Star Trek 4 appears to be edging closer to the beginning of production, as an update on progress is shared by Paramount’s head of film. The latest series of Star Trek films was kicked off in 2009, when J.J. Abrams rebooted the The Original Series-era characters into a new timeline. Chris Pine was cast as Captain Kirk, leading the films with the support of new iterations of classic characters like Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldaña), and Bones (Karl Urban).
However, as the new Star Trek series has progressed, dwindling box office returns and a muted critical response have both acted to disrupt the future of the Star Trek franchise on the big screen. The last film in the rebooted Kelvin Timeline Star Trek series was 2016’s Star Trek: Beyond, but since then further development of the Star Trek franchise has stalled, with countless rumors about new plans and scripts in development. One of the confirmed rumors was that Quentin Tarantino had written a script for a new Star Trek film. However, that project also shelved, and it has instead been confirmed that Paramount will be moving forward with Star Trek 4 as a sequel to Star Trek: Beyond, with much of original Kelvin cast in talks to reprise their roles.
Now, in an interview with Variety, Paramount film boss Brian Robbins has given an exciting update on Star Trek 4. Robbins confirmed that J.J. Abrams is still involved with the development of the franchise, and that the project is continuing to move in the right direction to begin its production. He also stated that he is “excited about where we’re going creatively” with Star Trek 4, indicating that the film could be a slight departure from what has come before. Check out his full comments below:
“We’re deep into [Star Trek 4] with J.J. Abrams, and it feels like we’re getting close to the starting line and excited about where we’re going creatively. I’m a research nerd, and what the data tells me is that the audience wants [the cast of the firs three films] in this movie.”
For fans of Abrams’ modern Star Trek films, the news will come as a welcome relief after over half a decade of delays. Attention can now fully turn to what stories Star Trek 4 might explore, and what inspiration it could take from previous Star Trek content. However, there will also be a large number of Star Trek viewers who would have been happier to see the next film take on new characters and a new setting, as Chris Pine’s turn as Kirk, as well as the wider cast’s iterations of the iconic characters, were met with mixed reviews when they last graced screens.
Either way, the release of Star Trek 4 will come with significant pressure, and could determine the long-term future of the Star Trek series on the big screen. Robbins’ comments indiciate that production could begin later this year. If this is the case, Star Trek 4 could be released towards the end of 2023, which will mean that almost a decade will have passed since the previous installment, Star Trek: Beyond. With such a large gap between installments, Star Trek 4 will have to rekindle momentum and enthusiasm for the franchise while standing on its own two feet, making way for new adventures for Pine’s Captain Kirk and the USS Enterprise crew to recapture audiences’ attention.
