After a protracted development period, Star Trek 3 is finally moving full steam ahead, with Fast Five helmer Justin Lin behind the camera and series star Simon Pegg penning the script alongside Doug Jung, and today brings a possible title for the anticipated threequel.
According to TrekMovie.com (via /Film), it’s likely that the film, which will see the crew of the starship Enterprise into the deeper reaches of space on a five-year mission of exploration and discovery, is titled Star Trek Beyond. The site purportedly “has it on good authority” that the title is legitimate and has learned that Star Trek Beyond has been registered with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), a typical step that a studio takes once a title has been locked in.
It is worth noting that Bad Robot has quite a history of misleading audiences with regard to the content of its films (anyone remember this? Or this? Or maybe this? Yeah, me neither), so Star Trek Beyond could be a boilerplate title intended to keep fanboys in the dark for a little while longer about the actual subtitle.
The plot of Star Trek Beyond (or whatever it’s called) is still being kept under wraps, but Pegg has stated his intention to get the franchise away from the slick, sexy blockbuster feel that some felt Star Trek Into Darkness exhibited. He recently talked about his plans for the threequel, explaining:
“We just want to take it forward with the spirit of the TV show. And it’s a story about frontierism and adventure and optimism and fun, and that’s where we want to take it, you know. Where no man has gone before – where no one has gone before, sensibly corrected for a slighter more enlightened generation.”
In keeping with Pegg’s sentiment that Star Trek doesn’t have to skew masculine, the threequel will introduce some major female characters, including one played by Kingsman: The Secret Service femme fatale Sofia Boutella. Though the specifics of Boutella’s role are being kept on the down-low, the new female faces include the captain of another Federation ship who clashes with Spock, the President of the United Federation of Planets and Bones’ ex-wife.
Meanwhile, Idris Elba will come aboard as the villain of the piece, an original character whom Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Bones (Karl Urban) and the rest of the Enterprise’s crew encounter during their five-year mission.
Deals are currently being finalized with an eye to begin production in the coming weeks, so there should be more on Star Trek Beyond before long. In the meantime, to the Trekkies in our audience, what do you think about that possible title? Too generic, or does it have a nice ring to it? Sound off below.