Star Trek Scores Scotty, Sulu
Great Scotty—the Starship Enterprise just ensured that the careers of two more thesps will live long and, with any luck, prosper.
Brit comic hotshot Simon Pegg, who cowrote and starred in Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle titular slacker John Cho have signed on to star as Scotty and Sulu, respectively, in the upcoming 11th installment of the Star Trek franchise.
Pegg will play the transporter-operating, brogue-sporting engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, the ship's third in command. The role was originally played by James Doohan.
Pegg's manager, Dawn Sedgewick, told BBC News the actor had been offered the role by director J.J. Abrams earlier this week and that the deal was now simply subject to "the usual paperwork." The film will mark Pegg's second time working with Abrams, the first being his costarring role in Mission: Impossible 3.
Cho, meanwhile, takes over the iconic role of fencing enthusiast Hikaru Sulu in the revamped franchise, a part originated by George Takei.
At 37 and 35, respectively, Pegg and Cho become the oldest of the new Trek guard.
The casting confirmations cap a week of headline-grabbing revelations for Trekkies. Earlier, Eric Bana signed on to play the film's villainous Nero, and it was revealed that Just My Luck star Chris Pine is the lead candidate for Captain James T. Kirk, if the actor can fit the film into his schedule.
Aside from the basic premise—the now familiar crew meets up at Starfleet Academy and embarks on its first mission—official plot details remain under wraps. Unconfirmed reports have circulated that the storyline will revolve around Nero's plot to assassinate the young Kirk.
Pegg and Cho join previously cast crewmembers Zachary Quinto (Spock), Zoe Saldana (Uhura) and Anton Yelchin (Pavel Chekov). Yet to be filled are the parts of ship doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy; Christopher Pike, the Enterprise's first captain; and, per the Hollywood Reporter, Kirk's parents.
No word on whether other original Trek characters, such as Janice Rand, the ship's yeoman, and Christine Chapel, the head nurse, figure into the film.
Shooting begins next month and is expected to last through March 2008. The film is already slated for a Christmas 2008 release.
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