10 intriguing things we learned from the new 'Star Trek Into Darkness' preview

Just who is Benedict Cumberbatch playing?

By Chris Eggersten, Dave Lewis, Gregory Ellwood Friday, Dec 7, 2012 3:44 AM

"Star Trek" fans have been anxiously waiting for any footage of J.J. Abrams' sequel to the massively successful 2009 reboot. Early Thursday morning Paramount Pictures quenched some of that thirst by delivering an unexpected 1:03 long preview online before the film's full trailer hits on Dec. 17. It's a great tease before the formal trailer and the 9 minute extended preview fans can view in theaters before "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" beginning on the 14th.

Unsurprisingly, the new preview for "Star Trek Into Darkness" prompted more questions than answers. The HitFix editorial staff scoured the 63 seconds (or 77 seconds if you count the Japanese version) and easily came up with 10 astute observations you can discover by clicking on the story gallery embedded in this post.

Agree or disagree on our points? Share your thoughts below.

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10 things we learned from the new 'Star Trek Into Darkness' preview

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LemuelG

I just wanted to point out that in Wrath of Khan, it is Spock's hand that goes against the glass first, only then followed by Kirk's hand on the other side. Here, the hand on the other side (Chris Pine's? Or Benedict Cumberbatch's?) is there first, followed by what we assume would be Spock's. This might hint toward certain roles being changed here versus the iconic original scene. But obviously this is a play with expectations going on here, and it works absolutely fine with me.

Btw, anyone wants to bet against me on Star Trek 3 being called "Star Trek Into Light"?
December 7, 2012 at 6:17AM EST Reply to Comment
Brian

forget khan you can milk at LEAST two movies from that story - why roll it all into one ?? Eve is playing Elizabeth Dehner , and Benedict is Gary Mitchell , who apparently has been rewritten as a Kirk family member
December 7, 2012 at 7:13AM EST Reply to Comment
- johnnyrocket That said, I just watched it frame by frame.. and Cumberbatch is fighting the new version of a Klingon warrior; scene in the out takes on the blu ray of the last movie. This could also suggest a revamp of the Khan mythology, i.e. Star Fleet has a 'current' covert Eugenics soldier program going in in the 23rd Century and Kahn gets left for dead at some point and seeks revenge on Star Fleet/Kirk for it?
  December 7, 2012 at 10:40AM EST
johnnyrocket

My only added conjecture at this point, is that if all the Kahn 'clues' are still red herrings.. and the other rumors that Cumberbatch is actually playing Gary Mitchel are true (making this a quasi sequel to Where No Man Has Gone before and Not Space Seed) then Alice Eve's character might be Dr. Elizabeth Dehner.
December 7, 2012 at 10:22AM EST Reply to Comment
- HT Alice Eve character could be Dr.Dehner since she has the hairstyle, is blond and looks a dead ringer to the actress who play her in the "2nd" pilot of TOS "Where No Man Has Gone Before" but then again..I would like to think she will be playing a young Carol Marcus and one question that has NOT been ask is this: HOW long has it been since "Star Trek" 3 months, 6 months a year? once that question has been answer i think we can really figure WHO is really the villain of the movie: Khan?(doubtful) or Gary Mitchell?
  December 9, 2012 at 1:49AM EST
Augusta

Maybe this is just all a trick, and they're suddenly going to give us a character played by Benedict Cumberbatch who is not one of the two people suggested? Does it have to be one of the two?
December 7, 2012 at 10:46AM EST Reply to Comment
mike

It's not Khan, it's not Mitchell. It's Garth of Izar. Bet on it.
December 7, 2012 at 11:22AM EST Reply to Comment
- Wildsubnet That would be fun. Fact is, it could be anyone based on what we have seen and the "rebooted" timeline. I think Mitchell makes more sense than Khan assuming what we know...
  December 7, 2012 at 1:16PM EST
JIm

My guess is Garth of Izar. The hand scene won't be what it appears to be...possibly a flashback of some type. The love interest will turn out to be Janice Rand.
December 7, 2012 at 1:47PM EST Reply to Comment
FistOSalmon

I'd guess from the snippet at the end of the japanese trailer that the hands on glass scene will be in the nine minute preview, one of those hands is Cumberbatch's and the other someone's whose death he blames on Kirk/The Federation and that's why he's after revenge.

I've not seen most of the original series since I was really young, but perhaps someone else has an idea who it could be besides Khan. Frankly I don't think it's Khan, if it was that shot wouldn't be in it. That's Abrams having some fun with the fans expectations and giving a shout out to classic scenes from the first iteration. Even if it's not Khan a classic revenge story (like Star Trek II was) seems like a good fit after a feel good start to the last one.
December 7, 2012 at 2:16PM EST Reply to Comment
MajorSyko

From IMDB Alice Eve ... Dr. Carol Marcus
December 13, 2012 at 9:43AM EST Reply to Comment
ninny

Villain looks like helmsman Gary Mitchell to me.
December 14, 2012 at 5:17AM EST Reply to Comment
- Mike Which would make Alice Eve the new Sally Kellerman? I like it.
  December 17, 2012 at 4:54PM EST