It's a match made in geek heaven, surely? Simon Pegg in Star Trek? Here's what Karl has to say:

Be still our pulsing phaser rifles - British actor, writer, comedy legend and all round decent bloke Simon Pegg has been snapped up for the role of Scotty in Star Trek XI. Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott was arguably the largest of the "second tier" roles in the original Star Trek, outside the "big three" of Kirk, Spock and McCoy.

Pegg, who filled the nerdy tech guy role in J J Abrams' Mission Impossible III too, has stout geek credentials. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz pay affectionate homage to countless horror and cop flicks, while his Channel 4 sit-com Spaced was stuffed to the brim with genre hat tipping.

Too good to be true? The news has been reported in Variety and on the Reuters wire, so it looks like Pegg will be definitely be crawling up a Jefferies tube at a multiplex near you come December 2008.

Oh, and some bloke called John Cho was cast as Mr. Sulu. That just leaves Kirk's casting to be confirmed - but with Spock actor Zachary Quinto calling rumoured shoe-in Chris Pine "a strong choice", that announcement should be just around the corner.

And this is from Rob:

Take it with a pinch of salt. There are rumours abound that everyone's favourite zombie-killing, skateboard-riding, comic-reading flatmate of Jessica Stephenson is to be playing Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott in J J Abrams' up and coming 're-imagining' of the origins of the original Star Trek.

It seems that JJ was impressed by Pegg's work in Mission Impossible 3 (which Mr Abrams directed, of course) as well as his passion for all things sci-fi.

While I dont see it myself (James McAvoy woud have been a better choice - at least his is actually Scottish) there is a glimmer of hope this if this rumour is true then there might - just might - be a part for Pegg's partner in geekery and comedy partner in crime, Nick Frost

So let the casting call begin! My vote: Frost as a young Harry Mudd!

We should point out that this is all speculation at this point, and nobody from Mothership Star Trek has confirmed Pegg's involvement or otherwise. But those rumours are strong...