Zachary Quinto has confirmed that the new Star Trek film will begin shooting in the next six months.

The 37-year-old actor, who played Spock in the 2009 reboot of Star Trek and its 2013 sequel, Star Trek into Darkness, made the announcement on The Today Show.

“I think [the next Star Trek movie] is on the horizon”, he said. “Things are rumbling, so I have a feeling that we will be back in production sometime in the next six months.”

Quinto revealed no further details but the news is sure to be welcomed by Trekkies around the globe.

The first two films were directed by JJ Abrams but Roberto Orci is taking the helm for the next instalment.

He is currently writing the script to Star Trek 3 with JD Payne and Patrick McKay, and has reportedly been keen to replace Abrams for some time.

Orci's previous writing and producing credits include The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), Transformers (2007) and Mission: Impossible III (2006).

Meanwhile, Abrams is wrapped up in directing the forthcoming Star Wars Episode VII, which is scheduled for release in the US on 18 December 2015.