So, Star Trek has taken the box office on its opening weekend with an estimated $76,500,000. With tremendous reviews, a current 96% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, and what will undoubtedly be great word of mouth, it’s looking likely that the movie will not only be a success but that it will spawn a sequel. The writers of this film, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are contracted to write the sequel (also this cast signed a multi-picture deal in case it was a success) and have hinted at the possibility of including Kahn in the next one (Kahn appeared in the original series episode “Space Seed” and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn).
I’m going to go on record and say that I hope they don’t put Kahn into the sequel. “Why?” you might ask. Well, Kahn is the iconic villain of Star Trek lore, despite only appearing in roughly three hours worth of programming. Yeah, it’d be great to see him represented on screen again, but then where do you go from there? The indications are that the actors had to sign three picture deals (which is standard for franchises anymore), meaning Paramount has a potential trilogy on their hands. And that’s exactly how I would start looking at it: a trilogy. And if they’re going to do a trilogy, why blow their load early? Why not save the strongest villain for the final part and go out with a bang? (There will most likely be more than three movies, but this cast is only guaranteed for three).
But then where would that leave the second film? Well, apart from Spock and Kahn, there is another icon of Star Trek.
The Klingons.
Apart from the Vulcans, what alien race do people think of when they think of Star Trek? And who was mentioned but mysteriously absent in the recent reboot of the series? The Klingons have gotten a bad wrap in the Star Trek universe over the last few series and I’d wager that this proud race of warriors is in need of as much of a makeover as the series itself was. JJ Abrams and crew have the opportunity to avenge past portrayals of the Klingons and return them to the intergalactic bad asses that they should be.
So, that’s what I’d like to see. A movie in which the Klingons attempt an overthrow of the Federation and in which Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise are naturally the last line of defense between the warriors and their prey. Then, once that’s out of the way, I’d like to see Kahn Noonien Singh attempt to enslave humanity in a third installment. After this first movie, I think that’d make for a kick-ass little trilogy. Throw Kahn into the mix too early though and you run the risk of winding up with a third part that’s about as flaccid as Spider-man 3. And no one likes a flaccid Kirk. Especially the Orion Slave girls.
