The Star Trek Movie That’s Most Likely To Happen
Which Star Trek movie that has been in development has the best chance of getting made?
This article is more than 2 years old
Four years without a Star Trek movie doesn’t quite rise to the level of the franchise’s barren drought from 1969-1979. Plus, we can still distract ourselves with reruns and the hopes that Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard live up to their lineage. Nonetheless, the interlude has made Trekkies pretty antsy – especially since Paramount officially issued a pause on any new films. However, Jonathan Frakes would love to engage and recently let his feelings be known in a recent interview with TrekMovie.
When asked about the status of the Star Trek movie sequel that was supposed to star Chris Hemsworth and the Star Trek: Beyond crew, he had this to say…
“Well, that’s probably the one that has the most hope of being made first because there’s already an audience. After Paramount shut down Star Trek for five years, J.J. [Abrams] relaunched it, and in my taste, very successfully. It captured the zeitgeist again. They spent a lot of f–king money so it was a BIG movie. His first one [Star Trek 2009] in particular was great. I wasn’t crazy about Idris Elba wearing a mask [Star Trek Beyond]. And I love Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan [in Star Trek Into Darkness]. And I love that cast…. So my opinion is that that movie with J.J.’s cast is the one, if I were betting, that would be greenlit.”
That doesn’t mean that’s the one he wants to happen. He didn’t apply the inertial dampers in revealing his Star Trek movie preference either. “I say greenlight the Tarantino and Noah Hawley, if you are lucky enough to get either of them. And if they are too busy to direct, I’ll be available,” Frakes told Anthony Pascale of TrekMovie.
Of course, the long-standing rumor surrounding Tarantino’s project falls right in the Oscar-winning director’s wheelhouse. A riff on “A Piece of the Action”, the fan-favorite would get a refit in a 21st-century gangster setting, and the already penned script by The Revenant’s Mark L. Smith awaits the greenlight.
Is this all set up for Kirk and Spock? Frakes isn’t so sure. A discussion with Patrick Stewart led Number One to believe that The Next Generation crew may get theStar Trek movie call.
Rumors also suggest that multiple crews may take part. As for Hawley’s vision, a new cast of characters would fit the bill for this Star Trek movie and it will be back to the basics. The ongoing mission will pass on the phasers and return to a focus on exploration.
Still, the former Commander Riker is pragmatic about the actual direction the franchise takes when it finally emerges from its dormant warp core. J.J. Abrams did a successful relaunch and built an audience for that iteration of the franchise. Frakes believes that Paramount will likely stay the course and stick with that version of the series as far as feature films are concerned.
The Chris Hemsworth version remains the favorite to get made, but the rumor is that a lack of a sizable payday was the reason he and Pine declined. However, Hemsworth told Variety that the Star Trek movie script and story did not measure up.
Who are we to doubt the actor’s integrity? But staying the course with Abrams could balance the ledger for both Chrises and give the franchise a Star Trek movie triple play.
The movies and TV series have never done well overseas. That is until the three latest Star Trek movie installments. Germany and England were onboard like never before. Frakes, who has directed two The Next Generation movies and a number of episodes, believes the ongoing mission should take advantage of the global market.
The success could bring Tarantino and Hawley into the Star Trek movie fold. Now that would be bold. But while we’re dreaming big, there are two other crews we haven’t heard from.
Pascale referenced his recent conversation with Robert Picardo to Frakes. The reporter revealed there was some discussion after Star Trek: Nemesis about reuniting all three 24th Century crews for one Star Trek movie adventure.
Frakes didn’t bite though and he’s never heard any chatter to that effect. But things are certainly looking up on the Star Trek movie front, and we are in no position to complain.
