Idris Elba: 8 Villains He Could Play In Star Trek 3

3. Richard Daystrom

Not necessarily a villain in the Star Trek universe, but nonetheless someone for whom there's a wealth of back story that could be richly explored, is Richard Daystrom. Referenced throughout episodes of The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager and almost every other tie-in novel and game, Daystrom is the Federation's most famous scientific mind - a 23rd Century Einstein. His sole on-screen appearance in the original series saw cracks start to appear in his genius, when a computer based on his own psychology takes control of the Enterprise and begins destroying other Federation ships. The episode was quite ahead of its time for the way it examined mental strain, anxiety, and the implications these can have on an otherwise healthy individual, plus the concept of a starship taking on the personality traits of its designer is a pretty cool angle to run with. From the institute referenced throughout Trek lore, right the way up to name of the meeting room where Khan makes his explosive entrance in Into Darkness, Daystrom's name has run through every incarnation of the franchise and it would be fitting to see the character himself finally realised on the big screen. Elba would be perfect the role as well, with the actor being almost exactly the same age as Daystrom would be in the timeline. A role of an established genius straining to hold it all together in a universe that's getting steadily more unpredictable is perfect for him too, with the slowly unwinding sanity of the part not too dissimilar from the way he portrays DCI John Luther.