Wizards of the Coast is set to release a new Magic: The Gathering crossover set based on the Star Trek franchise, coinciding with MagicCon Amsterdam. While the sci-fi universe might seem like an unusual thematic fit for a game centered on wizards battling each other, Magic has explored space before, notably with last year's "Edge of Eternities" set.
The Star Trek set's spoiler season has revealed a notable inclusion: a reskinned version of the existing card Sheoldred, The Apocalypse, now depicted as Khan from the 2013 film "Star Trek Into Darkness." A key feature of the Star Trek set is Wizards of the Coast securing the rights to use the likenesses of actors portrayed on the cards. This means the character, instead of being a Phyrexian nightmare, is represented by the likeness of actor Benedict Cumberbatch.
This appearance marks the second time Cumberbatch's likeness has been featured in Magic: The Gathering recently. The recently released Marvel Super Heroes set includes a Doctor Strange card, featuring art clearly influenced by the actor's on-screen portrayal. The upcoming set based on The Hobbit will introduce another character portrayed by Cumberbatch: Smaug the Magnificent. A special "chase printing" of Smaug is slated to be the headline card for The Hobbit set.
These multiple appearances raise the prospect of players building decks that feature cards directly representing characters played by Benedict Cumberbatch, should they choose to focus on the Mardu (red, white, and black) color identity. The recurring presence of the actor's likeness across different intellectual property crossovers has become a notable talking point for the trading card game.