterprise came into view, the crowd went wild.

While theater-goers got to see the first teaser in all its glory on Friday, it didn't make it's official appearance on the net until today. Now you can head over to Yahoo and check it out for yourself. Personally, I dug the connections the teaser made between the creation of the ship and America's first forays into space. It made the whole thing seem more real. But maybe all you need is the sight of the Enterprise, and Leonard Nimoy's gravelly voice.

For me, unfortunately, it was a bit ruined when the credits showed up -- I just can't take the idea of John Cho as Sulu seriously. But whatever happens, Star Trek is on its way. What do you think?

Oh yes, that's exactly what you think it is. Moviefone snatched the first Star Trek photo, and though it's a tad dark, you can clearly see the new Enterprise ship coming together. Ever since it was announced that J.J. Abrams would be directing a brand new take on the Star Trek franchise, folks have been itching to see what he's come up with. Starring Zachary Quinto (as a young Spock), Chris Pine (as a young Kirk), Karl Urban (as Bones), Simon Pegg (as Scotty), John Cho (as Sulu), Anton Yelchin (as Checkov) and Zoe Saldana (as Uhuru), this latest Star Trek installment apparently follows the original crew during their early days at Starfleet Academy up through their first mission together. Eric Bana will be playing a villain named Nero, while Bruce Greenwood will also make an appearance as the original Captain, Christopher Pike. And for those longing for some old school Trek, you'll be happy to know that Leonard Nimoy will also be showing up as his old Spock self. Head to Moviefone to see a larger Star Trek photo, as well as a gallery of the cast. Star Trek is set to touch down on December 25.

Additionally, you can spot the first trailer for Star Trek this weekend in front of Cloverfield, and the film's official site has now gone live.

While she's no Gary Oldman, Jennifer Garner has made a pretty decent career for herself in polar opposite parts. Most recently, she's yearned for a baby of her own in the hugely raved about Juno, but she's also the international spy lady behind the old television show Alias. That means, of course, that she has close ties to J.J. Abrams, who was the creator of the hit show. He also just so happens to be the man who is putting together the new Star Trek sequel. Now she's hoping that'll help nab her a part in the new movie, according to MTV.

Talking about Abrams, Garner says: "He rocks; I would do anything for him." But before anything, she's hoping for a little favor. "I want to be a Klingon in the movie. I just want to walk through [the frame] as a Klingon." Just when you think you have her pegged, you find out that she's a Trekkie! Or at least, "something of a Trekkie." Now this dream would depend upon there actually being Klingons in the film. However, MTV did point out that there is also the possibility that this is a slipped detail about the production. Whether Abrams told her about the inclusion of Klingons, or Garner is just being hopeful, it would definitely be another impressive morph for the actress.

On the other side: Will the Klingons provide the dramatic struggle for all of the young lads and ladies working their way towards fame on the Enterprise? Sound off below.