'Star Trek 2' Seeks Edgar Ramirez For Khan?

[NelsonG]

[img]http://mtv.mtvnimages.com/movies/photos/d/domino_premiere_051012/flip-03.jpg?width=600[/img]

Once upon a time, [url="http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/11/07/benicio-del-toro-jj-abrams-star-trek-2-villain/"]Benicio del Toro was set to appear[/url] as the villain in "Star Trek 2" -- a big casting coup, considering the first movie was low on established stars. Fan speculation ranged wild on whether del Toro would be playing the infamous Khan, or... well, that was about it, really.

Things changed when [url="http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/12/06/star-trek-2-benicio-del-toro-khan-zachary-quinto/"]Paramount and del Toro couldn't come to an agreement[/url]. Now, [url="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118047180?categoryid=4154&cs=1&cmpid=RSS%257CNews%257CLatestNews"]Variety[/url] is reporting that Edgar Ramirez is the leading candidate to take over.

You'll remember Ramirez as Paz, the hot-shot assassin in "The Bourne Ultimatum" whom Jason Bourne tried to teach a lesson to at the end of the film. He's also had smaller roles in movies like "Domino" and "Vantage Point." Playing the villain in "Star Trek 2" would obviously be a big career jump, continuing the series' current trend of developing newer actors. There's no confirmation that Ramirez, or whoever might get the part, will play Khan -- for now, it's just a fervent fan dream.

In other news, [url="http://collider.com/peter-weller-star-trek-2-character/131159/"]a glimmer of light[/url] has been shed on the previously cast Peter Weller's role in the film.

"Of course J.J. Abrams is very tight-lipped about his projects, but I do know that it’s a substantial role and that Peter is playing a C.E.O," Weller's agent said. What that means exactly is, again, up for debate: could that mean he's playing a corporate executive, a commanding officer, a chief engineer, or something else entirely? We'll find out at some point. "Star Trek 2" begins filming on January 15, 2012.



<em>Would you like to see Ramirez's take on Khan? Tell us in the comments section and on