The Star Trek universe can finally breathe a sigh of relief now the Kelvin movies have been laid to rest. According to a new report concerning Paramount’s future projects, the studio is wholly committed to bringing Gene Roddenberry’s creation back to the big screen, but has finally abandoned the idea of doing so via a fourth movie with the Kelvin cast led by Chris Pine.
While not everyone has a positive view on how J.J. Abrams revolutionized the Star Trek franchise, all three films are worthy of praise. 2009’s semi-reboot was exactly the kind of modern jolt Star Trek needed after the Nemesis debacle and gradually declining relevance on TV. Even today, Star Trek is a thrilling, tight, balanced entry in the franchise’s canon.
Often demonized, sometimes misunderstood, Star Trek Into Darkness is a flawed and divisive beast, but if you can get past Khan looking like your college English professor, the thriller-y plot, impressive action and always-brilliant cast keep the sequel honest.
Star Trek Beyond‘s back-to-basics approach was an inspired decision, as the threequel came closest to capturing the spirit of Star Trek: The Original Series despite a fairly forgettable main villain. All things considered, the Kelvin trilogy is an era Star Trek can look back on with pride, but the news of its demise is something to be celebrated, not mourned.
Star Trek 4 Had Become The Franchise’s Albatross
Production on Star Trek 4 has been a mess so spectacular, its tale will echo throughout Hollywood for decades to come. Following the positive reception afforded to Star Trek Beyond, there was broad consensus from all parties that a fourth movie would make sense, Beyond‘s unspectacular box office notwithstanding. Unfortunately, that proved easier said than done.
After several years of doubt, 2018 saw the first real steps toward Star Trek 4 when S.J. Clarkson became linked as director. The plot would have brought back Chris Hemsworth’s George Kirk after the actor’s meteoric rise to stardom since making a cameo in the 2009 movie, but when Hemsworth backed out, those plans quickly unraveled.
Noah Hawley began developing a version of Star Trek 4 that may not have followed the Kelvin chronology directly, then that project was also frozen. Matt Shakman took the reins in 2021, working on a straight sequel to Star Trek Beyond with the same core cast but, again, those pesky stars refused to trek into alignment. Somewhere along the way, Quentin Tarantino also started concocting a Star Trek movie that would have likely utilized the 2009 cast.
As all this was happening, the likes of Chris Pine, Zoe Saldaña and Karl Urban became busier and more in-demand than ever, pushing the feasibility of Star Trek 4 even further into the cold reaches of space.
After seven years of unfulfilled promises, exciting teases, abandoned scripts and wasted ideas, hanging onto the slim hope of Star Trek 4 seeing the light of day became a burden, both for fans and for the franchise itself. The Kelvin movies were great, but neither Star Trek Into Darkness nor Star Trek Beyond lived up to the initial 2009 reboot. Continuing to expend such huge effort and burning through directors faster than Captain Kirk burns through love interests makes little sense.
From a fan perspective, every crumb of hope dropped since 2018 has given another reason to cling on. Star Trek‘s audience has struggled to let go, and Paramount has struggled to let fans let go. Looking at the Kelvin trilogy in its entirety, however, the series already feels complete.
The Star Trek Beyond ending left a path open for further adventures, but that’s the way Star Trek should always be. In terms of plot points and character arcs, the Kelvin story works satisfyingly as it stands. One could argue that never fully unpacking the Klingons was a missed opportunity, but Star Trek 4‘s labored production has perpetuated the myth that a fourth movie was needed, which is far from true.
The tragic passing of Anton Yelchin in 2016 must also be taken into account. Without him, the Kelvin cast can never feel truly complete, onscreen or behind the scenes.
The question has to be asked: at what point does Star Trek 4 become more about meeting some kind of obligation than bringing to life a sequel that demands to be made?
Star Trek’s Recent Past Proves This Isn’t A Permanent Farewell To The Kelvin Cast
The Kelvin cast defined an entire era of Star Trek, and leaving them behind is undeniably a sad moment. But a quick glance at recent history confirms nothing is really gone when it comes to Star Trek.
The Enterprise-D reunion in Star Trek: Picard, the EMH Doctor’s return in Starfleet Academy, the Voyager connections in Star Trek: Prodigy – all serve as proof that joining the Star Trek universe is a job for life. It only takes a transporter malfunction or a leap through time for any of the Kelvin cast to appear in any current or upcoming Star Trek release.
That invitation doesn’t expire either. If Patrick Stewart can battle Borg into his 80s, there’s nothing to stop Chris Pine doing the same 40 years from now when the nightmarish futility of trying to get Star Trek 4 made is a distant memory. I appreciate the irony of suggesting such a thing while also claiming the world needs to stop waiting for Star Trek‘s Kelvin cast to reunite, but a legacy sequel decades down the road would be a different thing entirely. Star Trek 4, Jim, but not as we know it.
- Created by
-
Gene Roddenberry
- First Episode Air Date
-
September 8, 1966
- Cast
-
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Wil Wheaton, Avery Brooks, Nana Visitor, Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig, Cirroc Lofton, Armin Shimerman, Colm Meaney, Terry Farrell, Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Jeri Ryan, Robert Duncan McNeill, Robert Picardo, Ethan Phillips, Garrett Wang, Jolene Blalock, Connor Trinneer, Dominic Keating, Scott Bakula, Linda Park, John Billingsley, Anthony Montgomery, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anton Yelchin, Idris Elba, Sonequa Martin-Green, Mary Wiseman, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Oyin Oladejo, Emily Coutts, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Rebecca Romijn, Michelle Yeoh
- TV Show(s)
-
Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Source link
-
-
-
-
-
