John Cho is entering the final frontier. In October, he signed on to star as Sulu in the 11th installment of the “Star Trek” franchise.

For about a year, the “Harold & Kumar” actor had been rumored to be a contender for the helmsman role, telling StarTrek.com, “My God, that would be an honor. I mean, I used to watch the original series when I was a kid.” 

George Takei, the original Sulu, was delighted with the pick. “Sulu’s in good hands,” he wrote in a statement. “John Cho is an exciting actor. I’ve seen Cho in many productions at East West Players and he always brings a vigorous sense of individuality to his roles.”

Cho joins previously cast crewmembers Zachary Quinto (Spock), Zoë Saldana (Uhura) and Anton Yelchin (Pavel Chekov) on the J.J. Abrams production. Shooting begins this month and the film is slated for a Christmas 2008 release.

Perhaps this role will be Cho’s ticket to a career that lives long and prospers.