J.J. Abrams discusses Star Trek Into Darkness villain

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Sheds some light on Benedict Cumberbatch’s role

Ever since Benedict Cumberbatch was cast in Star Trek Into Darkness , the chatter concerning his character’s identity has been ceaseless. Is he Khan? Is he not Khan? Is “John Harrison” just a pseudonym?

And while director J.J. Abrams has kept his cards too close to his chest for too long to give anything major away now, he has been discussing the character in a new interview that contains a few interesting tidbits of info.

“His name is John Harrison and he is sort of an average," says Abrams. "That is what makes him so scary – he is just an average guy who works in an organization called Starfleet, and he turns against the group because he has got this back-story and this kind of amazing secret agenda.”

“After two very violent attacks, one in London and one in the US, our characters have to go after this guy and apprehend him. And it is a far more complicated and difficult thing than they ever anticipated. Into Darkness is very much about how intense it gets and really what they are up against.”

Perhaps Harrison is just an average Joe then, after all… although it really wouldn’t be beyond Abrams to be spinning some ongoing misdirection in advance of the film’s big release…

We’ll find out for sure when Star Trek Into Darkness opens in the UK on 17 May 2013.

George Wales
George Wales

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.