When J.J. Abrams' reboot of STAR TREK warped its way into theaters in 2009, it heralded a Star Trek renaissance. The film was a massive hit both critically and commercially, although the sequels STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS and STAR TREK BEYOND weren't quite as successful. The road to a fourth STAR TREK film has been paved with enough challenges to make a Klingon take his bat'leth to the nearest holodeck panel. Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth were set to star in a fourth film that would have involved time travel and James Kirk engaging with his dead father. However, Pine and Hemsworth both declined to take paycuts and walked away. Director S.J. Clarkson was set to become the first woman to direct a STAR TREK film but that fell through. Even Quentin Tarantino pitched a STAR TREK idea to Paramount, although that project seems to have stalled.
Most recently Fargo and Legion creator Noah Hawley was brought on to write and direct the film. The move raised some eyebrows for fans of the franchise. Noah Hawley's known mostly for his television work and his one directorial effort, LUCY IN THE SKY, was a critical and commercial failure. News has been quiet in the Neutral Zone regarding Hawley's involvement since November. However, in a new interview with Deadline, Hawley dropped a bit of disturbing news to fans of the Kelvin Timeline cast. When asked about the involvement of Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg and others, Hawley was non-committal:
“I have my own take on Star Trek,” said Hawley when we asked him if the sequel will feature the most recent film’s cast, “and going back to what I loved about the series Next Generation, when a lot of franchises focus on ‘might makes right’, Star Trek is about exploration and humanity at its best, and diversity and creative problem solving. There’s nothing better than that moment when William Shatner puts on his reading glasses and lowers Khan’s shields. It doesn’t cost anything. But it’s that triumphant feeling about smarting your enemy. For me it’s about to getting to those elements of the show. I don’t necessarily find action in and of itself interesting unless it’s story. So, it’s early days, I’m still talking with Paramount and I have a take and I gotta write a script.”
Now granted this isn't an out and out declaration that the Bad Robot cast isn't coming back but it's not exactly a ringing endorsement either. While Hawley may have his own take, STAR TREK is not some indie Netflix film where he will have total creative control. Paramount is going to have a lot of input when it comes to a fourth STAR TREK film. I find it highly unlikely that they would greenlight a completely new cast just because Hawley wants to go in his own direction. You don't just kick stars like Karl Urban and Zoe Saldana to the curb.
Despite Hawley's waffling regarding the cast, he also acknowledged in the interview how important Star Trek is to millions of people and how he doesn't want to betray that trust:
“I have my own story and want to make sure as I did with Fargo and Legion that I’m respectful to the underlying material. That I’m not unintentionally changing things that people love or feel passionate about. So, it’s important to do that research as I go."
It's clear that Star Trek means a lot to Hawley and I believe it's a point in his favor that he's a fan of the franchise. He clearly associates a degree of reverence with the IP and wants to do right by it. Whatever his "take" might be on the a fourth film, it's clear he wants to remain true to the themes that resonate most with fans. Regardless, as Hawley pointed out, the project is in the very early stages still with the script yet to be written. Whoever the cast consists of and whatever story Hawley has in mind is still very much fluid.
Although the fate of the film franchise may be in flux, Star Trek as a property is thriving. The CBS All Access show Star Trek: Discovery has a third season on the way. Additionally, the Next Generation followup Star Trek: Picard is set to debut in a few weeks, with a second season already in the works. Yes sir, it is still a great time to be a Star Trek fan.
So what do you guys think of this news? Do you want the Bad Robot cast back? Would you be upset if the Hawley picked new actors? How do you feel about Hawley helming this project? Sound off in the comments below!