By Borys Kit and Carly Mayberry

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Bruce Greenwood has been cast as Christopher Pike, the Starship Enterprise's first captain, in director J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" feature.

The character of Capt. Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter, appeared in the original unaired 1966 pilot that Gene Roddenberry created. The pilot was rejected by CBS and then shown to NBC, which turned it down, though it liked the concept enough to commission a second pilot. (Only the character of Spock survived the redevelopment.)

Pike was later weaved back into Star Trek lore as the ship's first captain and appeared in a two-part episode.

Production is underway on the Paramount Pictures project. It is understood that the movie chronicles the early days of the Enterprise crew.

Greenwood plays two roles in Todd Haynes' Bob Dylan-inspired movie "I'm Not There," and appears in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," which opens December 21.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
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