After months of hand wringing over whether JJ Abrams would return to direct the sequel to Star Trek, he officially came aboard a couple months ago, with plans for shooting to begin next winter. Well now we have a more exact date, as TrekMovie reports the untitled sequel will go into hyperdrive on January 15th 2012. As for the numerous locations where it'll shoot? The site lets loose some details which some may consider a spoiler...
Abrams himself traveled to Hawaii to scout a location which is being seriously considered for a "jungle planet." Shooting will also include a museum in Los Angeles standing in for what a source said was a "famous Star Trek location." As per usual with a Star Trek film, studio shooting will take place on a number of stages on the Paramount lot.
Roberto Orci, Damon Lindelof, and Alex Kurtzman are still banging out the latest draft of the script, with all of the principle figures expected to reprise their roles. What about those rumors of Benicio Del Toro being Abrams' pick to play the bad guy? Nothing's been confirmed yet, but he'd make for a hell of a Khan, don't you think? Part of me wishes there were some way, any possible way, for Abrams to bring in Deep Space Nine's Gul Dukat into the franchise. The manipulative Cardassian leader will always be my pick for the greatest Star Trek villain ever.
