Trek’s new Scotty?

ALIAS creator turned Impossible Mission specialist JJ Abrams is giving the STAR TREK franchise a desperately needed kick in the dilithium crystals, with what is apparently some kind of reboot or prequel or CASINO ROYALE-style combination thereof. And even though the movie seems to have a 2009 release date planned, not too much is known beyond that.

But that doesn’t stop the rumor mill from whirling at Warp 7. The latest humanoid carbon-based lifeform said to be involved with the Federation’s beginning is Narnia’s forest-dwelling goat-man James McAvoy. The Scottish actor, recently seen in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, is linked to the role of engine room guy/teleporter operator Scotty. Hmm… something about that smells distinctly like haggis.

According to British tabloid Sunday Mail via Filmforce, supposedly the studio thinks McAvoy would have a good dynamic with the new Kirk, Matt Damon, who is also not actually involved yet in any official capacity. In the meantime, McAvoy will practice his aim as a superpowered assassin in the comic book adaptation WANTED.