Source: comingsoon.net
One of the most anticipated films of 2013 is without question J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness. On concept alone, the movie will be amazing as J.J. Abrams has entertained audiences for the past years with such hits as Super 8 and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, but Star Trek Into Darkness seems to be no exception from early marketing for the movie. But my focus in this post is to look at the marketing campaign that is getting the internet buzzing and causing even more anticipation for the films release in May.
Abrams is sticking to his usual marketing campaign of keeping lock down on the specific details of the film to ensure that audiences will be wowed upon the film’s release, but this campaign is causing much more chatter than his previous films. The marketing campaign officially launched on December 3, 2012 when a teaser poster was released featuring a mysterious figure (most likely Benedict Cumberbatch) standing in front of a damaged London with the Star Fleet logo made out of ship wreckage surrounding the poster. Following the poster, a vague description of the movie was released, giving no insight into the film apart from that the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise will be up against a deadly villain.
Abrams added that the film would feature a re-visioning of a classic Star Trek villain, with Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of this unnamed villain. Questions and multiple internet theories have been raised since the casting of Cumberbatch as to what Star Trek villain he will be portraying, with the Khan and Gary Mitchell, but so far no information provided in the marketing campaign has given any hints as to who he is! Fans had hoped that all would be answered when the film’s first trailer was released days after the poster was released, but only more confusion was created.
Through only the release of the teaser poster and trailer, Abrams’ marketing campaign for Star Trek Into Darkness has removed the focus from other summer blockbuster releases, such as Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel, and focused it all entirely on who is Benedict Cumberbatch is portraying.