J.J. Abrams calls Star Trek Into Darkness his most “fun and challenging” filmmaking experience in this featurette

With the cloud of STAR WARS now following him everywhere he goes, director J.J. Abrams is still in the throes of promoting his next franchise effort, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.  In the latest promotional featurette, Abrams gives a couple of sound bites about the film, mostly talking it up and selling it to the masses.  Other bits from Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldana are scattered throughout, all of which make the sequel sound like something special.  I really don’t think there’s much doubt about that, but obviously we’ll need to see to believe. However, my faith is fully invested in the creative forces behind STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS and judging by the trailers and that 9-minute preview it will have every bit the same lens flare-fueled awesomeness as the first film.

Take a look:

The film certainly looks and feels like Abrams’ biggest film to date and is his first foray into the 3D realm.  Like most artists will tell you when asked what they think their best work is, the response being “whatever I just drew,” I think Abrams is sailing on the completion of the sequel in saying that it’s his “most challenging and fun” experience. It looks to have perfectly prepared him to handle the scale and depth of his next space-set adventure.

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, and Peter Weller will go where no man has gone before…again, on May 17, 2013. (is it too soon to start a countdown?  Four months!)