'Star Trek' Footage; Nine Minute Sneak Peak Before Select 'Hobbit' Screenings

"Star Trek" fans received good news this week when an upcoming sneak peak of the latest film was announced.

The first glimpse of "Star Trek Into Darkness" will be shown before screenings of the upcoming "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."

The news was announced on Wednesday by Paramount studios to allow select fans to look at the first footage of J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated continuation of the series.

Fans will be treated to the first nine minutes of "Star Trek Into Darkness" with screenings starting on Dec. 14 in around 500 select IMAX 3D viewings of "The Hobbit."

The extended viewings have become a trend in Hollywood with directors like Christopher Nolan who gave an extended preview of the summer blockbuster "The Dark Knight Rises" before it hit theaters.

Abrams shot parts of the film using large-format IMAX cameras similar to Nolan who want viewrs to have the biggest experience possible while watching their films.

The latest "Star Trek" film was partly written by Abrams' "Lost" alumni Damon Lindelof.

The cast of the last film will be returning; Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are set to return as Captain Kirk and Spock respectively.

A newcomer to the cast is Benedict Cumberbatch from "Sherlock," who was cast as the villain of the upcoming film after sending in a winning audition video he made with his iPhone.

"Benedict has an incredible presence and brooding intensity," the film's co-producer  Bryan Burk said, according to the LA Times. "To say he's a welcome addition to the 'Star Trek' cast is an understatement; he's an actor that truly captivates his audience."

The pairing of "Star Trek" with "The Hobbit" coincidentally links Cumberbatch to both film franchises as he will lend his voice to two characters in the next Peter Jackson films as the Necromancer and the dragon Smaug.

"Star Trek Into Darkness" is scheduled to hit theaters May 17 next year.