The Zone

by **papalazeru** on Wed Aug 03, 2011 6:42 am

To Khan or not to Khan

Bet they end up best buds in the new version if this comes to pass.

by **Hermanator X** on Wed Aug 03, 2011 8:18 am

papalazeru wrote:To Khan or not to Khan

Bet they end up best buds in the new version if this comes to pass.

Is that a bad thing? Isn't trek sposed to be the more cerebral no hate just debate kinda sci fi rather than ooooh splosions and killings?

by **TonyWilson** on Wed Aug 03, 2011 8:35 am

Hermanator X wrote:
papalazeru wrote:To Khan or not to Khan

Bet they end up best buds in the new version if this comes to pass.

Is that a bad thing? Isn't trek sposed to be the more cerebral no hate just debate kinda sci fi rather than ooooh splosions and killings?

This ain't your daddy's Star Trek, Herm.

by **papalazeru** on Wed Aug 03, 2011 9:00 am

TonyWilson wrote:
Hermanator X wrote:
papalazeru wrote:To Khan or not to Khan

Bet they end up best buds in the new version if this comes to pass.

Is that a bad thing? Isn't trek sposed to be the more cerebral no hate just debate kinda sci fi rather than ooooh splosions and killings?

This ain't your daddy's Star Trek, Herm.

I kind of agree with both of you.

I don't think they'd take Khan down the good guy role though, he was so iconic and such a good villain, plus there was a lot of history.

by **TheBaxter** on Wed Aug 03, 2011 9:18 am

in this version of the ST universe, Khan will be the host on an interplanetary resort where people from across the galaxy go to have their wildest fantasies fulfilled. he will be accompanied by his midget sidekick, who will point and yell "da enterprise! da enterprise!" when kirk & co. show up.

by **Bloo** on Wed Aug 03, 2011 3:33 pm

TheBaxter wrote:in this version of the ST universe, Khan will be the host on an interplanetary resort where people from across the galaxy go to have their wildest fantasies fulfilled. he will be accompanied by his midget sidekick, who will point and yell "da enterprise! da enterprise!" when kirk & co. show up.

Played by Malcolm McDowell?

by **TheBaxter** on Wed Aug 03, 2011 3:49 pm

Bloo wrote:
TheBaxter wrote:in this version of the ST universe, Khan will be the host on an interplanetary resort where people from across the galaxy go to have their wildest fantasies fulfilled. he will be accompanied by his midget sidekick, who will point and yell "da enterprise! da enterprise!" when kirk & co. show up.

Played by Malcolm McDowell?

malcolm mcdowell's not a midget, silly!

by **DennisMM** on Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:34 pm

Shouldn't Khan be a bad guy, anyway? The alternate time line only started when the Romulans came through the warp 25 or so years before the first movie. Khan had been on ice since the late 21st century, if memory serves. Or maybe not, because in the original program, Kirk's father was not a starship commander. Oh, J.J., how you play with us!

by **TheButcher** on Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:00 am

Vulture Exclusive:
J.J. Abrams Officially Commits to Directing Star Trek 2

by **NoHubris** on Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:58 am

Khan was a villain going way back to the Eugenics wars of the late 20th century in the prior timeline.

by **TheButcher** on Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:03 am

From BC:
Star Trek 2 Won’t Be Called Star Trek 2, So Let’s Play The Naming Game

by **TheBaxter** on Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:17 am

2 Star 2 Trek

by **so sorry** on Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:44 am

TheButcher wrote:From BC:
Star Trek 2 Won’t Be Called Star Trek 2, So Let’s Play The Naming Game

So the source of this tidbit is an actress with a minor role? Dubious at best. Didn't she also say something along the lines of the script not being written yet, even though Simon Pegg declared the script amazeballs ages ago?

by **TonyWilson** on Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:47 am

I'd agree with you, SS. But Simon Pegg gobbles Hollywood cock like nobodies business.

by **TheButcher** on Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:29 pm

Benicio wanted for 'Star Trek' villain - J.J. Abrams wants actor for Paramount sequel

Justin Kroll wrote:Though most roles are cast in Paramount and Skydance's "Star Trek" sequel, the mysterious villain part was still available -- and now J.J. Abrams has made his choice.

Sources close to the project tell Variety that Benicio Del Toro is expected to be offered the part, possibly before the weekend is out. Insiders say Del Toro has met with Abrams but, in an effort to keep the role a secret, still doesn't know exactly what it is.

Par and Skydance had no comment on the casting process.

Abrams is back to direct with Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof penning the script. Abrams, Kurtzman, Orci, Lindelof, Bryan Burk, and David Ellison will produce through Bad Robot and Skydance Productions.

Production is expected to start in early 2012.

Del Toro most recently finished production on Universal's "Savages."

by **Ye Black Knight** on Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:52 pm

Hermanator X wrote:
papalazeru wrote:To Khan or not to Khan

Bet they end up best buds in the new version if this comes to pass.

Is that a bad thing? Isn't trek sposed to be the more cerebral no hate just debate kinda sci fi rather than ooooh splosions and killings?

Verily! As well as inter-species and inter-racial trysts!
What erotic delights be'ith in store for us with ye not-to-be-name'th'd "Star Trek 2"?!?

This post now concludeth!

by **TheButcher** on Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:49 pm

Latino Review Exclusive: We Know Who Benicio Del Toro Is Playing In 'Star Trek 2!'

by **Tyrone_Shoelaces** on Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:38 am

Oh good, they were kidding/lying about what they're going to do for the sequel. If it's true.

by **The Vicar** on Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:28 am

People over at that website seem to have issues with a non-Indian actor being cast, again, as Khan.
That's rubbish.
You cast the best actor for the role. Period. It's called acting for a reason.

Or maybe you think Kal Penn as Khan is a bold move.
I have a doubt. Many, in fact.

As for the claim itself, nah. Why would they, after cutting themselves free from the baggage of the original series,
turn around and dive back into it? Sort of negates what they accomplished so well in the first place.

by **Al Shut** on Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:21 am

Information on this seems to be contradictory.

Thank god I don't care.

by **TheButcher** on Sat Dec 03, 2011 7:30 pm

From Motion Captured:
JJ Abrams says Benicio Del Toro is not playing Khan in 'Star Trek' sequel

Moriarty wrote:There are two things you should know before you read this.

First, El Mayimbe of Latino Review has a very, very high accuracy rate with the scoops he breaks. No one is perfect, but he's got a track record that demands that you pay attention when he runs something.

Second, JJ Abrams has never directly lied to me about something. He's demurred when asked some questions, and he's played coy about some things, but outright fabrication does not appear to be his bag.

So… take those two things into account when I tell you that Latino Review is reporting that Benicio Del Toro will be playing Khan Noonien Singh in the upcoming sequel to 2009's successful reboot of "Star Trek."

And when asked to comment on the report, Abrams responded with two very direct words: "Not true."

There's been this overwhelming belief in the film nerd world since the first film came out that any sequel to the Abrams "Trek" would have to introduce Khan, and that he would have to be the bad guy. I'm not sure how Khan became the default Joker to Kirk's Batman, and I'm not sure I buy that we need to see that story told again. You'd have to somehow deal with all the "Space Seed" stuff that didn't happen in this timeline, and without that, there's no reason for Khan to be seeking personal revenge on Kirk.

More importantly, it seems like such a simple choice that I have to believe the guys making this film have something more interesting in store. Now, that's not to say that it's impossible they'd use Khan, but why just tell the same story with him? What clearer way could there be to show that this is a new timeline than to find the Botany Bay, thaw out Khan and his soldiers, and have them end up becoming allies to the Federation? You could make a powerful film about the assumptions we have about people that would really play with an audience's expectations if you wanted to, and it would make it very clear that just because a familiar name or face shows up in this continuity, there's no guarantee that you know what's going to happen.

Then again, Abrams didn't play coy or dance around it. He just plain said, "Not true." So that seems pretty firm as a denial.

We're not going to know for sure until they make some official announcements, and until then, all I can do is print both sides of this one. I have no real feelings about this one way or another until the film starts to come into focus. Until then, it's all speculation. I will say that if this turns out to be true, it seems to be further support for the theory I had at the start of the week.

by **Tyrone_Shoelaces** on Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:09 pm

Peter Weller Joins the Star Trek Sequel Cast

by **The Vicar** on Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:19 pm

RoboCop in space. What's not to like?

by **Peven** on Mon Dec 05, 2011 5:37 pm

Tyrone_Shoelaces wrote:Peter Weller Joins the Star Trek Sequel Cast

I wonder if he continues to hold down his professorship and just takes a hiatus to shoot movies while some graduate student holds down the fort in his class?

by **TheButcher** on Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:49 pm

VULTURE EXCLUSIVE:
Benicio Del Toro Won’t Make Star Trek Sequel

Claude Brodesser-Akner and Kyle Buchanan wrote:The sequel to the successful reboot of Star Trek has been a long-in-development priority for Paramount and director J.J. Abrams, and the Enterprise is currently scheduled to lift off again this January, when shooting on the untitled next installment will begin. Sadly, there's one high-profile star whom Abrams didn't manage to beam up: Benicio Del Toro, who entered into talks last month to play the sequel's new villain. Insiders tell Vulture that the deal actually went asunder last Wednesday after parties couldn't come to terms over monetary issues.

Abrams will now have to move quickly to fill the role, but which villain from Star Trek lore has he made the focal point of the new film? When Del Toro's name was first linked to the project, speculation ran rampant that he might play Khan, immortalized once before on the big screen by Ricardo Montalban in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. On Friday, the site Latino Review claimed to have confirmed that choice of villain, though Abrams promptly replied to Hitfix that the report was "not true." Still, the famously secretive director was probably trying to keep the cat in the interstellar bag for a little while longer, as Vulture hears from a highly placed source that Khan is indeed the film's baddie. Perhaps Abrams was taking his cues from Man of Steel director Zack Snyder, who strongly denied to the press last year that General Zod would be the villain in his Superman reboot ... then cast Michael Shannon as Zod a few months later.

by **TheButcher** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 6:57 am

TheButcher wrote:Latino Review Exclusive:
We Know Who Benicio Del Toro Is Playing In 'Star Trek 2!'

UPDATE: Exclusive: We Know Who Benicio Del Toro Is Playing In 'Star Trek 2!'

El Mayimbe wrote:Sorry for the late update but was out in my car L.A. style here in New York when the news broke.

So Vulture tonight is confirming our original scoop that Khan is indeed the bad guy in JJ Abrams upcoming Star Trek 2. What Vulture is also reporting is that negotiations with Benicio Del Toro’s team fell apart last Wednesday and Benicio has bailed on the project.

Khan would have been such a good look for Benicio. Shame that they couldn’t work things out.

We been down this road before with General Zod last year, and he has got some company with Khan now joining him in the “Latinoreview reported, then got debunked, but later confirmed to be true bad guy club.”

The question now is, who is going to play Khan?

If they were looking for a Latin dude who is on fire right now with a cheaper quote than Benicio, my opinion is that they should give Edgar Ramirez a serious look. The guy killed it in “Carlos.” Just got myself the Criterion Edition Blu Ray of that movie and will be revisiting it during the holidays.

But thanks to all the outlets who said really nice things about me over the weekend. I don’t take your trust for granted.

So back to the scoop hunt...

Hasta el proximo capitulo...

Original story below...

Yo!

El Mayimbe here!

With only two weeks left before the town breaks for the holidays, I went on the scoop hunt and did my usual rounds. I wanted to close the year out strong with a big scoop.

So, I’m tracking a Latin bad guy role in an upcoming studio movie and although there is no progress today on that specific part, instead I got dibs on a big time bad guy role played by a Latin dude.

For starters, I’m not a trekkie whatsoever so I wasn’t even looking for a Star Trek scoop.

Although heavily debated online as to who Benicio del Toro might be playing in Star Trek 2...

I’m here to tell you guys that according to my sources...

Benicio Del Toro is playing none other than...

KHAN NOONIEN SINGH

or better known as...

KHAN!!!

Yes, Khan my fanboys.

The genetically engineered superhuman who rocked the hottest deep v-neck t-shirt in space!

Played back in the day by Ricardo Montalban in both the television episode “Space Seed” and in the only Star Trek movie I own – STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN.

Benicio Del Toro has got big shoes to fill since Montalban killed the role and made the character memorable.

Now I’m not going to give you all the Khan article filler/trekkie background/wikipedia fluff, ya’ll can google that stuff because I’m pressed for time.

I am looking forward to Benicio’s interpretation since Khan is considered one of the greatest screen villians of all time.

I am curious though since Khan had quite the pectoral muscles if we are going to see Benicio making special guest appearances at the local L.A. Fitness in the Hollywood area.

Some of you may like it, some of you don’t. I’m for it.

But again...

Benicio.

Khan.

2013.

Expect rebuttals and denials.

Comes with the territory.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FOLKS!

Hasta el proximo capitulo...

by **TheBaxter** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 10:12 am

i guess technically JJ didn't lie. benicio del toro isn't going to be playing khan. he just neglected to mention that someone else would be.

by **Spandau Belly** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:51 pm

I'm glad Del Toro is not wasting his talent on JJ. I wish Del Toro would connect with some good projects, I feel like I've been missing him lately.

And maybe I missed something, but why are these articles all assuming that Khan has to be played by a Latino? Maybe JJ just wanted Del Toro because he's a great actor. I mean, the Khan character is kinda without ethnicity, isn't he?

by **Peven** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 1:20 pm

Spandau Belly wrote:I'm glad Del Toro is not wasting his talent on JJ. I wish Del Toro would connect with some good projects, I feel like I've been missing him lately.

And maybe I missed something, but why are these articles all assuming that Khan has to be played by a Latino? Maybe JJ just wanted Del Toro because he's a great actor. I mean, the Khan character is kinda without ethnicity, isn't he?

actually Khan is supposed to be of Indian heritage, albeit genetically engineered, as I remember it, just look at his name. so, seeing as how Harold is already in the cast I think it is the obvious choice to put Kumar in the role of Khan

and why is it people put so much stock in what Latino Review writes seeing as how they have been dead wrong before with their exclusive early scoops, they seem to be one of the worst offenders when it comes to printing any wild hair rumor just to get attention

JJ's first Trek was even better than I expected and I am really hoping he can at least match that with this next one, and being a fan of DelToro's work if I knew he was going to be in it that would have made me feel more confident the second movie would not disappoint

by **Al Shut** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 1:47 pm

Peven wrote:
Spandau Belly wrote:I'm glad Del Toro is not wasting his talent on JJ. I wish Del Toro would connect with some good projects, I feel like I've been missing him lately.

And maybe I missed something, but why are these articles all assuming that Khan has to be played by a Latino? Maybe JJ just wanted Del Toro because he's a great actor. I mean, the Khan character is kinda without ethnicity, isn't he?

actually Khan is supposed to be of Indian heritage, albeit genetically engineered, as I remember it, just look at his name. so, seeing as how Harold is already in the cast I think it is the obvious choice to put Kumar in the role of Khan

I know Khan is a south asian name but when a Khan character appears on the original Star Trek series I would suspect mongol

by **Peven** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 2:52 pm

Al Shut wrote:
Peven wrote:
Spandau Belly wrote:I'm glad Del Toro is not wasting his talent on JJ. I wish Del Toro would connect with some good projects, I feel like I've been missing him lately.

And maybe I missed something, but why are these articles all assuming that Khan has to be played by a Latino? Maybe JJ just wanted Del Toro because he's a great actor. I mean, the Khan character is kinda without ethnicity, isn't he?

actually Khan is supposed to be of Indian heritage, albeit genetically engineered, as I remember it, just look at his name. so, seeing as how Harold is already in the cast I think it is the obvious choice to put Kumar in the role of Khan

I know Khan is a south asian name but when a Khan character appears on the original Star Trek series I would suspect mongol

that would make sense, too, considering the Ghengis Khan and Kublai Khan were mongols

by **Ribbons** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 6:20 pm

Al Shut wrote:
Peven wrote:
Spandau Belly wrote:And maybe I missed something, but why are these articles all assuming that Khan has to be played by a Latino? Maybe JJ just wanted Del Toro because he's a great actor. I mean, the Khan character is kinda without ethnicity, isn't he?

actually Khan is supposed to be of Indian heritage, albeit genetically engineered, as I remember it, just look at his name. so, seeing as how Harold is already in the cast I think it is the obvious choice to put Kumar in the role of Khan

I know Khan is a south asian name but when a Khan character appears on the original Star Trek series I would suspect mongol

I don't know much about Star Trek (honest), but since the character's name is Khan Singh, I would say he's probably Indian. And Khan CAN be an Indian name (just look at Irrfan Khan). Then again, maybe Singh can be a Mongolian name. I know as much about Mongolia as I do about Star Trek. Not that the ethnicity of whoever they cast to play an alien matters that much to me, just saying.

Peven wrote:and why is it people put so much stock in what Latino Review writes seeing as how they have been dead wrong before with their exclusive early scoops, they seem to be one of the worst offenders when it comes to printing any wild hair rumor just to get attention

Well, they've also been right about a lot of scoops, but yeah that annoys me too. Especially their own attitude of "You dare doubt me, El Mayimbe? Hah! I laugh and laugh." Was it that long ago that they insisted Cloverfield and Star Trek were the same project and anybody who said otherwise was a moron? But I guess swagger is part of Latino Review's M.O.

by **DennisMM** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 6:27 pm

Actually, Khan Noonian Singh is a human, albeit genetically enhanced and bred to be an Ubermensch during what they referred to as the Eugenics Wars. I've wondered sometimes if one of Khan's enhancements might have been rapid maturation. Wouldn't it be great if he turned out to be a petulant 14-year-old?

by **Cpt Kirks 2pay** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 9:33 pm

Snooooorrrreeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....................

The fact that this thread is top of the Zone for bloody ever is just evident that Martin Scorsese is right and that all people do is watch blockbuster movies and give fuck all attention to smaller boring movies that no one understands yet are supposed to be better, DESPITE Zoners here trying to babble on about how they balance this by watching other smaller boring movies that no one understands yet are supposed to be better.

Now.... pardon me while I run away whilst all other Zoners come over the hill chasing me and throwing spears and poison darts.

by **Cpt Kirks 2pay** on Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:39 pm

Huh! There! That post of truth killed this thread! And all who dwell in it!

by **Crickets** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:13 am

Nah, Scorsese was just calling me in...

by **Spandau Belly** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:06 am

Okay, so I was right. Yes, Khan is a South Asian/Mongolian name, but the role was previously played by a white dude and the character's backstory is that he was grown in a lab, so that is what I meant by the character having no real ethnicity and you could cast any actor of any ethnnicity in the role.

by **Peven** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:47 am

Spandau Belly wrote:Okay, so I was right. Yes, Khan is a South Asian/Mongolian name, but the role was previously played by a white dude and the character's backstory is that he was grown in a lab, so that is what I meant by the character having no real ethnicity and you could cast any actor of any ethnnicity in the role.

really, and just what "white dude" played Khan before? oh yeah, Ricardo Montelban....hardly a "white dude" :roll:

sure, he is Latino, not Indian or Asian, but anyone who has seen the original episode knows he was not portrayed as a "white dude" either. and there have been many many many cases of actors of one ethnicity playing a character of another ethnicity because producers figure Americans can't tell the difference between dark, swarthy people. and so the fuck what if he was genetically engineered, he very well could have been genetically engineered from all Indian/Asian DNA, just because the DNA is combined in a test tube instead of a womb it wouldn't mean the ethnicity is washed out of it

by **Spandau Belly** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 11:17 am

Peven wrote:he very well could have been genetically engineered from all Indian/Asian DNA, just because the DNA is combined in a test tube instead of a womb it wouldn't mean the ethnicity is washed out of it

I believe Khan was grown in a lab in India, that's why he has that name, but he was made with Swedish DNA, hence his blonde hair, light skin, and his genetically-based compulsion to style himself like a member of ABBA.

So my choice for the Khan role is Dolph Lundgren.

by **TonyWilson** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:29 pm

Everyone know if you're using DNA to create the perfect ubermensch using anything less than 100% English is useless

by **Al Shut** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:43 pm

But then he would fail at a penalty shoot-out.

by **TheBaxter** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:03 pm

obviously this role needs to be played by Johnny Depp. it wouldn't be the first time he's played an Indian.

by **Peven** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:04 pm

Khan didn't have blond hair. he had jet black hair. and in ST:WoK his hair had turned white....that happens when people get old.

regardless of ethnicity Montelban was a solid actor who did the role justice, so whoever is selected needs to be a decent actor before anything else, which would totally rule out Dolph Lundgren, seeing as how he has zero acting talent and only works in shit movies

if they are really going with Khan as a villain I would like to see them cast Mark Dacascos, the guy who played Mani in "Brotherhood of the Wolf". just based on his work in that role I think he could handle the role of Khan, and he has the physicality for it, too, if they want to portray Khan as a badass

by **TheBaxter** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:29 pm

Peven wrote:regardless of ethnicity Montelban was a solid actor who did the role justice, so whoever is selected needs to be a decent actor before anything else, which would totally rule out Dolph Lundgren, seeing as how he has zero acting talent and only works in shit movies

sooo........ jean claude van damme, then?

by **minstrel** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:36 pm

TheBaxter wrote:
Peven wrote:regardless of ethnicity Montelban was a solid actor who did the role justice, so whoever is selected needs to be a decent actor before anything else, which would totally rule out Dolph Lundgren, seeing as how he has zero acting talent and only works in shit movies

sooo........ jean claude van damme, then?

Paul Giamatti. Outstanding actor, and obviously, a genetically-engineered superhuman.

by **Bloo** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:49 pm

Peven wrote:

regardless of ethnicity Montelban was a solid actor who did the role justice, so whoever is selected needs to be a decent actor before anything else, which would totally rule out Dolph Lundgren, seeing as how he has zero acting talent and only works in shit movies

if they are really going with Khan as a villain I would like to see them cast Mark Dacascos, the guy who played Mani in "Brotherhood of the Wolf". just based on his work in that role I think he could handle the role of Khan, and he has the physicality for it, too, if they want to portray Khan as a badass

FUCK YOU PEVEN, fuck you. Anyone that can fight Ninjas, play the drums, and karate chop ice blocks all while singing Elvis DESERVES to be Khan.

And you're seriously asking for the fucking Chairman of Iron Chef America to be Khan? Really?

by **The Vicar** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:50 pm

I'd have cast Oded Fehr as Kahn.
Probably want him to bulk up first.

by **Peven** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 5:01 pm

The Vicar wrote:I'd have cast Oded Fehr as Kahn.
Probably want him to bulk up first.

yeah, that is an excellent choice, too

by **Peven** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 5:04 pm

Bloo wrote:
And you're seriously asking for the fucking Chairman of Iron Chef America to be Khan? Really?

no, I am asking for Mani to be Khan :-P

and say what you will, but he OWNS that role of the Chairman...and have you seen that flip he does? I would have Khan do that move at least once during the movie :wink:

by **Spandau Belly** on Wed Dec 07, 2011 5:51 pm

Peven wrote:Khan didn't have blond hair. he had jet black hair. and in ST:WoK his hair had turned white....that happens when people get old.

Well, I never saw the television episode he came from, so when I saw the movie, I didn't think of him as old with white hair. He just looked like a dude with a blonde mullet, as was popular in the day.

Peven wrote:regardless of ethnicity Montelban was a solid actor who did the role justice, so whoever is selected needs to be a decent actor before anything else, which would totally rule out Dolph Lundgren, seeing as how he has zero acting talent and only works in shit movies

Really, why waste another good actor on a JJ Abrams film? He's worked with some of the more talented actors out there and got jack shit out of them. Eric Bana, Philip Seymor Hoffman, Billy Crudup are all really talented actors, but you wouldn't know it from their work in Abrams films. Abrams can even neutralize the charisma of Tom Cruise and Morpheus. So talent doesn't really matter. What matters here is the novelty of getting X actor to take on this role and seeing him in a funny costume like Russel Crowe smoking in that silly costume on the Superman set.