See The Future Of Star Trek

J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek movie may have a complex narrative sequence worthy of a Lost episode, judging from some new reports that have just come out. Abrams told Rolling Stone his movie version of the long-running space-navy TV show is "more than a prequel" — and a new report from TrekMovie.com makes it sound as though that's literally true. In the same interview, Abrams revealed the ultimate fate of Cloverfield's monster — and the monster's name. Yes, there are spoilers.

So it turns out the new Trek movie has more ties to the other movies' continuity than we thought. The movie starts out after 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis, the last movie featuring Picard and crew. (I guess it's somehow made clear this is taking place later than that.) And the first character we meet in the film is Leonard Nimoy's Ambassador Spock, who's somehow back from Romulan space. And then we follow the older Spock back in time to the beginnings of the Kirk era, where we meet Zachary Quinto's young Spock. (As well as Baby Spock and Baby Kirk, by the sound of things.)

Meanwhile, Abrams told Rolling Stone the monster definitely died soon after the end of Cloverfield. "Yes, he's dead. Ultimately the bombs kill him." The monster's name? "We just called him Clover." Also, that object you saw drop into the water in the very last Coney Island flashback? Abrams says the Cloverfield crew have two theories about it. One of those theories may get followed up if they choose to take the story further. They've been kicking around ideas for a sequel, but nothing is definite yet.