PRESS ASSOCIATION -- JJ Abrams has finally confirmed he will direct Star Trek 2.

According to Vulture, it's expected that the script for the movie will be completed this month and filming could begin this winter.

It has long been speculated that the US filmmaker would direct the sequel to his 2009 hit, but until now he has avoided saying he will be directing.

JJ recently directed and wrote Super 8, produced by Steven Spielberg.

It is thought that Paramount Pictures will release the as yet untitled sequel next year, reuniting Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine.

In August, the director suggested he had not yet signed up for the film, saying: "Once you say, 'We're ready to go, but we don't have a finished script yet', or, 'I'm directing the thing and here's the release date, but we don't have a finished script', what starts to happen is that you're suddenly in production on a movie where you're thinking, 'Oh my God, we weren't really ready!'"