Before Jesse Eisenberg got cast as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it seemed like everyone wanted Bryan Cranston to become the DC villain. The Breaking Bad star developed such a crazy large fan base around his Heisenberg persona that audiences began to demand to see more of him. Obviously Cranston didn't wind up getting the comic book movie role, but as Star Trek 3 continues its development for a July 8, 2016 release, now it looks as though it's possible that the one who knocks could be the next villain to antagonize the Enterprise crew.
Casting for Star Trek 3 has been pretty mum, with the majority of the latest talk centered around who is working on the movie behind the scenes. We've been hearing news about Fast and Furious director Justin Lin taking the project's helm, and Simon Pegg co-writing the script, but now a new bit of casting rumor has come to us from the folks at Film Divider. The site states that the Enterprise crew will be going up against a major new villain in the sequel, and while details are still a mystery, Cranston has reportedly "had words with the studio" about the role, which makes sense since Paramount allegedly wants the villain to be "Bryan Cranston-like."
It’s unclear whether this villain will be a brand-new one introduced specifically for Star Trek 3 or if he will have some continuity within the franchise. We’ve already see the Romulans in Star Trek and Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness, that it seems all too likely that Star Trek 3 will have some throwbacks to the original films or TV series as well. J.J. Abrams, who directed the first two films and is serving as a producer on this latest one, has always kept details a mystery right up to the very end. The man even denied Benedict Cumberbatch’s true identity in Star Trek Into Darkness even when all seemed like his big surprise was spoiled. We’re sure his team will keep things just as firmly locked up in his absence.
In addition to this new villain, Film Divider also purports that Star Trek 3 will introduce three new female characters, including the captain of a new Federation ship, the President of the United Federation of Planets, and the ex-wife of Bones (played by Karl Urban). This is in direct response to some of the franchise’s critics who’ve called out the films on their two-dimensional female characters. Of course, whether or not this report is legitimate is an important question
It has been confirmed that Star Trek 3 will pick up years after the events of Star Trek Into Darkness and find the Enterprise crew in the midst of the famous five-year voyage. Centering on deep space exploration, the film will take a tone closer to the original TV series, and it’s expected that we’ll come into contact with more alien cultures. While it’s not confirmed, the Klingons seem like a safe bet, as their appearance in the second film seemed to mean more than what we were led to believe. Throw Cranston into this mix, and the studio will surely have guaranteed movie ticket sales.
