October 15, 2007

Star Trek Reboot Calls Funnymen Simon Pegg, John Cho Aboard USS Enterprise

By Shawn Adler (MTV.com)

Beam them up, J.J.

Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead star Simon Pegg has been cast as chief engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated Star Trek reboot, Variety reports, while John Cho of Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle has been cast as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

While both actors are best known for their comedic work, their characters are no laughing matter to generations of devoted Star Trek fans. Originally played by the late James Doohan, Scotty was third in command of the USS Enterprise, a lieutenant commander whose technical knowledge and engineering abilities were unparalleled in the Star Trek universe. A quick thinker, Scotty was renowned for coming up with creative and unconventional solutions.

An American, Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu was a helmsman known for his somewhat eccentric passions, among them botany, fencing and ancient weaponry. Originally played by George Takei, Sulu eventually rose to the rank of captain as commander of the USS Excelsior.

The role of Captain James Kirk, meanwhile, is still technically up for grabs, with 27-year-old actor Chris Pine in serious negotiations and the odds-on favorite. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement star is also rumored to be up for a major role in Joe Carnahan's upcoming White Jazz.

Not much is known about the plot of the Trek reboot beyond the fact that it will follow the formation of the Enterprise Crew and their first adventures together.

Pegg and Cho join a cast that already includes Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov, Zoë Saldana as Uhura, Zachary Quinto as Spock and Eric Bana as Nero.