More beef for Bones in latest Star Trek
KARL Urban makes no bones about his disappointment at what transpired in the last cinematic voyage of the Starship Enterprise.
The Wellington-born actor, who turns 44 this week, says he shares many fans’ view that 2013’s Star Trek: Into Darkness saw his character Dr Leonard ‘‘Bones’’ McCoy marginalised.
‘‘There definitely was a bit of a backlash from the audience and, quite frankly, I agreed with them,’’ the Kiwi star says from Los Angeles where he’s preparing for a promotional whirlwind over the next month in the lead-up to the July 21 release of Star Trek: Beyond.
Judging from the most recent trailer of the film, which sees the Enterprise seemingly destroyed and many of her crew stranded on a hostile planet, he and the character’s supporters should be happy with what looks a far more beefed-up role.
‘‘It’s true,’’ he says, ‘‘I think the producers and writers have listened to the audience and thankfully the Bones that you see in Star Trek: Beyond is the most fully realised, rounded and dimensional version of the character that we have had in these last three films.’’
2016 is a big year for Star Trek fans as the franchise celebrates 50 years since the inaugural TV episode. So what does Urban believe is its enduring appeal?
‘‘I think there are many keys to its success. Firstly, there’s the cult of personality. People really love and respond to these characters – this dysfunctional family. Then there was the tone of the original show.
‘‘It was sexy, it was fun and didn’t take itself too seriously – although it was thoughtprovoking and was used by the producers to explore contemporary moral issues within society. However, I think, most importantly, it presents a vision of the future that is full of hope and optimism. There’s a sense of a quest for knowledge and discovery and I think that’s very appealing to people.’’
Working on this particular movie has also proved to be beneficial for a group close to Urban’s heart – Kiwi charity KidsCan. It was one of a select few chosen by the production to receive the proceeds from some fundraising opportunities around filming – in this case an auction for a set visit.
Urban is looking forward to working a bit closer to home shortly and with one of the ‘‘most brilliant directors to come out of New Zealand in a long time’’.
It was announced last month that Urban will be joining the Taika Waititi-helmed Marvel sequel Thor: Ragnarok, which begins shooting on Australia’s Gold Coast later this month. He will play the Asgardian villain Skurge, as part of a star-studded cast that also includes Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum, as well as returning actors Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins and Idris Elba.
And while he admits his upcoming schedule is ‘‘pretty chocker’’, Urban hopes being on the Gold Coast might allow him the opportunity to return home for the Kiwi premiere of the New Zealand-filmed Pete’s Dragon, opening here on September 15. A late replacement for Michael C Hall, he plays Gavin, one of two mill-owning brothers, who are believed to be the villains of the movie.
One thing he’s unlikely to be doing any time soon, though, is making another TV series – ‘‘you end up being chained to them and they devour all your time’’.
That’s something he is adamant about, making sure his life is balanced out between his career and spending time with his family (especially his sons Hunter and Indy).
‘‘So far I’ve been managing to do that and maintain my base in New Zealand, which is important to me. I live in New Zealand, I’m just overseas a lot. You may live in other countries for a limited amount of time, but you only have one home.’’ is scheduled to open in New Zealand cinemas on July 21.