With the key cast in place, we’ll likely be spared a lengthy casting search for JJ Abrams’ new Star Trek film. But he does still have to find a compelling villain – one who can challenge Kirk and crew a little more effectively than the slightly disappointing Nero. And now, according to Variety, it appears that Abrams has found the actor he wants, with Benicio Del Toro reportedly entertaining an offer.

This being Abrams, there’s a natural cloud of secrecy wrapped around the details of the role: though Del Toro has apparently met with Abrams about playing it, he wasn’t actually told all the details. We have visions of him making an agreement, then being sealed in a chamber with no windows and poor ventilation while he reads the script under the watchful eye of a CCTV system, before depositing it in a furnace and being mind-wiped on his way out.

And with that usual force field of security still locked tight, little else is known about the movie besides that Chris Pine and co will return to play the crew and that Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof have been hard at work cranking out script drafts. With Abrams only finally committing to direct the thing recently, the new Trek won’t get shooting until next year, with either a late 2012 or, more likely 2013 release date.