Despite persistent rumors to the contrary, Simon Pegg today confirmed to The Telegraph that the villian of the still-untitled Star Trek sequel will not be Khan Noonien Singh.
Its not Khan, said the actor, who plays Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott. Thats a myth. Everyones saying it is, but its not.
Rumors began late last year when Benicio Del Toro was said to be up for a role as an undisclosed villian in the 2013 release. After the part went to Benedict Cumberbatch, rumors continued with a number of online sites “confirming” that Khan would appear.
In the original “Star Trek” universe, Khan, played by Ricardo Montalban, was a genetically engineered tyrant who seized control of much of the Earth in the 1990’s during a conflict known as “The Eugenics Wars.” At the conclusion of his reign, Khan escaped the Earth in a starship, the Botany Bay, and was held in suspended animation with his crew until he was found and revived in 2267 by Captain James T. Kirk. The character returned to menace the crew of the Enterprise in 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Directed by J.J. Abrams, details on Star Trek 2 are characteristically minimal, though returning cast members include Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Bruce Greenwood with new roles for Cumberbatch, Alice Eve and Peter Weller. Featuring a script by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof, the film will hit theaters on May 17, 2013.
(Photo Credit: Lia Toby / WENN.com)
