Eric Bana has signed on to play “Star Trek” villain Nero in Paramount Pictures’ bigscreen adaptation of the sci-fi series.  He’s yummy.

Plot details and even character descriptions of the J.J. Abrams-helmed project are being kept under wraps.

Anton Yelchin, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and Leonard Nimoy have already boarded the USS Enterprise. Casting is under way in New York and London, and Abrams had been expected to pursue bigger-name actors for the roles of the villain and the Federation captain, the latter of which remains unfilled.

Par still needs to cast several other major parts before the November start date, including a young James T. Kirk and Scotty.

Abrams is producing the film through his Paramount-based Bad Robot shingle alongside Stratton Leopold. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci wrote the screenplay and will exec produce along with Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof.

“Star Trek” will bow on Christmas Day 2008.

Bana, who is filming “The Time Traveler’s Wife” for New Line, next appears in Sony’s “The Other Boleyn Girl” alongside Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson.

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Speaking of Eric Bana – the other night I was home…by myself, and bored out of my mind.  There was nothing left on my Tivo – so I turned to the pay-per-view movies to see what was out.  Once I realized I’ve seen practically every movie on the dang thing, I finally decided on “Lucky You” Eric’s poker movie he filmed with Drew Barrymore.

Did any of you see it?  Holy cow that movie was SOOOOOOOOOO BAD! I’m pretty sure it was the worst movie I’ve seen in a while!  I paid the $4 for it – and I still turned it off half way through.  It was TORTURE!

I mean honestly – how do movies THAT HORRIBLE even get made these days!?

He’s hotness.

I don’t know about that dress… do you like it?

Eric Bana has emerged unscathed after crashing his sports car during a rally race in his native Australia yesterday. The Troy star was competing in the Targa Tasmania rally when he miscalculated a tight bend, sending him colliding into trees in his restored 1973 Ford XB Coupe, which was badly damaged by the accident.

He says, “We had been having a great day until then… But I misjudged a tight left-hander and we went in a little too fast – the car understeered off the road and got onto the gravel and we went into a couple of trees at a fairly low speed. The car is a little battered on the driver’s side which is a real shame, as many hours had been spent reshaping its original panels to get it just right. It’s a real shame, but that’s motor racing.”