Who Will Play Sulu in the Next Star Trek Movie?

In its incarnations since the 1960s, almost every version of the show that took us where no man (or in the 80s one) had gone before has had a Star Trek Helmsman. Deep Space Nine, which took place in a space station that orbited Bajoran space had no need for a Star Trek helmsman or any other sort of helmsman, but Sulu, played by George Takei gave his successors such as Lieutennant Command Data played by Brent Spiner a tough act to follow.

Much buzz exists on the Internet and elsewhere about the casting for the next Star Trek movie. The new Hollywood offering which will focus on the original series before the Enterprise launched its firve year mission. Die hard fans of Gene Roddenberry's creations will know that from the 23^rd to the 24^th centuries, the position of Star Trek helmsman occupied by Sulu was then taken over by flight coordinator. The title may seem a little strange, but the duties of a Starfleet flight coordinator were roughly the same as a Star Trek Helmsman.

While all this may be interesting, the debate over the next Star Trek helmsman is not over who will he or she be and what series they will play in. While Sulu, Data, and the other Star Trek Helmsman with the exception of the one who played on Enterprise have gained immortality in their own way, the question is who will play George Takei's Star Trek helmsman in the next movie.

While the new Star Trek film is slated to begin production sometime late in 2007, rumors abound about what actors will play what roles. So far only three roles have been cast and two of them are Mister Spock. Rick Berman announced his plans to add another film to the successful television and film franchise.

Other rumors abound about who other members of the cast may be, including that Russell Crowe of Gladiator and Master and Commander is slated to play a villain. Rather than continue with the aging and in some cases dead cast of the original series, the new Star Trek helmsman will be a younger version of the character played by George Takei. Until the film gets closer until its release date speculations about the next Star Trek crew seem a little premature. Let us just hope they do not have to explain the incredible and seemingly rather quick leap they took in computer technology from the 23^rd to 24^th centuries in the universe that took us to places where no one has gone before.

Sources:

http://trekweb.com/articles/2004/04/22/4087eed3394be.shtml

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Helmsman