The Star Trek franchise has stalled on the big screen over the past few years, with it instead expanding on its traditional home of TV. However, things are now looking up for the movie series, too, as it’s been confirmed that two separate Trek films are in the works. Namely, Quentin Tarantino’s R-Rated take on Trek and Star Trek 4, which writer/director Noah Hawley recently boarded.
This news comes via ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish, who revealed at the UBS Global Technology, Media & Telecommunications Conference in New York that Paramount is currently moving forward with both projects simultaneously. At one stage, Tarantino’s movie seemed to be an effective replacement for ST4, but when Hawley was hired last month fans wondered whether QT’s project was being shelved. Neither seems to be the case, though, and the studio is simply looking to double its output.
No release dates have been set yet and it remains to be seen which one will arrive in theaters first, but both filmmakers have just come off the backs of other movies – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Lucy in the Sky, respectively – so each could make their Trek pics their next project. Given Tarantino’s way of working, I’d speculate Star Trek 4 will be the first one out of the door, as QT takes his time to develop his unique slant on the sci-fi universe, but right now, it’s hard to say.
In any case, both movies are expected to bring back the cast of the Kelvin timeline, as Tarantino has already confirmed he wants to work with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, though the plot could involve time travel and crossover with The Original Series. As for Hawley’s flick, Pine has indeed signed up for it, despite initially walking away from an earlier version of the sequel, with the rest of the cast members expected to return as well.
Tell us, though, which of these two Star Trek movies are you most looking forward to? Beam on over to the comments section and share your thoughts.