Although Star Trek has gone boldly where it’s never gone before on the streaming front with CBS All Access’ breadth of television shows on the premium platform since 2017. Shows such as Picard, Discovery and Lower Decks may be filling a void for Trekkies, but we have yet to see another Star Trek movie on the big-screen since 2016’s Star Trek Beyond.
Paramount is reportedly still developing another Star Trek movie after rumors spread that the franchise is ending over at the studio. There’s been word of a number of Star Trek projects in the works, but time will tell which one’s see the light of day. Jonathan Frakes, who famously played Picard’s No. 1 Riker and directed a handful of Trek movies and TV episodes has shared his thoughts about how Paramount should move forward. In his words:
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. [laughs]
Sounds good to me. Jonathan Frakes is referring to two different Star Trek projects that we’ve heard about over the years, but have either fallen through or have been shelved at an office somewhere. Quentin Tarantino has shown interest in directing a script from The Revenant co-writer about an original series episode called “The City on the Edge of Forever.” Noah Hawley of FX’s Legion and Fargo series was hired at some point to continue the Star Trek franchise as well.
Jonathan Frakes’ response to TrekMovie is a logical one. Both these filmmakers are obviously incredible and Star Trek would be lucky to have them on board. Why wouldn’t the studio have them signed and committed already for their visions stumps us all, though Paramount has dealt with some restructuring since it found itself a new Head of Motion Pictures earlier this year.
Jonathan Frakes got his start on Star Trek: The Next Generation back in 1987 when the series started and has since remained a key figure to the franchise since. The actor also directed a number of episodes on the series and Deep Space Nine and Voyager before helming a string of Next Generation movies. Frakes is still involved in Star Trek, recently directing and guest starring in episodes of Picard along with being behind the camera on Discovery. Delving into his thoughts on the Star Trek movies further, Frakes said this about the other dropped project that involved Chris Hemsworth:
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 fucking 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.
From what we heard, Chris Hemworth was set to reprise his role as Kirk’s father for a time twisting Star Trek 4 alongside Chris Pine and the Enterprise crew we know and love including Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana. But it was issues with pay cuts that reportedly caused that project to fall through. Chris Pine, Quinto and Simon Pegg have all recently shown interest in returning to the fold for another Star Trek film should Paramount decide to resume where they left off for 2016’s Star Trek Beyond. What do you think? Which Star Trek film do you want to see the most? Vote in our poll below.
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