Lost star to play iconic Star Trek villain in new spin-off

The audio drama takes place between these two stories, covering the period that Khan and his followers spent stranded on a desolate planet called Ceti Alpha V, which Kirk offered as an alternative to a prison sentence.

That fateful time in exile is credited with turning Khan into the fearsome villain we meet in the second Star Trek feature film, with Wrath of Khan writer-director Nicholas Meyer providing the story for this supplementary chapter.

The Dropout and Lost star Andrews takes on the main role of Khan, an iconic villain previously portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán, while For All Mankind alum Wrenn Schmidt revives the long-dormant character of Marla McGivers.

Originally played by Madlyn Rhue in 1967's Space Seed, McGivers was a Starfleet historian who struck up a romantic connection with Khan during their brief interaction – ultimately choosing to stay with him on Ceti Alpha V.

Although the fate of McGivers and more than a dozen other followers of Khan are alluded to in Star Trek II, this expansion will offer a deeper look into the "anger, ambition and pain" that brought the foe back to Captain Kirk's door.

StarTrek.com reports that recording has been completed on the audio drama, with further casting to be announced in due course, ahead of the podcast's release later this year.

Khan's shadow certainly looms large over the franchise as a whole, with the character and his story – across both Space Seed and The Wrath of Khan – proving to be a major influence on JJ Abrams' 2013 blockbuster Star Trek Into Darkness, in which a version of the character was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Star Trek is available to stream on Paramount Plus. Star Trek: Khan is coming soon to podcast platforms. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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