Seems that Paramount is doing more to shake things up on ‘Star Trek 3‘ than just hiring Justin Lin to direct and getting Simon Pegg and Doug Jung to write the new script, rumor has it that they are looking to cast three women for major roles in the upcoming movie, not to mention a man in the vein of Bryan Cranston to play the film’s villain. The same source has said they’ve even gone as far as to speak to Cranston himself about the role, but there is no official word on whether or not he turned down the offer. Either way, it looks as though they really want to turn up the intensity of the villain.
As for the new ladies, the first role is a female captain of another Starfleet Ship, who will inevtitably give Captain Kirk a run for his money, having similar skill and style. The woman will have to have some onscreen chemistry with Chris Pine and be able to match his energy while playing off the man during the movie. The second lady will be a female President of the United Federation of Planets, which is something we’ve never seen in ‘Star Trek’ before. The woman will have to be a little older and have a major presence on screen to make the part have weight and importance, but there are a lot of female actresses these days who might fit the bill.
The final new female role will be Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy’s ex-wife, though continuity fans might be interested to know that it is unclear whether the character will be previous versions of his ex-wife named Jocelyn Treadway or Pamela Branch, or a brand new character created for this new continuity. This casting choice clearly opens up the door for Karl Urban’s character to get more screen-time, which is always welcome as the man is entertaining to watch.
Let’s hope Justin Lin can find the right ladies for the roles, and the right man to face down Kirk and the Enterprise, and make this movie worthy of the 50 years of franchise goodness that came before it.
Look for ‘Star Trek 3’ to hit theaters in July of 2016.
Sources: Film Divider, Den of Geek
