Star Trek has had a presence on the big screen for more than four decades. Back in 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture reignited interest in the franchise after The Original Series had become a hit in syndication. So far, thirteen Trek movies have been released in total, with six featuring The Original Series crew, four following The Next Generation and three in the rebooted Kelvinverse. But now it seems that that long cinematic legacy is over, as Paramount has reportedly decided that all in-development Star Trek movies should be put on ice.
Giant Freakin Robot broke the news, with their source explaining that:
“Paramount is no longer in the business of making Star Trek movies. They see it more as a television property and aren’t willing to invest in future Star Trek movies anymore. If one of the shows on CBS takes off that could change, but those shows aren’t generating enough interest.”
If true, this means that multiple projects are now not going to happen. Nobody will be particularly surprised that Star Trek 4, a sequel to Star Trek Beyond is officially cancelled, as there’s been no solid news on that for years. But somewhat sadder is that the Quentin Tarantino movie, which was said to develop the plot of the TOS episode “A Piece of the Action,” in which the crew encounter a planet of gangsters, is also not happening. Fargo and Legion’s Noah Hawley, meanwhile, has an interesting-sounding philosophical take in the pipeline, but that was “on hold” last we heard and (if this story is true) has now been canned.
It’s sad news, no doubt, as I’ve always thought Star Trek‘s big screen adventures have been a driver in getting mainstream audiences interested in the TV shows. One thing that gives me a little pause in believing this, though, is the comment that the current CBS output isn’t “generating enough interest.” If that were true, then it’s strange that they keep commissioning new shows and renewing existing ones. I mean, someone’s got to be watching them.
I doubt Star Trek will be gone from theaters forever, but at the very least, it appears that they’re focusing on TV above all else for the next few years.
