The first trailer for director J.J. Abrams’ sequel Star Trek Into Darkness has been released.  Benedict Cumberbatch takes control from the get-go with a narration over a sequence of increasingly dramatic scenes. The rest of the crew get a few seconds of face-time apiece, but action, destruction and Cumberbatch rule over this trailer. While there are no glimpses of space shown, there appears to be at least three separate terrains to keep our heroes busy. And it looks as if someone has lost control of the Starship Enterprise...

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Alice Eve, Peter Weller and Noel Clarke.  Star Trek Into Darkness opens in 3D and IMAX on May 17th, 2013.

Click over to Apple to watch in HD. Be sure to return on December 17th for the full trailer.

Here's the official synopsis for Star Trek Into Darkness:

In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes “Star Trek Into Darkness.”

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.