The suspected Star Trek Beyond set in Dubai International Finance Centre finally sprang to life on Saturday, and if proof were needed that the mysterious structures that have been slowly taking place in DIFC over the last few days were indeed connected to the movie, it doesn’t come much more conclusive than our exclusive pictures.

Hordes of cast and extras could be seen milling around the set – the scale of which, and of the apparent crashed spaceship, can now be truly understood with people around. Many are dressed in the distinctive Star Fleet uniform (red for engineering, blue for medical and science) while others are dressed as a variety of weird and wonderful aliens (including one that looks suspiciously like Sofia Boutella’s new alien character).

A huge Star Fleet insignia sits at the edge of the set to quell any lingering doubts.

Local residents have been advised that the shoot will last for three days from today and have even been told that they are welcome to visit the set, subject to not interfering with filming and the usual no photography rules. Some residents were even treated to signed Star Trek merchandise and goodies on Saturday’s opening day on set.

Our sources also tell us that an actors’ village has also now been set up close to the main set, with the stars being ferried to and from the set in golf buggies, and stars including Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg are now becoming a regular fixture around the normally much less flamboyant finance district.

cnewbould@thenational.ae