Star Trek Beyond – in true J.J. Abrams "Mystery Box" fashion – is a film surrounded with a lot of secrecy. Not much is known about the third film in the rebooted Star Trek Universe, especially about the menacing alien villain played by Idris Elba. The actor has finally opened up about the character and revealed the answers to at least a few burning questions we have about the villain.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly about Star Trek Beyond, the actor revealed that the villain’s name is Krall and that he’s an original character created for the movie. Entertainment Weekly teased the interview on their Twitter account, showcasing a very menacing Krall about to go to town on some poor guy.
In the interview, Idris Elba was able to touch briefly on his character's motivation. Previously thought to be of the Gorn race, Krall is actually a part of an entirely new species being introduced to the Star Trek universe. Krall has a powerful hatred for the Federation and will have a serious axe to grind with the crew of the Enterprise. He’s "quite political" and has a belief that the Federation aren’t the good guys they think they are. Krall fights for independence and he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, as seen in the above photo. Unlike previous series villains like Khan, Krall is "predatory" and isn’t one for giving speeches.
It sounds like Krall will be a much more action-oriented villain, which makes sense given that the film is directed by Justin Lin (Fast Five). His motivations being driven by personal political views might also be a relief to hear for older Star Trek fans, who felt the reboot had lost the moral and philosophical debates that the classic Sci-Fi series is known best for in favor of more stream lined action. This threequel seems to be trying to please both worlds and provide a meaningful Star Trek while having lots of motorcycle riding action.
For a reminder on how Krall looks in the film, check out the first trailer for Star Trek Beyond, where you can catch a few brief glimpses of the alien baddie.
Star Trek Beyond finds Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise stranded on a foreign planet. They’ll have to find a way off the planet while dealing with the mysterious Krall (Idris Elba) and his army.
Star Trek Beyond is expected to drop a new trailer soon and the film will be released in theaters this summer on July 22.
