Earlier in the week, speculation was rife that Zachary Quinto was to take a leave of absence from the Star Trek franchise. We didn't report it, simply because this one sounded utterly unlikely. We're led to believe that all of the key cast members of JJ Abrams' rebooted Star Trek signed at least three picture deals, and you don't sign up to something like Star Trek expecting there to be only one film. And as it turned out, Quinto isn't leaving the franchise at all.

However, to be fair, the source of the confusion did come from the man himself. In an interview he gave with Wired, Quinto said, "I'm stepping away from Star Trek for at least two years - no movies, no conventions, no anything for a while." You can read the interview here.

Since then, however, he's come back and clarified his position, and made it clear that when the Star Trek sequel arrives in 2012, his take on Spock will most definitely be on board. On his blog, he has posted the following statement:

"i have been inundated with questions and confusion about a comment i made during an interview with wired - about the new atari star trek online game - in which i said i am stepping away from trek for the next two years.  obviously i will be a part of any upcoming films... reprising my role as spock.  what i meant was that in the meantime i won't be making any public appearances related to the franchise - or doing any more auxiliary projects pertaining to the trek universe.  i will be focusing my efforts on other projects and preparing to shoot the next film - which will be released in june of 2012... two years from now.  hence the no trek for two years remark.  worry not trekkers.  it was a misunderstanding of context.  i am not spock.  but i am spock.  all at the same time."

You can find Quinto's blog here. And, as the man said, Star Trek will return in June of 2012...