Things aren’t looking too good right now for Star Trek 4, with Deadline reporting earlier this week that the S.J. Clarkson-helmed follow-up to 2016’s Star Trek Beyond has been shelved indefinitely. But while it could be a very long wait before the franchise returns to theaters, Sulu actor John Cho hasn’t given up hope just yet.
Maybe Entertainment Tonight just caught the star in a good mood when they asked him about the future of the franchise. After all, the actor was in the midst of walking the red carpet for the second annual LA Online Film Critics Society Awards Ceremony, where he was set to be the first recipient of the new LAFOCS Acting Achievement Award. But whatever the reason, it seems that Cho is staying optimistic about the sequel’s chances, telling the publication:
“I certainly am down. To be honest, it’s not happening right now as far as I know, but I just think it will happen. Somebody, at some point, we’ll all get on the same page and do it. That’s my belief, maybe I’m being optimistic.”
Given how busy the TV side of Star Trek is right now, it seems almost inevitable that the franchise will find its way back to the big screen eventually, but whether it will still be a continuation of the series that started with 2009’s Star Trek is another question entirely.
Among the obstacles faced by Star Trek 4 is the departure of Chris Pine, who may have told Variety back in September that he’d “love to be involved” in the sequel, but the relative silence since then sends a clear message that he and the studio have yet to work out their disagreements. Nonetheless, this isn’t the first time Cho has argued that the project might still get out of its rut, and it may not be the last time, either, but as the cast and crew moves on to other projects, fans may have trouble holding onto their hopes.
