Slowly (perhaps, too slowly for our liking) but surely, fans are seeing more of the still mysterious Star Trek Beyond, the third film in the rebooted film franchise and the first from director Justin Lin. While we continue to piece together exactly what’s going on with the Enterprise crew and the new villain on the intergalactic block, Idris Elba, a new image has crash landed with Spock, Bones, and the new alien Jaylah in tow.
The image hails from Empire’s latest issue and reveals a shot of the previously mentioned trio crouching and ready to spring into action. Sofia Boutella rocked a pair of leg blades as the spry Gazelle in Kingsman: The Secret Service, but here she’s rocking her black-and-white body paint as a new character from the great Beyond.
See the image below.
As Lin told the magazine, Star Trek Beyond brings back the theme of the Federation’s role in the galaxy. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock, (Zachary Quinto), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), and the rest of the Enterprise crew are two years into their five-year mission when they rest at a Federation outpost. They end up clashing with hostile forces, one of which has been revealed to be Elba’s character, Krall. Pegg teased of the film’s central question, “We’re gathering a great community within the galaxy, but to what end? What does it all mean?”
Star Trek Beyond will hit theaters on July 22nd, but 2016 also marks the 50th anniversary of the original Star Trek series. So, you know, no pressure on Lin or anything, but if there was a time to not fuck things it up, it’d be during this significant cultural moment. That said, based on what we’ve seen from the first teaser trailer and imagery, and what Lin has expressed about his long-held passion for the property, we should at least give the film the benefit of the doubt. Following up a film like Star Trek Into Darkness, which Trekkers still bemoan, is not the most coveted position.
