Given the overwhelming success of J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek,” much ado has been made over the sequel, which started production not too long ago. One of the more interesting stories to come out of the flurry of activity surrounding the new film is the casting of rising star Benedict Cumberbatch as the chief villain.

The very busy actor could only express his excitement about the project when MTV News caught up with him at the Golden Globes, but co-star Chris Pine had a little bit more to offer about Cumberbatch’s contributions to the film thus far.

And for those outside of the United States, you can watch the video here: @DailyMotion

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William Shatner was recently a guest at the Wizard World convention in New Orleans the other day. While there, Shatner was asked by a fan if he ever hated Captain Kirk but all the while he was happy to let everyone know was also well aware that the Star Trek sequel is now filming, and he noted that, having been impressed by the work of Chris Pine in Star Trek (2009), Kirk is in good hands.

“He’s a lovely young man, who is really talented and looks really good,” Shatner said, praising Pine. “He’s got the demeanor, the body and the voice. So along with being a good actor, he’s got all the right equipment.”

In other Star Trek related news…

Chris has been quoted saying that British stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Alice Eve have been settling in well on the set of the Star Trek sequel.

The 31-year-old actor, who plays Captain James T Kirk in JJ Abrams’s film reboot of the classic series, took time out of filming the sci-fi blockbuster to attend the premiere of his latest film, This Means War.

And he revealed that filming so far has been “fantastic”, and that his new co-stars are fitting in well.

Pine commented:

“They’re getting on great. We have a really good, warm, inclusive group from the first one and I think everybody’s kind of getting the hang of things and fitting in quite nicely.”

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According to Trek Movie, the sequel to STAR TREK is set to begin production on January 15, 2012.

Screenwriters Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof are currently at work on the third draft of the script. Benicio Del Toro is reportedly set to star in the highly anticipated film in the role of its villain. Actors Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Zoe Saldana are also set to reprise their roles in the movie.

Trek Movie reports that the studio is “very enthusiastic” about the project and very supportive of producer/director J.J. Abrams and his core team.”

Hawaii may serve as one of the locations for the shoot for the film’s fictional “jungle planet”. Other locations may include a museum in Los Angeles and the stages of the Paramount lot.

The film is set to open in theaters in late 2012 or summer 2013.

To read the article in its entirety, click here.

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Star Trek actor Chris Pine has revealed how he hopes to see his character, Captain Kirk grow in Star Trek 2 and how he hopes to see this done. Chris also admitted that he had full faith in everybody associated with the movie to make it happen and work better than he could imagine.

Pine explained, “I don’t know. I look forward to his development and bringing to light all his idiosyncrasies and thinking up new ways to surprise people with this character. I just trust Damon Lindelof and Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman and J.J. Abrams and everybody behind it to create another good story, because they’ve already done it.”

He added, “I appreciate Kirk’s humor and I think that’s a legacy from Shatner’s Kirk, from the original and only Kirk, which I would love to bring into the future incarnation.” Star Trek 2 is expected to be released on August 16, 2012 but this could yet change.

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Attention impatient sequelphiles: Vulture can confirm that J.J. Abrams has finally committed to shooting Star Trek 2. Insiders familiar with the director’s plans tell Vulture that pre-production is underway, that the script will be done by month’s end and that Abrams will start shooting this winter.

While many assumed he would make the follow-up to his 2009 hit, he would never give a date for the project, or actually say for sure that he would be the one directing. In July, reports elsewhere surfaced that Abrams was “moving towards a commitment” to direct the sequel (which, of course, is Internet for “hasn’t committed yet”) but his delay had pushed a nervous Paramount Pictures to give Trek 2’s late June 2012 release date to a G.I. Joe sequel.

Part of the hold-up has been that Alex Kurtzman, who wrote Abrams’ first Trek with Roberto “Bob” Orci, has been busy editing and posting Welcome to People, his directing debut at DreamWorks Pictures. We’re told that now that Kurtzman is finished with those duties, he is back in his office and the team is ready to work. Plug in the Starbucks I.V., lads! These new life-forms and new civilizations aren’t going to seek out themselves!

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Director J.J. Abrams’ latest film, “Super 8,” comes out this Friday, but what about the highly-anticipated sequel to his 2009 take on “Star Trek”? Will it still be released next summer, as planned?

“I’m not so sure, but I know that we’re trying,” Abrams told CNN on Sunday at the press junket for “Super 8.” “We’re working on the script and story and doing everything we can to make it well. I would just so much rather make a movie that’s worth people’s time than make a movie that’s on time.”

The sequel is currently set for a June 29, 2012 release. Abrams has plenty on his plate, including the upcoming TV shows “Person of Interest” and “Alcatraz,” and he reiterated that he wants the next “Star Trek” to be a worthy sequel.

“I’m not inclined to push it. I’m inclined to make a movie that’s good and if it works out in that timetable then we’ll all be thrilled,” he said. “If it doesn’t, when the movie comes out it’ll be worth the wait.”

One can only assume that there will be no appearances by Captain Kirk’s arch-enemy Khan in this “Star Trek 2.”

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