Well, that's about to change as Paramount Pictures has announced that the first 9 minutes from the eagerly-awaited sequel will premiere across 500 digital IMAX 3D theatres from December 14th, with the exclusive first-look set to screen alongside Peter Jackson's epic fantasy prequel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. It's only the third time that IMAX has hosted a first-look, after doing so with Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and The Dark Knight Rises.
"Our longtime partners J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk and the Bad Robot team have really hit it out of the park – the footage is absolutely incredible," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment, on today's announcement. “Their use of the IMAX Camera and canvas is sure to impress current and future Star Trek fans alike, and we’re thrilled to once again work with our friends at Paramount Pictures to offer this extended ‘first look’ at this highly anticipated summer blockbuster."
Update: According to TrekMovie, the first official trailer will be attached to non-IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: "TrekMovie has exclusively learned from multiple trusted sources that the first trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness will premiere with screenings of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on December 14th. To be clear this Trek trailer is a completely different thing than the 9-minute preview of the beginning of the new movie which will be shown at IMAX screenings of the Hobbit film"
Star Trek Into Darkness sees Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho and Anton Yelchin reprising their roles as the crew of the USS Enterprise, while Bruce Greenwood also returns as Captain Pike. Newcomers to the cast include Alice Eve (Men in Black 3), Peter Weller (RoboCop), Nazneen Contractor (24), Noel Clarke (Doctor Who) and Nolan North (Young Justice), while Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) will star as the as-yet-unconfirmed villain. The film hits cinemas on May 17th, 2013.
