UPDATE: Variety has added to their initial report and the story now says that they are currently looking to cast another major role that is described as being "older" and that will work as a supporting character to Del Toro's villain.

The day is finally here. I wasn't ready to call it when it was reported that Benicio Del Toro was director J.J. Abrams' choice to play the villain in the next Star Trek film and it wasn't time when Paramount announced that the new movie would be released in May 2013. Only now, with the new casting news that has been announced, am I ready to say that the doors have officially flown open and it is now time to catch Star Trek fever once again.

Variety has learned that Alice Eve, who was previously rumored for other geek films such as Captain America: The First Avenger and X-Men: First Class, is Abrams' choice to play a new female character in Star Trek: The Next. As you probably guessed, details about the character are unknown, as are details about the film's plot. The report does say, however, that the character will be one that has never before been seen in the Gene Roddenberry-created universe.A direct sequel to 2009's reboot, that was loved by both critics and fans, the movie's script was written by Damon Lindelof, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, and Anton Yelchin are all expected to return.

Because Uhrura was romantically linked with Spock in the first movie, perhaps the character that Eve could play will end up being Kirk's latest companion (or maybe Scotty, as she did co-star with Pegg in Big Nothing). It should be noted that the trade's article says that Eve is Abrams' choice, and doesn't say that she has either been offered a role or has accepted one. Given the fact that she missed out on two of the best sci-fi films of the summer, chances are that if an offer is made, she will probably take it.