[MigueldaRican]

Am I not a real nerd because I choose not to come to conclusions before actually seeing a film?

It happens every time. And about half the time, many people's preconceptions (good or bad) turn out completely wrong.

Everywhere I read, Khan is not confirmed, only speculated as the villain in the next film. Yet I keep seeing fans acting like it is confirmed. I see comments made basically in assumption that it is confirmed, and simply expressing either their disappointment and rage over such a travesty, or expressing joy and excitement.

So is it confirmed, or do we need to do like we should have done last year. Remember? "This movie's gonna suck! They turned the Enterprise into an iMac! AAAah... oh wait, the movie is actually good."

[samwiseb]

It's not confirmed. Trailers begin circulating in two-plus weeks.

If 'it's' not Khan at this point, it could be one of the cleverest deceptions in Hollywood rumor control history. And if anyone is 'worthy' of being able to employ such misdirection towards eager fans -and by willing participation of those said very same fans, no less- it just might happen to be the Abrams team.

On the other hand... if 'it' is Khan, then JJ and company have to know that their movie absolutely needs to hit a home run and be the ST that finally surpasses The Wrath of Khan. Yes, have to, and yes, needs. Because comparisons between the two films would be inevitable.

This by no means guarantees the film would succeed in topping Khan; if anything the odds are 'probably' against. But they would have to know that whatever criticism, abuse or negative buzz they receive, they'll have walked right into it. They have to.

So if 'it' is Khan, take 'some' comfort in the fact that they're fully confident in betting their cards on what they've got. For however much or little you think their confidence is worth in your estimation.

And besides, the whole "It's gonna suck" song and dance has been a seemingly obligatory Trek tradition ever since fans heard negative buzz about the death of Spock and dared Wrath of Khan to 'suck' as much as they believed The Motion Picture did. There's no detour around it. The only way out is through.

[horatio]

Originally Posted by MigueldaRican

Everywhere I read, Khan is not confirmed, only speculated as the villain in the next film. Yet I keep seeing fans acting like it is confirmed. I see comments made basically in assumption that it is confirmed, and simply expressing either their disappointment and rage over such a travesty, or expressing joy and excitement.

I don't remember the precise words but there was something about an iconic character from TOS or something like that. So the talk isn't merely wishful (or doomsday) thinking of some stupid fanboys but actually a fairly rational prediction. Khan is clearly more likely to be the villain than Gary Mitchell or whoever.
And no, just because people have issues with the half-a*sed nature of this reboot which is reflected in the reuse TOS characters doesn't mean that they are whiners or that the movie will actually be bad. There are plenty of interesting and not-so-iconic (this is why STXI sometimes felt like Galaxy Quest, it tried a bit to emulate what the public thinks TOS has been) species you could reuse.

[kevin]

My only thought would echo Sam, if it is Khan then they have to have great belief in what they have chosen to do because it is essentially walking right into a trap just by using him.

It would be basically setting themselves up for an immense fall if they fail to deliver. Like intentionally kicking a Hornet's Nest. As noted there is utterly no 'out' for them if they use him and don't deliver. None of which means the film itself can't and won't be good but it would be a whole other layer of expectation I don't think they need given they've already managed to polarise some people last time around.

If it's not him..............well, I'm at the point where I wouldn't be surprised if it went either way.

[samwiseb]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/59779

Or alternatively...

http://trekmovie.com/2012/11/26/brea...ness-revealed/

[kevin]

Hmmmmmnnnnnnnnn....................that doesn't really sound Khan friendly...................hmmmmmmmmnnnnn.

I'm curious about what some of the wording in the synopsis actually means, and I can but already somewhat hear the echoes of Nolan from just over the hillside, but I'm in a position where I can't make up my mind if this makes me go 'intriguing' or 'u-huh?' but I'm gonna have to see that trailer.

Either way, I don't think we'll have to wait much longer to find out just who Cumberbatch is for definite.

[starbase63]

I'm tellin' you guys, if it's not Gary Mitchell, it's someone mentioned in early TOS like Orci said, possibly someone like the name "Ferris" dropped by Kirk...

[jla1987]

Gary Mitchell seems like the choice at this point, but one never knows for sure with Abrams Mystery Machine...

[DNA-1842]

Gary Mitchell has already been disproven in theory. By the Orci approved comics.

[starwarsrcks]

We should wait until the first trailer comes but I doubt that will give away who Cumberbatch is playing, this secrecy is weird.