“Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? … it is very cold … in space.”

Actor Ricardo Montalban delivered that hammy line with the right amount of cheese in the 1982 film “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

Now, we’re learning the villain in the upcoming “Star Trek” sequel will be none other than Khan Noonien Singh.

J.J. Abrams, the man who rebooted the “Star Trek” franchise three years ago, has gone back to “Trek” lore for the upcoming film. It’s a step up from Eric Bana’s villain in Abrams’ exhilarating reboot, who kept the plot in motion but hardly stood out as an iconic character.

And, let’s face it. The “Star Trek” franchise has given us plenty of memorable personalities.

The trick for actor Benedict Cumberbatch, the man who will take the mantle from the late Montalban, is to bring something new to Khan without wholly reinventing them.