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After a four-year hiatus from the sci-fi franchise, the stars have finally aligned for the long-awaited premiere of Paramount Pictures’ Star Trek Into Darkness.
Starry-eyed trekkies gathered around the revamped Dolby Theatre Tuesday as director J.J. Abrams and intergalactic movie stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Alice Eve, Karl Urban, Peter Weller and John Cho took to the silver carpet.
Co-writer and producer Damon Lindelof also strolled the carpet and shared his excitement about returning to the U.S.S. Enterprise.
“It was just great to walk back onto the bridge of the Enterprise and say, ‘Buckle up, here we go again,'” Lindelof told The Hollywood Reporter.
At Lindelof’s flank was Zoe Saldana, who drew the crowd’s attention with her supernova-like appearance in her sheer, brown dress. Saldana said she enjoyed reuniting with the crew of the Enterprise.
“My favorite part about this film was getting to work again with the people that I love and respect and I remained friends with since the first time we all met,” the Star Trek vet said.
She also praised Abrams, who is signed on to direct the next Star Wars film.
“To get to work with a director like J.J. is very inspiring because you learn so much. It’s almost like a learning curve every single day you come to set.”
The Avatar actress shared her thoughts on what it’s like to see the film as an audience member, calling Into Darkness a “rollercoaster ride.”
“The action does not stop,” Saldana said. “The suspense challenges you as well. It’s not one of those films that the plot is so easy that you know how it’s going to go.”
Immediately after Saldana’s appearance, members of the crowd raised Vulcan salutes as the mastermind behind the movie franchise, Abrams, hit the silver carpet.
THR asked the director, producer and screenwriter how he dealt with the pressures of making the sequel to his 2009 Star Trek reboot.
PHOTOS: ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ Cast Beams Up to London for World Premiere
“We wanted to make this movie a bigger and better film, but we had to drown out all the pressure both external and internal to kind of focus on the work” said Abrams. “These are great people and I was really excited to work with them again. It’s one of the reasons why I did the movie again.”
Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the summer blockbuster, was the last to hit the carpet and said he “loved this cast,” and called them a “great group of people” with a strong “commitment to the work.”
“It was really wonderful,” Quinto added.
In Star Trek Into Darkness, a shocking act of terror from within Starfleet leaves Earth in a state of catastrophe. Will Captain Kirk and the crew succeed in saving the world, and is there a third installment in the works?
“You tell me. If the audience wants one, we would be honored to do one,” Lindelof said, laughing.
Star Trek Into Darkness opens Wednesday in IMAX 3D and everywhere Thursday.
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