Stardate -313652.055.

“‘In a world where a movie as incredibly produced as The Dark Knight is raking in gazillions of dollars, Star Trek stands in stark contrast,’ Abrams says. ‘It was important to me that optimism be cool again.’” In anticipation of its May-2009 launch, several images from J.J. Abrams’ much-anticipated Star Trek reboot materialize on the tubes. (Above from left to right, we have Chekhov (Anton Yelchin), Kirk (Chris Pine), Scotty (Shaun/Simon Pegg), Bones (Eomer/Karl Urban), Sulu (Harold/John Cho), and Uhura (Zoe Saldana). Notably missing, of course, is Spock (Sylar/Zachary Quinto) — you can see him (looking strangely angry for a Vulcan) here.)

Despite what the post title may imply — I used this — I’ve never been much more than a casual Trekkie, and even less of a fan of J.J. Abrams’ output. (I’m just going to presume Kirk gets tortured at some point in this movie.) Still, it’s hard to imagine my not catching this anyway.

On the trail of Trek.

In advance of ComicCon, the preview poster for J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot hits the tubes. (That’s Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura, (Zoe Saldana), and the Big Bad (Eric Bana) — click through for the individual one-sheets.) Still unseen: Bones (Karl Urban), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Sulu (John Cho), and Chekov (Anton Yelchin).

Hmmm. I’m only a casual Trekkie at best, and everything I’ve ever seen with Abrams’ name on it (MI:3, Cloverfield, the occasional episode of Alias and Lost) has been underwhelming. And I can’t say frontlining Uhura as the eye candy or introducing yet another putty-ridged-forehead baddy (He’s meant to be Romulan, apparently) gives me much enthusiasm for this. But I’ll probably see it nonetheless.

Scot Fuzz?

He’ll need more dilithium crystals, Captain…Following news that Chris Pine has been offered the role of James T. Kirk and that Eric Bana will play the villain (“Nero”) in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot, Simon Pegg joins the Enterprise crew as Montgomery Scott. Ooh, that’ll be fun. Perhaps we’ll get Nick Frost as a Redshirt? Update: And another. John Cho, best known as Harold of Harold & Kumar, will suit up as Sulu. Update 2: And now McCoy…Karl Urban.

Smokin’ | Hot.

In the trailer bin, a second look at Joe Carnahan’s Smokin’ Aces (or as one AICN wag dubbed it, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Underworld) — I actually had a pass to a screening for this last week, but ended up skipping it…Oh well. And the Shaun of the Dead team of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost get backup from Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, and Timothy Dalton in the full trailer for Hot Fuzz.