Los Angeles - JJ Abrams has admitted he made a mistake not revealing the identity of his Star Trek Into Darkness villain sooner.
The director insists it would've been a better move to tell fans straight away that Benedict Cumberbatch's character, who went by the name of John Harrison in the lead up to the movie's release and in the first hour of the film, was in fact the main villain, Kahn.
"The truth is, I think it probably would have been smarter just to say upfront, 'This is who it is.'
"It was only trying to preserve the fun of it, and it might have given more time to acclimatise and accept that's what the thing was."
(Photo: Vulture)
"It was so important to the studio that we not angle this thing for existing fans. If we said it was Khan, it would feel like you've really got to know what Star Trek is about to see this movie. That would have been limiting."
"I can understand their argument to try to keep that quiet, but I do wonder if it would have seemed a little bit less like an attempt at deception if we had just come out with it."
Backing potential new Star Trek director
What's more, the 47-year-old helmer - who directed the first two Star Trek movies - admitted he is backing Attack the Block helmer Joe Cornish to be named director of the third Star Trek film.
He added to MTV, "I adore him and love him and can't wait to see what he does next. Hopefully it will be Star Trek. Whatever it is, he's brilliant.
"Attack the Block was one of my favourite movies of the year when it came out."
The director insists it would've been a better move to tell fans straight away that Benedict Cumberbatch's character, who went by the name of John Harrison in the lead up to the movie's release and in the first hour of the film, was in fact the main villain, Kahn.
"The truth is, I think it probably would have been smarter just to say upfront, 'This is who it is.'
"It was only trying to preserve the fun of it, and it might have given more time to acclimatise and accept that's what the thing was."
(Photo: Vulture)
"It was so important to the studio that we not angle this thing for existing fans. If we said it was Khan, it would feel like you've really got to know what Star Trek is about to see this movie. That would have been limiting."
"I can understand their argument to try to keep that quiet, but I do wonder if it would have seemed a little bit less like an attempt at deception if we had just come out with it."
Backing potential new Star Trek director
What's more, the 47-year-old helmer - who directed the first two Star Trek movies - admitted he is backing Attack the Block helmer Joe Cornish to be named director of the third Star Trek film.
He added to MTV, "I adore him and love him and can't wait to see what he does next. Hopefully it will be Star Trek. Whatever it is, he's brilliant.
"Attack the Block was one of my favourite movies of the year when it came out."