Spock-Prime not in Star Trek 2 after all?

For the past several months, a rumor has been making its way around the web that Leonard Nimoy would be reprising his role as “Spock-Prime” in the upcoming sequel to to J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek. When the rumor first debut it was accompanied by another rumor about  the identity of the movie’s main villain, which later would be confirmed to be true.  However, in an interview reported earlier today, Leonard Nimoy debunked the rumors about his return.

 

“I visited the set one day and that started some speculation about whether I was doing the film. It’s all speculation,”

“I talk to these people regularly. Zachary Quinto and I have dinner whenever we can. We just had dinner three or four weeks ago. I talk to J.J. about family.”

When asked what prompted the visit, Nimoy replied;

 “I visited the set one day because I had never seen the bridge. When I was in the last film, none of my work was on the bridge of the Enterprise. So I wanted to see the bridge, and the bridge was extraordinary.”

“It’s beautifully designed and put together. We talk. It’s great. I expect that it’s going to be a gigantic film.”

“They’ve got a great company of people replacing all of us. I don’t think they need me, frankly,”

“It’s flattering to be talked about, but I just don’t think they need me. I understand, by the way, that they have just finished shooting and they’ve got a wonderful actor Mr. [Benedict] Cumberbatch, who has a great reputation in the U.K., and I think is going to build a reputation here in the United States, very quickly.”

So as it turns out, those rumors may have been indeed based on a misunderstanding which is unfortunate because I for one absolutely loved his role in the new Star Trek, but i do understand where he is coming from. Although many fans will just chalk this off as a curve-ball to help merit a greater reveal in the movie, I can accept his remarks, and his praise for the new cast, while I eagerly await next years movie.