Benedict Cumberbatch recalls how theStar Trek Into Darknesscrew pranked him during filming. Released in 2013 and directed by J.J. Abrams, the second of theKelvin TimelineStar Trekmoviesfollows Chris Pine’s James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they attempt to track down and apprehend a terrorist superhuman named Khan Noonien Sing. Cumberbatch plays Khan in the film, a casting that was kept secret prior to the film’s release.
During a recent interview withVarietyin which guests attempt to guess lines from their own movies and TV shows, Cumberbatch identifies a Khan line fromStar Trek Into Darkness. This leads to a story about his experiences filming within the National Ignition Facility for the movie, and the elaborate prank that the crew of the movie pulled on him involving “neutron cream.” Check out Cumberbatch’s story below:
We worked in some amazing places, some amazing sets. And then we went to this really amazing , amazing location, the National Ignition Facility, which is where they’re hoping to create nuclear fusion rather than fission. And the only byproduct of that is water. They convinced me before I got there that there was this neutron cream you had to dot on your face to protect against all the neutrons that were flying around in the air.
And I’m like, “I’m not sure. Really?” And you know, who am I to question science? I’ve played a few scientists but I don’t, you know, I’m not Stephen Hawking. So maybe it’s some crazy American, sort of, insurance thing. This is all by way of, you know, excusing how stupid I am.
What Cumberbatch’s Khan Casting Meant For Star Trek Into Darkness
Why Khan Was Kept A Secret
All three of the Kelvin TimelineStar Trekmovies were generally well-received, butInto Darknessproved to be somewhat divisive.Star Trek Into Darkness' reviews were positive, for the most part, butKhan’s inclusion in the movie and Cumberbatch’s casting didn’t sit well with all audiences. Part of this stemmed from marketing for the movie hiding the true identity of Cumerbatch’s character, and a great deal of effort was put into misdirecting audiences before the movie’s premiere.
Why A Star Trek Movie With 84% On Rotten Tomatoes Was Voted The Franchise’s Worst
Star Trek Into Darkness' reception among Star Trek fans was more negative than general audiences, but what caused the backlash to J.J. Abrams' sequel?
In an interview withMTVin 2013, Abrams revealed thatthe decision to keep Cumberbatch’s character a secret was part of an attempt to not exclude those who weren’t familiar withStar Trek. He admits, however, that he does “wonder if it would have seemed a little bit less like an attempt at deception if we had just come out with it.” In the end, though,Into Darknessgrossed $467 million worldwide and became thehighest-grossingStar Trekmovie.
Star Trek Into Darknesshas an 84% critics' score onRotten Tomatoesand an 89% audience score.
Our Take On Cumerbatch’s Into Darkness Prank Story
Star Trek 4 Should Happen
One of the major reasons why the Kelvin TimelineStar Trekmovies were all generally well-received is because of their casting.Actors like Pine, Karl Urban, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldaña, and Simon Pegg, among others, all had great chemistry on-screen, nailing the fun moments of banter and the high-stakes action set pieces. Cumberbatch fit well into this dynamic, ultimately giving life to a chilling and formidable villain.
Though Cumberbatch seemingly won’t be back as Khan, there is a chance that Pine and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise will return inStar Trek 4.Pine and most of his costars have expressed interest in returning, but a fourth film has struggled to advance beyond the development stage. It’s unclear whether another movie will ever come to fruition, but Cumberbatch evidently had a positive experience makingStar Trek Into Darkness.
