So Much for That Idea: Pegg Offered Scotty Role
Friday October 12, 2007
Despite the fact that the obvious choice, Paul McGillion, had recently auditioned, BBC News is reporting that Simon Pegg has been offered the role of Montgomery Scott in J.J. Abrams's forthcoming film reboot of the Star Trek franchise.
Pegg is best known for his recent films Shaun of the Dead and Hott Fuzz; he also played The Editor in the season 1 Doctor Who episode "The Long Game." Abrams himself is reported to be a fan of Pegg and Shaun of the Dead; when Ricky Gervais opted out of the role of Benji in Abrams's Mission Impossible III, Abrams offered it to Pegg.
According to the BBC report, Pegg's manager Dawn Sedgewick said he had been offered the part, which was now subject to "the usual paperwork".
The roles already reportedly cast for the film include John Cho (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle) for Sulu, Eric Bana as the villain, Nero, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Anton Yelchin as Chekov, and Zachary Quinto (Heroes) as a Spock. Leonard Nimoy, who originated the role of Spock, is slated for a cameo as an older Spock. Chris Pine is in talks to play the young Kirk.
The casting of an overtly comic actor may raise alarm bells with Star Trek fans as a signal that Abrams plans to use the role as comic relief, rather than exploring the engineer as a character. Nonetheless Pegg has demonstrated enough range in his previous performances that, should Abrams elect to flesh out Scotty's character, Pegg is equal to the job. Meanwhile, the move constitutes yet another blow to those who count ourselves Paul McGillion fans.
Pegg is best known for his recent films Shaun of the Dead and Hott Fuzz; he also played The Editor in the season 1 Doctor Who episode "The Long Game." Abrams himself is reported to be a fan of Pegg and Shaun of the Dead; when Ricky Gervais opted out of the role of Benji in Abrams's Mission Impossible III, Abrams offered it to Pegg.
According to the BBC report, Pegg's manager Dawn Sedgewick said he had been offered the part, which was now subject to "the usual paperwork".
The roles already reportedly cast for the film include John Cho (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle) for Sulu, Eric Bana as the villain, Nero, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Anton Yelchin as Chekov, and Zachary Quinto (Heroes) as a Spock. Leonard Nimoy, who originated the role of Spock, is slated for a cameo as an older Spock. Chris Pine is in talks to play the young Kirk.
The casting of an overtly comic actor may raise alarm bells with Star Trek fans as a signal that Abrams plans to use the role as comic relief, rather than exploring the engineer as a character. Nonetheless Pegg has demonstrated enough range in his previous performances that, should Abrams elect to flesh out Scotty's character, Pegg is equal to the job. Meanwhile, the move constitutes yet another blow to those who count ourselves Paul McGillion fans.
Comments
I was really astounded to read that casting news. I think Pegg is great in shows like Shaun of the Dead and such, but never once would have thought of him as Scotty. Still can’t. I could see Paul McGillion very easily as Scotty. Sigh. Oh well, just saved myself $7, or $8 or whatever a matinee costs…
I don’t get it. Simply calling some character “Scotty” or “Kirk” isn’t going to make a Star Trek “episode” happen. These folks are NOT the characters we know, they’ll do a cheesy “hommage” at best, the story will be an attempt to draw on all the forshadowing “aha!” stuff that was so mangled on “Enterprise”, and it’s hard to think that there is some new wrinkle re: our old (OLD! and wrinkled!) heroes that could be brought to light to sustain a 80 minute movie. Do we CARE about the first mission, or whatever? What could possibly capture anybody’s heart or imagination about this whole project?
It is simply trading in on the Star Trek name. When “Enterprise” turned out o be dreadful, un-fun, Berman et al somehow presented it as our “fault”, that we weren’t “hungry” enough for Star Trek to appreciate it. But wasn’t the fact of the matter that it was a show that wouldn’t have lasted past the first commercial if it hadn’t had the Star Trek name slapped on to it? I think that’s exactly what’s about to happen again, with this fool movie!
Why not have all these talented actors in a new Star Trek movie, with new characters and missions? Well - then they couldn’t count on a built in audience to show up!
Kids, we’re all going to be disappointed!Boycott this junk, Trekkers! Refuse to be part of really shameful commercial exploitation of something you and I loved - years ago.
If there’s to be another movie or show, do it right: let another generation run all over space, give us new people to cheer for, and a new sense that the future looks bright.