William Shatner is speaking out about the rumors that he'll return as Captain Kirk, though I'm not entirely sure what he's referring to. The nonagenarian actor has restated his stance on returning as Kirk and why he still has not done so.
Perhaps word just reached him that Strange New Worlds' co-showrunners said they had a pitch for Shatner to play Kirk in an episode that never came to be. But as mentioned, I'm not sure where this started. It appears the actor heard some rumblings or whispers that he'll return, as he shared the following on his Instagram:
In order to put a top to the rumor mill before it starts producing even more fiction than Star Trek ever did, let me say this: If someone came up with a meaningful way to bring Captain Kirk back to life, and gave him something genuinely interesting to do that added to the beauty and spirit of Star Trek, I would be delighted to consider it. But that has never come up.
It sounds like William Shatner would only consider a return if he were playing post-Star Trek: Generations Kirk, who died in the movie. While it seemed as though Picard attempted to set the stage for something like that, I'm not sure there were ever explicit rumors claiming Shatner would be tapped for that role.
There was also a project in which Captain Kirk "returned" via the use of a stand-in and AI, and Shatner gave his blessing for Sam Witwer to serve as the body double. The actor wasn't officially part of that, but stated if there was something he approved of, he'd be up to return:
I love Star Trek just as much as all of you folks do. Kirk has been an extraordinary part of my life, and I would never want to bring him back simply for the sake of bringing him back. So, until someone comes knocking with an idea worthy of Kirk, I'll wait. For them, or for eternity.
Quite a wild way to end the statement, saying you'd sooner die than commit to playing a Captain Kirk role you didn't sign on for, but hey, that's his right. When you hit ninety, you gain the ability to largely do what you please without scrutiny, so I can't say I fault him for wanting a return to Kirk to be on his terms.
At the moment, no one is talking about Captain Kirk returning to Star Trek, because there's no show for him to return to. Starfleet Academy will air its final season in 2027, and Strange New Worlds has wrapped filming on its final season.
It doesn't appear as though there will be a new series announced anytime soon, as Paramount seems to be in a holding pattern while it prioritizes getting the franchise back in theaters first. As for that movie, it's going to be set far away in the future and allegedly won't feature any known characters.
I'm not sure there's a Star Trek project William Shatner could appear in even if he wanted to, and based on what he said above, it doesn't seem like he's itching to reprise his role. I can sympathize with that, as he's already likely doing more on a day-to-day basis than the average person his age is doing. I can't imagine what life would be like if he tried to put a television role on top of that.
Fortunately, there's no shortage of William Shatner popping up at conventions or other places for those looking to see him. He's a joy to see talk live for those who get the chance, just don't get him riled up about potential rumors about returning!
