EXCL: Star Trek pic!

After what seems like eons of silence and secrecy, the doors to the mysterious universe of JJ Abrams’ STAR TREK are about to open. And we’re proud to be one of the people to help pull back the curtain!

Today we’ve got an exclusive new still from the film and what I like best about it is that it’s not a shot at a character you already know and love. It’s the first look at the villainous Nero in action!

Click to enlarge!

Played by Eric Bana, Nero is… well, we don’t really know do we? He’s the villain and he has tattoos all over his face, but beyond that, who is Nero? Normally I’d just speculate and come up with my own ideas but seeing as how we’re pulling back the curtain so to speak, I decided to get someone on the horn who could actually provide us with some answers. It’s STAR TREK producer and “Lost” overlord Damon Lindelof!

While Damon is practiced in the art of being cagey from his years on “Lost,” he was willing to open up a bit about the movie and, specifically, Nero. Let’s see what he can tell us.

Is Nero a Romulan? “We can clearly see that Nero has pointed ears and that basically makes him either a Vulcan or a Romulan. And I would be highly dubious that he’s a Vulcan. He just does not look very logical in this picture. So draw your own conclusion.”

What is the setting for this photo? “This is the bridge of his vessel, which I will not name here.”

What’s with all the wires, tubing and duct work? “This is sort of the design of the ship. I would say that this is a very specific kind of ship – what it was constructed to do. And as a result of the kind of ship that it is, they are not very interested in the kind of Martha Stewart applications of making it pretty. You see a lot of exposed wires and ducting but it’s not like they’re having people over for tea. It’s a functioning, working ship as opposed to a Starfleet vessel, which has to be shinier because they’re ambassadors to the galaxy.”

Tell us more about Nero’s tattoos. Nero’s tattoos are unique to him and everybody on his crew has similar tattoos in that they’re covering their face but no two are the same.

Is that a weapon Nero holds in his left hand? “The word in Romulan roughly translates to ‘spork.’ Yes, it is a weapon.”

Nero’s crew had previously been described as “pirates.” Accurate? I think that perhaps they look like pirates in a way that they are tattooed and don’t wear uniforms but in my own brain, I look at pirates as people who kinda hang around and they rob other ships and they’re more interested in booty, plunder and pillaging and those sorts of things. Especially since the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movies, they’re sort of a fun-loving drinking lot. None of those things would describe this particular group of non-Vulcans. These guys have a very specific mission. They’re not interested in material wealth. They’re interested in something else entirely.

This does not appear to be typically Romulan. Is it fair to say they’re a rogue outfit? Yes, I think “rogue” would be a good way of describing them.

Is this ship of Nero’s actual construction or CGI rendered? I can tell you that a very significant piece of this shot is 100% set. But in terms of lighting effects – those green beams behind him – I would not be willing to say 100% that ILM didn’t add some light rays in there. Although that could just be set lighting. I suspect that this is an actual set shot and not ILM.

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There’s much more from Damon on STAR TREK a “Lost” movie and his plans for TREK sequels but that will have to wait until we run the full interview on the site. Thanks to Damon for taking time out of his “Lost” day (and no I didn’t hear any plot details being whispered about in the background) to chat TREK with us. STAR TREK hits theaters on May 8th.

For now check out the other exclusive stills that’re popping up at around the web!