Canadian Greenwood to captain Enterprise in new Star Trek film

Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood is the latest team member to be joining the crew of the new Star Trek film, directed by J.J. Abrams.

Reports say the 51-year-old Greenwood will play Capt. Christopher Pike, the first commander of USS Enterprise. Actor Jeffrey Hunter originated the role in the unaired 1966 pilot of the series created by Gene Roddenberry.

Abrams (Lost, Mission: Impossible 3) has kept details of the film under wraps. Shooting is set to begin in November.

Greenwood's addition comes just as Variety reported Friday that Winona Ryder has been brought on to play the mother of a young Spock.

The Quebec-born Greenwood was recently in the HBO surfing series John From Cincinnati and has appeared in numerous television shows and films in his 25-year career including the medical drama St. Elsewhere and movies such as I'm Not There, Being Julia, Double Jeopardy and I, Robot.

The newest instalment of the film franchise will follow James T. Kirk, Spock, engineer Scotty, Uhura and Sulu just after they graduate from Starfleet Academy.

Other stars who have signed on include Zachary Quinto of the TV seriesHeroes as a young Spock, British comic Simon Pegg as Scotty, John Cho as Sulu, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Anton Yelchin as a young Chekov and Chris Pine as the young Captain Kirk.

Eric Bana plays the villain Nero and Leonard Nimoy, the original Spock, is also on board.

There's still no word about beaming up William Shatner to reprise his role as Kirk. Shatner recently complained that he hadn't been invited to join the crew. Abrams has remained silent on the issue.