'Star Trek' star Chris Pine discusses the sequel

J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot was a hit on nearly every level – critically, financially, you name it. It is, in fact, Abrams’ most well-received film to date. And yet, for various reasons (Super 8 being one of them), it will have been four very long years by the time Star Trek 2 finally hits theaters.

While promoting their new film, People Like Us, Chris Pine and Alex Kurtzman – the star (Captain Kirk) and co-writer, respectively, of the upcoming Star Trek sequel – talked about returning to the Enterprise set, the “relentless” and “much better” story, how the film’s antagonist (played by Benedict Cumberbatch of Sherlock fame) will make Kirk the man he needs to be, and more.

On Benedict Cumberbatch’s yet-to-be-revealed antagonist – courtesy of MTV – Chris Pine said:

“['Star Trek 2'] is structured so that the antagonist brings out all of the qualities in Kirk that need to happen in order for Kirk to grow. As you know from Benedict, just watching him, vocally, he’s fascinating. He’s got this deep resonate voice. He has a fascinating face. He’s a lovely guy and just super smart. You want to see something firing in his brain, so he’s not just a blood-dripping-from-the-fangs bad guy. Benedict brings those kinds of smarts.”

It’s reminiscent of what Kurtzman said a few weeks ago, and unfortunately, just as vague. Benedict is brilliant, et cetera, et cetera. No revelations here, people. Move along.

On returning to the set of the Enterprise for the first time in years – courtesy of Collider - Pine said:

“The first day going back to work we did all the bridge stuff, and that’s always… Even if you’re not a fan, and I was never a fan of the series… you cannot help but step on that bridge and feel kind of overwhelmed. It’s just the set, [but] you’re like, ‘God, I gotta fly this thing!’”

Ah, to be an actor.

On how much better Star Trek 2‘s story will be compared to the first one’s – courtesy of Ain’t It Cool – Pine said:

“['Star Trek 2'] is relentless, and for the visually inclined people who want to see major sequences, there are a couple specifically that I think… I’m not a huge 3-D fan, but I think will be incredible. But what I’m more excited about and what I think they did so well is that really the story is that much better, and the journey that these guys go on is that much more, and what they always talked about is that even though they’re a crew from what we know about the original team, the fun of getting there is following that journey to where they become that tight-knit crew. It’s no fun if they’re already a tight-knit crew. So suffice it to say, they’re still learning how to get along.”

On not wanting to re-establish the same old crew dynamic from the original series (and subsequent films), Alex Kurtzman said:

“The assumption that we did not want to make was that just because he’s in the chair and they’re on the bridge together that they’re the crew that you remember from the original series. They’re not – the crew from the original series had gone on many, many journeys, they were a well-oiled machine in terms of how they function, and these characters are still figuring out who they are and who they are to each other. And I did not want to jump so far ahead that we missed a really important emotional connection to that transition for them.”

There’s also the fact that these Star Trek adventures technically exist inside an altogether separate timeline, so there’s no rule that says the characters ever have to act exactly like the old crew from the old show.

Of course, there’s a fine line between doing fun, new things with (slightly) different versions of the old characters and utterly enraging the die-hard Trekkies who already have mixed feelings about this alternate timeline business being inflicted upon their beloved Star Trek.

Ben Moore blogs at Screen Rant.