Justin Lin talks about what drew him to Star Trek 3 and what he has planned

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

We're just several weeks out from the cast of STAR TREK BEYOND finally stepping in front of the cameras and Justin Lin, who helped turn THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise into the juggernaut it is today, took some time out to discuss the upcoming film during a celebration for the 88th anniversary of the TCL Chinese Theater.

Justin Lin got the offer from J.J. Abrams himself who called him while Lin was shooting his episodes of True Detective and asked "do you like Star Trek? If you do, you should take this, be bold, and just go for it." Abrams called the right guy because, as Justin Lin describes it, Star Trek as been a big part of the directors life since he was young:

Growing up, my parents had this little fish and chips restaurant in Anaheim in the shadows of Disneyland, and they didn’t close until 9 PM. As a family, we didn’t eat dinner until 10 PM, and we would watch the original Star Trek every night at 11. My dad worked 364 days a year, only took Thanksgiving off, and from age 8 to 18, the only time I could hang out with my parents was by staying late. And every night, it was Star Trek on Channel 13 in L.A. That was my childhood. All my friends were Star Wars kids but I didn’t go to the movies, so I was the Star Trek kid.

As for where Justin Lin might take STAR TREK BEYOND, the director obviously didn't give out a lot of details but he did say that exploration of both space and character would be a big part of the sequel.

As great as JJ’s films were, there’s still a lot to be mined from these characters, they haven’t really gone on their five-year mission, so what we experienced in the TV show hasn’t been touched on yet. That sets up an opportunity for exploration and the deeper you go, the more you are examining humanity. Those are the things that I absorbed as a kid and hope to tap into and embrace and celebrate.

J.J. Abrams first STAR TREK film was a fun take on the Star Trek franchise which got a lot of people interested in Star Trek for the first time. STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, while entertaining, didn't feel all that much like a Star Trek film. Also, the choice to borrow plot from old Star Trek films felt like a big misstep after all the trouble they went through to set up this new Star Trek universe. Thankfully, Justin Lin agrees and says that STAR TREK BEYOND will be "all new and fresh," and added that "the Klingons, Romulans and other species are great, but it’s time to go further. It has been fun to focus on creating whole new worlds and species." That's a good thing to hear, but the proof will be in the pudding when STAR TREK BEYOND premieres on July 8, 2016.