'Star Trek 3' Spoilers': Set Photos Tease Destruction Of USS Enterprise!

Before the premiere of "Star Trek 3" on July this year, set photos have leaked online that may have hinted spoilers, particularly on the fate of the USS Enterprise.

Last year, bootleg photos of the movie's set pieces surfaced online revealing what seems to be a crashed USS Enterprise.

Here's one from Twitter user @vancitychris. 

Managed to get a quick pic of the painted star trek set on my run this morning @yvrshoots @StarTrekMovie #vancouver pic.twitter.com/tpscSlHoOe

— Chris the brit (@vancitychris_) August 15, 2015

This spoiler was later on confirmed in the movie's first trailer, which saw the iconic spaceship get pummeled by enemy forces. Based on the preview, it seems that the plot will involve the Enterprise crew being stranded on an alien world with their spacecraft destroyed and no way to return - but this won't be the first time that would happen in the franchise.

In 1984's "Star Trek III: The Search For Spock," the original enterprise was retired, while in 1994's "Star Trek: Generations," the Enterprise-D crashed into a planet. In both installments, replacement spaceships were introduced in the subsequent film.

It's possible that tradition is present in the reboot series given how "Into Darkness" ended. Screen Rant explained the cycle: "destroy the old ship, have the crew fight from a place outside of their comfort zone, and then have everyone recongregate together on the new vessel at the very end."

Futhermore, the plot has been described before as a heist, so it's also possible that what they're stealing is actually a ship to bring them home.

Director Justin Lin's "Star Trek 3" marks the franchise's 50th anniversary, and will see the the Enterprise and its crew embark on a 5-year-long mission into deep space to discover new worlds.

Stay tuned for more "Star Trek 3" spoilers and updates as the movie nears its July 22 release date.