With ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ finally entering production earlier this month, it was only a matter of time before we started seeing leaks from the set. That much was a given, but I can’t imagine anyone expected the first major leak to be this significant.
Initially posted as a Facebook screenshot on The Trek BBS, the leak is a photo that shows what appears to be a group of Klingons in full costume and makeup. And while there has not yet been any official confirmation, we are currently hearing from anonymous sources associated with the production that these are indeed Klingons. Though we have long known that the fan favorite warrior race would play a major role on ‘Discovery’, with Chris Obi, Shazad Latif, and Mary Chieffo announced as the lead Klingons, This marks our first look at the latest iteration of the Klingons, and while we really only see them from behind, it is entirely possible that this leak will spur the release of more official (or at least higher quality) photos of the full makeup.
Though we have long known that the fan favorite warrior race would play a major role on ‘Discovery’, with Chris Obi, Shazad Latif, and Mary Chieffo announced as the lead Klingons, this marks our first look at the latest iteration of the alien species and while we really only see them from behind, it is entirely possible that this leak will spur the release of more official (or at least higher quality) photos of the full makeup.
The photo itself (cropped from the original screenshot) is included below:
As shown in the banner image, the Klingons featured on the original ‘Star Trek’ famously had a more smooth-headed, swarthy appearance than what we know associate with them before the makeup was updated to the more familiar ridged foreheads in light of the vastly larger budgets granted to the franchise’s first theatrical outing. Fans being fans, there was always a degree of speculation as to whether there was an in-story reason for the change (and if so, what it might have been) or if we were simply meant to assume that the Klingons has always looked like that. The difference in appearance was acknowledged on screen for the first time in a ‘Deep Space Nine’ episode that tied into the thirtieth anniversary in 1996, though an actual explanation remained elusive until ‘Enterprise’ finally addressed the matter in 2005. In short, the Klingon facelift resulted from a virus that was accidentally created through their experiments on samples of genetically engineered human DNA. Despite this, it seems that ‘Discovery’ (like the JJ Abrams films before it) will favor a variation of the rigid makeup. Though the continuity-obsessive among us (a group with which I clearly identify) may wonder whether or not ‘Discovery’ will make a point of addressing this seeming discrepancy, it’s reasonable to assume that not every Klingon was affected by the virus.
‘Star Trek: Discovery’ is currently scheduled to premiere later this year on the CBS All Access streaming service, though a specific date has yet to be announced. The series’ confirmed cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, James Frain, Michelle Yeoh, Shazad Latif, Chris Obi, and Mary Chieffo.
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