Benedict Cumberbatch is John Harrison

[The Squirrel]

Originally Posted by marvelrobbins

If Harrison Isn't a cannon character then all this secretcy on him Is stupid.

I don't think it's stupid for a director to want to keep aspects of the film hidden for when you actually see the film.

[johnrain]

With the terrorist bombings in Boston fresh in our minds, will viewers be turned off by Harrison's terrorist ways in this movie?

[TheVileOne]

Originally Posted by johnrain

With the terrorist bombings in Boston fresh in our minds, will viewers be turned off by Harrison's terrorist ways in this movie?

No.

[godisawesome]

Not as much, no. If the Joker could be a terrorist in the vein of 9/11 and Harrison is roughly in the same area, it won't be nearly as bad as people seeing Jack Reacher in the wake of the shootings. The audience is accustomed enough to the idea of a terrorist attack to probably move past it.

[Octoberist]

Originally Posted by johnrain

With the terrorist bombings in Boston fresh in our minds, will viewers be turned off by Harrison's terrorist ways in this movie?

Nah

[Anjow1060]

Things like this really do affect box office money, tho. Spider-man 1 did so well because of 9/11. I mean, sure it was going to do well regardless - but that 119 opening weekend (back when that was a unimaginable number) was surely due to the public longing for some kind of emotional assurance of good conquering evil.

However - I'd guess the recent bombings are more likely to benefit Iron Man 3 the most. The Hero VS The Villain is much easier to grasp instead of the Team of Good Guys VS One Bad guy.

- Jow

[DACrowe]

I'm surprised it isn't posted here. But it has been revealed that...

DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

John Harrison is Khan.

I really did not care if he was or was not Khan. I am just posting here because I am stunned at how needlessly Abrams denied this for over a year when he could have just confirmed it like normal people do when an image leaked. Is there really a reason for this long con other than to drive up hype with only diehards who you already have in your back pocket?

Khan, Harrison or Dr. Evil, I do not think most people will care. It just seems so pointless to make a mystery out of that

End of thought.

[jonathancrane]

I read the so-called accounts and was not sold by them (

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

magical tribbles? really?

) I do suspect the connection is there, but, all of the individuals who have "spoiled it" have presented accounts that reek of bs.

[godisawesome]

I'm not believing it yet, though I do feel he's fulfilling the Khan archetype with one major difference. Harrison seems to keep the personal beef with Starfleet as a whole and to dismiss Kirk as an upstart, whole Kirk is the one recklessly pursuing an opponent with a grudge.

[StarLord]

So people who guessed he was someone are now upset that he might actually be that someone?

The mind boggles.

[jonathancrane]

They are upset because Abrams denied it; but, that goes back to the issue of fan entitlement (having leaks from the studio and images of the production.)

[DrMylesOBoogie]

Damon Lindelof stop ruining things I like. Biggest hack in the business presently and that is saying something.

[jonathancrane]

I haven't watched many of his contributions, but, there does seem to be a trend:
-Lost
-Prometheus
-and now STD?

[pr0xyt0xin]

Okay, bad timing for this theory considering the above rumors, but WHAT IF:

John Harrison says to Kirk something like, "Our fathers served aboard the USS Kelvin together. So when he died like the dog he was, my mother named me instead. Perhaps I should be grateful that I didn't have to carry on the name of that pathetic weakling, Ensign John Mitchell."

idk. just something I was thinking of on the bike ride home.

[johnrain]

Why couldn't Irrfan Khan from Life of Pi have played Harrison?

[DACrowe]

I am not upset one way or the other, because I honestly do not care. I think, if true, it represents a weird desperate knack on Abrams's part to build up hype. It worked on Lost and Alias, but it reminds me of not showing the creature in the Super-8 trailers. It just feels too cute, if you know what I mean.

[Octoberist]

Originally Posted by jonathancrane

They are upset because Abrams denied it; but, that goes back to the issue of fan entitlement (having leaks from the studio and images of the production.)

Yup

[DarthSkywalker]

Originally Posted by DACrowe

I am not upset one way or the other, because I honestly do not care. I think, if true, it represents a weird desperate knack on Abrams's part to build up hype. It worked on Lost and Alias, but it reminds me of not showing the creature in the Super-8 trailers. It just feels too cute, if you know what I mean.

Very well said. It isn't llike everyone who it will have meaning to won't know before the movie comes out.

[flickchick85]

Originally Posted by DACrowe

I am not upset one way or the other, because I honestly do not care. I think, if true, it represents a weird desperate knack on Abrams's part to build up hype. It worked on Lost and Alias, but it reminds me of not showing the creature in the Super-8 trailers. It just feels too cute, if you know what I mean.

I completely agree. That's been bugging me about Abrams for a while now. He and Nolan are the primary perpetrators of this...but for some reason, when Nolan's secretive, it comes across to me as a genuine attempt to preserve the "magic" of surprise that movies used to have, but when Abrams does it, comes off as a publicity move. I don't know why that is, really - maybe it's because the things Abrams keeps hidden are often things that seem pointless/ridiculous to hide.

[godisawesome]

Abrams also tends to sometimes sell mystery for the sake of mystery-look at Lost, where a lot of the answers were only thought about after quite a few episodes were spent on the questions. Nolan seems to sell mystery for the sake of the reveal.

[batman strikes]

Is anybody else tired of these so called twist Hollywood is giving us. I understand Iron Man 3 because I would of never seen that coming if I hadn't heard about it. But I feel it was really pointless for them to keep this a secret. I felt the same way with Skyfall with the reveal of Moneypenny. It's a cool little beat at the end of the film. but what did it do for the story when we could of heard her name earlier in the film.

Don't get me wrong I'm not upset about it because I'm sure in the film it will be cool reveal. It's just I really don't want this to become a habit in Hollywood films.

[Octoberist]

Originally Posted by flickchick85

I completely agree. That's been bugging me about Abrams for a while now. He and Nolan are the primary perpetrators of this...but for some reason, when Nolan's secretive, it comes across to me as a genuine attempt to preserve the "magic" of surprise that movies used to have, but when Abrams does it, comes off as a publicity move. I don't know why that is, really - maybe it's because the things Abrams keeps hidden are often things that seem pointless/ridiculous to hide.

With Abrams I think it's admirable what he's trying to do....but he's going about it the wrong way. Because by the time Star Trek into Darkness comes out, it's mystery will be Hollywood's best worst kept secret in a long time unfortunately.

[Octoberist]

Originally Posted by flickchick85

I completely agree. That's been bugging me about Abrams for a while now. He and Nolan are the primary perpetrators of this...but for some reason, when Nolan's secretive, it comes across to me as a genuine attempt to preserve the "magic" of surprise that movies used to have, but when Abrams does it, comes off as a publicity move. I don't know why that is, really - maybe it's because the things Abrams keeps hidden are often things that seem pointless/ridiculous to hide.

Keep in mind I like JJ but...

I kinda agree. Because I liked the fact that JJ's protecting his brand(s) from our spoiler-hungry culture, but at the same time, he also flaunts his 'mystery box', which comes off more of a PR move sometimes.

It's a method that has ran its course, me thinks. Not to say that JJ should be revealing every plot point in his future projects; more like stop dangling it above our heads.

[Rowsdower!]

I really like JJ too but yeah, I guess I would kind of agree with that. Super 8 is the best example. I wish they would have just sold it as a straight up alien movie instead of trying to act like there was this big secret about it. Because in the end, the big secret was just a giant ugly alien with Magneto powers. Big whoop.

[StarLord]

Google Play 'Star Trek Into Darkness' interview with Benedict: