Now this is a surprise! CBS has announced today that actor Rainn Wilson – best known as Dwight Schrute from NBC’s version of The Office – has been cast as 23rd Century con man Harry Mudd in Star Trek: Discovery.
Studio City, CA — Rainn Wilson is set to appear in STAR TREK: DISCOVERY as “Harry Mudd,” the charismatic conman and intergalactic criminal first introduced in the original Star Trek television series. The Emmy nominated actor’s credits include “The Office,” and the films “Super” and “Meg,” opposite Jason Statham, a pre-historic shark tale.
Star Trek, one of the most iconic and influential global television franchises, returns to television 50 years after it first premiered with STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. The series will feature a new ship, new characters and new missions, while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers.
Swindler Harcourt Fenton Mudd appeared in two episodes of the Original Series, as well as one of the follow-up animated adventures as well, and was referenced in 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness.
Roger C. Carmel as the classic, handlebar-mustachioed Harry Mudd. (“Mudd’s Women”)
We’ve not yet received any hints as to how Mudd will be involved in the Discovery storyline, but with Wilson’s comedic chops, the performance is sure to be stellar!
Star Trek: Discovery premieres later this year on CBS All Access, Space, and Netflix.
UPDATE: Anthony Rapp has contacted TrekCore to address the below quoted statement, sourced from his interview at EPGN.com:
“I was misquoted in that [EPGN] article. I had mentioned that in the future we would be doing things *like* Comic Con but I never said anything about being scheduled to do this upcoming Comic Con.”
We appreciate Rapp’s clarification, and certainly hope that the Discovery cast will make appearances at big genre and Trek fan events in the future!
With Discovery production now well underway, it’s only natural to think that CBS is soon to ramp up its marketing and promotional efforts to get fans amped up for the early-fall series premiere, and July 2017’s San Diego Comic-Con looks to be their next big event.
Discovery actor Anthony Rapp was discussing an upcoming Philadelphia-based musical performance with EPGN.com this week, and let slip that Star Trek fans should probably make plans in their Comic-Con itinerary for Star Trek: Discovery presentation:
EPGN.com: Your career alternates between theater and film. What can you say about your roles on Broadway and the big screen? Are you always looking to reinvent yourself?
AR: I don’t think of it in terms of reinvention. I’ve been fortunate to do interesting projects. I haven’t done a huge number of films and TV shows. I’m proud of what I’ve done with “bwoy,” and other small films I’ve made. They are collaborative and creative and outside of the pressures of the [industry].
I’m just getting my feet wet in the “Star Trek” experience, and that’s the biggest machine I will be a part of. We’re supposed to do Comic-Con.
I helped establish BroadwayCon, and that’s the biggest experience like that I’ve had so far. But this is a going to be a bigger event and have an international aspect. I’m curious to see how it’s going to manifest itself — how many countries and cultures I’m going to experience.
Obviously plans for promoting the show at Comic-Con may change between now and the big event this July – and of course, this isn’t an official announcement from the studio – but it’s good to know that there are plans to kick off the first season of Discovery with a big public event like this.
Star Trek: Discovery launches later this year on CBS All Access, Space, and Netflix.
Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp, set to portray space-fungus expert Lt. Stamets in the upcoming series, spoke with Metro Weekly in a new interview today about his thoughts on portraying one of the first regular in-universe gay character in the Trek franchise.
METRO WEEKLY: I don’t know what you can say about it, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring up Star Trek: Discovery.
RAPP: I can say that I’m in it, and that I’m really excited about it. I pretty much am not allowed to say anything else. I don’t even know if I’m allowed to say that. It’s so profoundly under wraps, which I completely understand and actually endorse. But I’m really excited.
MW: It’s been reported that the character you’re playing is gay.
RAPP: Yeah. Anything that’s been reported in the press, and has officially been confirmed by CBS, I can say.
MW: How does it feel, from a perspective of a gay man, to be playing the first ongoing gay character in Star Trek, Sulu’s recent revelation in the films notwithstanding?
RAPP: I’m honored. I’m also honored to be a part of a piece of work that’s part of the cultural pantheon. It’s kind of crazy that I get to be a part of something that means so much to so many people. It meant a lot to me, too. I’m thrilled and I’m honored to be the vehicle for this aspect of the story that’s being told.
The tricky thing with a mini-series is that the writer has to create the illusion of futility in a story.
There’s a very delicate balance in maintaining the sense that the protagonist has absolutely no chance of overcoming the odds, and the reader will have no idea of the outcome by the time the six issue arc is done.
That’s a skillful act of writing and given that you take two seemingly mismatched franchises like DC’s Green Lantern and Star Trek, and manage to create not only a workable story but also one that keeps the reader on edge.
I’ve made no secret of how much I admire Mike Johnson’s writing, but I have to say that I’ve gained a new appreciation for it in reading this fourth issue of Star Trek/Green Lantern: Stranger Worlds.
Just to provide a bit of context behind this, imagine the greatest Trek villain — namely Khan Noonien Singh — ramped up with the addition of a device fueled by sheer unadulterated rage. Even Benedict Cumberbatch’s version of Khan, which seemed more fueled by contempt than the Ricardo Montalban presentation, is amplified by Johnson’s addition of Attrocitus’s red ring of rage to Khan’s arsenal.
That’s where we left the story last issue and given that all the ringbearers, regardless of colour, are almost out of charge, and the Federation has Sinestro in charge of the Klingon Empire on top of Khan’s new powers and freed Augment army.
Oh… and Sinestro has found Oa first; but it’s a primitive Oa in which the Guardians are fairly naïve and haven’t developed the need to maintain order in the universe. You know: vulnerable.
Those would be the overwhelming odds I was referring to just now. If you want to get completely fanboy, don’t you think that even the combined ingenuity of Captain Kirk and Commander Spock would be hard-pressed to combat the Klingon Empire and the negative portion of the spectrum of willpower? Mike Johnson thinks so, and that’s the secret of his success with this title – at least from what I’ve been able to discern. He is able to extrapolate the two fandoms and find where they intersect and make this book work.
Let’s review: Sinestro represents fear, which Johnson interprets as the motivating control behind the Klingon Empire. (Although, while I must observe, I disagreed with this relationship when I reviewed the first issue of this series, it was heartening to see that in this this issue, Larfleeze actually agreed with me and mentioned that he felt they were also motivated by rage.)
Given that we really don’t know very much about the Klingons in the Kelvin Timeline, it’s completely plausible that perhaps their culture is one that is based on fear and this additional potential extrapolation is also a reason why I am digging this story so much. Still, fear and the Klingons represent that fandom intersection that Johnson does so well.
The reader is so beguiled by how well Johnson makes the characters work that she doesn’t waste time in trying to figure out how Johnson does it; well, unless you’re a Trek-lovin’, comic-readin’ geek like me. There’s a simple fluidity in the storytelling that probably explains why IDW decided to make a second run at this title. Clearly, it’s a winning concept and Johnson’s writing is certainly behind it.
But it’s impossible to leave Angel Hernandez’s art out of the equation. There’s a very apparent dynamism to his art that is responsible for the hectic pace in which this story occurs. If Hernandez does anything well, it’s action. The combat sequences between Kirk, Jordan and company versus the Augments and Khan is definitely a high point in this issue.
Yeah – I liked the fighting; particularly the order for Kirk to set phasers on kill. That’s a statement you’d never really associate with Captain Kirk, but it really illustrates how dangerous a threat Khan is if Kirk is willing to give that order.
As usual, IDW gives us a variety of covers for us to appreciate. The first is the regular retail cover, by Angel Hernandez, and is a fully dramatic one that covers the full range of themes contained in the storyline in this book. It’s a generic one in terms of story details, but it’s a damn fine selection.
The second cover is the subscription cover by Isaac Goodheart, and it’s a little more fanciful. It’s very solid and definitely a concrete piece of work that I can appreciate. It’s got a lot of humour and while it may run independently of the storyline, it’s certainly an entertaining piece of art that Goodheart was clearly having fun with as he created it. It’s pretty cute and is a lot of fun.
The last cover – the retailer incentive cover – is by Tony Shasteen and is a definite throwback to the sixties. When you see Shasteen’s renditions of the traditional versions of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, you might think they are out of place for a Kelvin Timeline story.
For me, though, it’s not only appropriate, in terms of reminding readers of Trek roots, but the Green Lantern domino masks and uniforms have a Green Hornet vibe to them that places them within original 1960’s television roots. This is probably the most striking and insightful cover and is definitely my favourite amongst the three.
I was speaking with J.K. Woodward about Shasteen’s talent recently: “I love his work,” Woodward told me, “that guy makes it look easy.” High praise from a talented colleague.
I honestly don’t know how Johnson is going to write the allied forces of Kirk, crew and the Lanterns out of this dilemma, because in my opinion, it looks like they’ve met their match. But if I can’t foresee how he’s going to accomplish this, then it’s a pretty sure thing that other folks might also share this inability.
But, isn’t that what Johnson is trying to do? Then, that’s why this series works so well and is definitely something that you should take a look at. Try to ignore the futility as you read this book… just relax and go with it.
The National Acadmeny of Television Arts & Sciences today announced their nominations for the 44th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and a few Star Trek luminaries have been highlighted for their performances in last year’s daytime productions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NJG9BWA7ak
Classic Trek actress Nichelle Nichols was tapped as an Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series, for her September appearance as “Lucinda Winters” in CBS’s The Young and the Restless. Her guest spot coincided with the 11,000th aired episode of the series.
Deep Space Nine‘s resident Ferengi – actor Armin Shimerman– was noted for his guest role as “Max” in last Spring’s Digital Daytime Drama Series Red Bird. Shot on location in Colorado and Kansas, the web series is a tale centered around a mother seeking revenge against a man who killed her son in the 1860s.
Whoopi Goldberg – Star Trek: The Next Generation’s ageless bartender, Guinan – was nominated, along with her The View co-hosts Joy Behar, Candace Cameron Bure, Raven Symone, Paula Faris, Sara Haines, Jedediah Bila, and Sunny Hostin (as a group) in the Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host category.
* * *
Winners of the 44th Daytime Emmy Awards will be named at the awards ceremony on Sunday, April 30. All of the nominees can be viewed at the Emmys’ website.
Movies have been capturing the imaginations of younger viewers for generations. George Lucas’ Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises were based on part from film serials he enjoyed as a kid in the 1950s.
Artist Paul Shipper
UK-artist Paul Shipper can be included among those inspired, especially when it comes to the art created to promote the films. Growing up with the film posters of Drew Struzan adorning his bedroom wall, today Shipper follows in the iconic artist’s footsteps producing artwork for Star Trek, Star Wars and more.
Every Star Trek fan has an origin story, a moment where they realized they were a fan of the franchise. For most, it was discovering a series with their parents or when they were in school.
Count Shipper among the latter; he watched The Next Generation at first before branching out to the other television shows and films. Now at 40, Shipper is paid to create artwork in one of the fandoms he loves most.
Yet, it still took a few fortuitous occurrences for Shipper to begin his official career in the final frontier. With Star Trek Into Darkness about to hit theaters in 2013, websites Blurppy and Planet Pulp sought movie and franchise art for features they were doing on the film. Shipper saw this as a chance to promote his artwork while also illustrating something in which he was passionate.
Shipper’s posters for 2009’s “Star Trek” and 2013’s “Star Trek Into Darkness.”
“When the [first] J.J. Abrams movie came out I was disappointed in the poster that was released,” Shipper recalled. “But it wasn’t until Into Darkness that I decided to do [a poster]. I created one for Into Darkness and one for the first film. I did those, they went live, then viral; Simon Pegg got a hold of it and tweeted it to his millions of followers.”
“A few other people related from the film saw it and not long after IDW e-mailed me and asked if I would be interested in doing official covers for their comic books.”
IDW Publishing’s editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall reached out to Shipper to produce the cover art for the five-part series, Star Trek: Khan. After completing the job, he traveled to San Diego to meet the team at IDW, as just as he was leaving Ryall pulled him aside and asked he if was interested in more Star Trek work – this time covers for Harlan Ellison’s City on the Edge of Forever mini-series (which we reviewed in 2014).
Shipper’s covers for IDW’s “Khan” and “City on the Edge of Forever” comic series.
Those two jobs turned into more as IDW’s Star Trek Editor Sarah Gaydos brought Shipper into produce the covers for Star Trek: New Adventures Volumes 1-2. He was not finished with his time in the final frontier however, as Bye Bye Robot commissioned him in 2015 to create two limited edition prints on the Original Series.
“All the artwork I did for IDW had to be approved by the actors and CBS,” Shipper explained. “So it was always under the noses of CBS and I got to know those guys well. Out of the blue, Bye Bye Robot got in touch with me to do some limited edition prints for TOS.”
“CBS asked me to be a part of the 50th anniversary art show which is travelling the world at the moment. The art show was fabulous. A few of us [artists] who were able to be there were invited to attend the opening of the exhibition during San Diego Comic Con last year, the publisher’s of the art book which coincides with the travelling art exhibit had a booth and we all did a signing. We were besides ourselves about the book itself, as well as the gallery show.”
“The different styles and diversity in [Star Trek: 50 Artists, 50 Years] is so reminiscent of what Star Trek is about.”
Two 2015 prints commissioned from Shipper for Bye Bye Robot.
Inspiration
Thirteen-year old Shipper would decorate his bedroom walls with his favorite movie posters. Before long, he came to realize they were all illustrated by the same person, Drew. A few years later he researched the name to discover Drew was none other than acclaimed movie poster artist Drew Struzan. More research led to Shipper learning he could do this as a career himself.
Stylistically, Shipper’s work is a lot like that of Struzan’s. In fact, a recent Huffington Post article about why Star Wars needs to return to Struzan-type illustrators for the franchise film posters included Shipper’s work as an example.
“I’ll take that as a huge compliment. I did not know who Drew was when I was younger. When I was a young teenager I started collecting these posters. Drew’s work was a huge inspiration as well as his contemporaries – Richard Amsel, Bob Peak and many more. I used to study Drew’s work by unrolling his one-sheet posters on my bedroom floor, taking out a magnifying glass and examining each image. It kind of became an obsession.”
“I’ve been drawing faces and people forever; it was always my favorite thing to draw growing up. I had a knack for capturing likenesses as well. As it turns out my great, great, great, great grandfather was an art forger, so perhaps I have that as part of my DNA.”
One of Shipper’s Struzan-esque poster designs for 2016’s “Doctor Strange.”
New Technology
All of Shipper’s work is now produced digitally, but his background is much like Struzan’s – traditional pencil and airbrush. However, publishers began seeking digital images from artists in the early 2000s. With clients like Penguin Books and GQ Magazine inquiring if he worked digitally, Shipped realized if he wanted to work, he would need to move to the medium.
“I decided to see if I could emulate my style digitally. I had to figure out a way to make it work. I like technology (spoken like a true fan of TNG) and it excites and interests me. It was challenge to see how I could use the tools available at the time. I don’t want my work to look digital, like a photograph, but a painting.”
Right around the time Star Trek was hitting theaters in 2009, Shipper was commissioned for his first actual movie poster job – for Director Daryl Goldberg’s Made for Each Other, starring Patrick Warburton. Speaking with the director, Shipper learned Goldberg wanted a traditional movie poster, a physical poster. Luckily, although Shipper moved to the digital format, he would still paint, allowing him to easily capture the approach Goldberg sought.
The film, which also counted George Segal among its cast, provided a meaningful personal connection for Shipper. “The funny thing for me on a personal level was Drew Struzan’s very first movie poster starred George Segal – It was a sign!”
A tribute to actress Carrie Fisher, created for Empire magazine.
Commissioned work followed from various clients large and small over the years onto working directly with Hollywood key art design agencies, and more recently Empire magazine, Disney, and Lucasfilm for Star Wars (although his first job with Lucasfilm came in 2007).
An image he created for Empire’s Carrie Fisher tribute issue would go on to have a life of its own. When two artist friends reached out to him for their Leading Ladies Art Show, which opened February 25 in San Francisco, for something to include, Shipper had to turn them down due to his busy work schedule.
“I know Craig Drake and Luke Harrington. They emailed me about it, but I was so busy. Then it just kind of came to me, maybe this Carrie Fisher artwork could go into the show. They loved the idea. I said to them I want to give a portion of the poster sales to the charity we think Carrie Fisher would give money to and in Carrie’s name.”
Social media has become abuzz with his recently released image for this April’s Star Wars Celebration key art. Lucasfilm contacted him and asked if he would be interested in producing the badge and key art poster. Shipper said he only needed to think about the offer for about a half second.
Shipper’s work serves as key promotional art for 2017’s Star Wars Celebration.
“Star Wars is like the Star Trek universe, they are both so vast, with so many characters – it’s unbelievable really, so creating an indelible image that can attempt to encompass 40 years of storytelling for a franchise so dear to many of us was quite a challenge.”
Star Trek’s Impact
Tumultuous times have led people to spend their free time in the throes of activism across the globe. While these actions can ultimately lead to a positive impact on the world, people can form tunnel vision and forget everything else – which is understandable. However, art among other things is why it is so important to remember why people are campaigning for causes.
Star Trek has inspired so many people to do so many things in their lives – astronauts, doctors, scientists, etc. Yet, even those with other careers, such as an artist, do their parts for people during dark days.
“The world is a beautiful place. You can only hope that with the images artists create, it’s something that can transport you to somewhere, give you a feeling, emotion, touch you, make you feel different and sometimes escape. Art can inspire and broaden horizons. Art shouldn’t be forgotten just because we are going through a tough time – if anything, it’s more important than ever that we keep art alive. Besides, I don’t think it’s going anywhere anyway.”
Shipper’s “The Cage”-themed entry to the ‘Star Trek: 50 Artists, 50 Years’ traveling gallery.
“The really nice thing about Star Trek is it’s based on where our future may be going; people living in harmony, loving one another despite their race or wherever they come from. I like to think I’m a person who accepts people for who they are and doesn’t judge them or jump to conclusions. I like to think that came from Star Trek’s ideology.”
“Throughout school and college, I always tried to be as good a person as I could be. Even to this day I empathize, try to put myself in other people’s shoes, think before I speak, and be diplomatic. All of these qualities probably stemmed from my exposure to Star Trek.”
Shipper forgets the most obvious impact Star Trek and movies in general have had on him – the ability to follow his dreams. From that young boy hanging movie posters on his bedroom wall to the one that watched TNG, Shipper has is quickly earning his place alongside his idol as one of the prolific poster and print artists of his generation.
“I just feel like I’m scratching the surface. I have not reached the pinnacle of what I am capable of yet. I’m not quite even halfway to where I want to be.”
Even though CBS hasn’t yet officially announced the widely-reported casting of Sonequa Martin-Green as Star Trek: Discovery’s lead, that hasn’t stopped the Walking Dead star from hanging out with the rest of the Discovery cast in Toronto.
Issacs, Yeoh, Obi, Martin-Green (and husband Kenric), Jones, Frain, and Latif. (Photo: Chris Obi / Instagram)
Celebrating the birthday of co-star James Frain (Sarek) at the Toronto-based BUCA Osteria & Enoteca restaurant, Martin-Green (and her husband Kenric) spent the evening with Frain, Michelle Yeoh (Captain Georgiou), Chris Obi (the Klingon T’Kuvma), Doug Jones (Lt. Saru), Jason Isaacs (Captain Lorca), and Shazad Latif (Klingon officer Kol).
This group photo of the Discovery cast was posted on Chris Obi’s personal Instagram feed last night, and is the first sign of Martin-Green’s connection to the rest of the cast, outside of media reports.
Stay tuned to TrekCore for more Star Trek: Discovery news as it happens!
In a series of now-deleted tweets, Sullivan shared views of the massive greenscreen installations and constructed support structures holding up the yet-to-be-revealed Discovery sets.
[metaslider id=29503]
In addition, he also shared a look at a clapper being used for VFX shooting on episode two of the series.
Aside from Sullivan’s few photos, our only other looks at the still-secretive sets came from January’s teaser video, shot during set construction up at the Pinewood stages.
We’ve got a couple of things to catch you up on this week, as another Nimoy documentary nears public release, a new Trek science book has been announced for this fall, and a new Trek-themed attraction is almost ready to open its doors.
Julie Nimoy’s documentary about her father’s struggle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – Remembering Leonard Nimoy: His Life, Legacy, and Battle with COPD – will debut next month at the Newport Beach Film Festival in southern California.
Star Trek Beyond actor Chris Pine – the Kelvin Timeline’s version of James T. Kirk – will be hosting the May 6 edition of Saturday Night Live, the classic live comedy sketch show on NBC. Pine is starring in June’s Wonder Woman as World War I-era American soldier Steve Trevor, and will be spending the night at 30 Rockerfeller Plaza to promote the film.
This will be Pine’s first time hosting SNL, but he and Trek co-star Zachary Quinto – along with Leonard Nimoy – stopped by the studio in 2009 to defend their first film to long-time Trek fans.
In a statement released to media, Stewart commented on how the usage of these products has improved his condition.
Two years ago, in Los Angeles, I was examined by a doctor and given a note which gave me legal permission to purchase, from a registered outlet, cannabis-based products, which I was advised might help the ortho-arthritis in both my hands.
I purchased an ointment, spray and edibles… [which have] have significantly reduced the stiffness and pain in my hands. I have had no negative side effects from this treatment… [and] I believe this programme of research might result in benefits for people like myself as well as millions of others.
The actor’s admission comes as an effort to legalize the use of medical marijuana in the UK.
Coming in October, new non-fiction book Treknology: The Science of Star Trek from Tricorders to Warp Drive takes a look at twenty-five inventions from the Star Trek universe, and how today’s real-life scientific advances are bringing us closer to the world of the Federation.
From scientist Ethan Siegel, PhD, this hardcover book “is packed with 150 superb film and television stills, prop photography, and scientific diagrams,” and will give readers “a detailed look at the inner workings of Star Trek’s computing capabilities, communications equipment, medical devices, and awe-inspiring ships.”
First announced back in September, Movie Park Germany’s Operation Enterprise – a unique Star Trek-themed roller coaster – is nearing completion at that European theme park for opening later this year.
Starfleet’s enemy the Borg have the U.S.S. Enterprise-D locked in their tractor beam. The ship and its crew have been captured. The bridge of the Enterprise is deserted. The only hope of rescue is to send Starfleet cadets on a bold rescue mission – and this isn’t going to be easy.
The Borg ship’s deflector shields will have to be breached so that its main systems can be destroyed. It’s the only way to save the crew of the Enterprise.
In addition to a number of behind the scenes photos of the construction process and themed coaster seating, MPG has also released a number of video clips (see above) documenting the development of the Trek ride – and you can see them all over at the park’s official Operation Enterprise website.
Attention all Star Trek music lovers: thanks to our friends at La-La Land Records, we have two copies of their stunning new Star Trek: Voyager soundtrack collection ready to fly from the Delta Quadrant right to your front door!
