Simon Pegg thinks next Star Trek film should dial back the spectacle

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

While the Star Trek franchise may be thriving on the small-screen once again, the big-screen side of the franchise hasn't been quite so fortunate. When STAR TREK BEYOND wound up performing below expectations, Paramount wasn't in a big hurry to get the fourth installment of the rebooted series off the ground. S.J. Clarkson (The Defenders) was slated to helm the new entry, but Paramount wound up cancelling the project after negotiations with several of the lead actors broke down. It was revealed last year that Noah Hawley (Fargo) would be writing and directing a new STAR TREK film, but we haven't heard all that much about the project.

While speaking with Collider, Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty in the recent movies, said that he's been keeping in touch with his fellow Enterprise crew-emembers, but that he doesn't know the status of the movie.

We’re all still in contact, we were emailing with each other the other day, just checking in, ‘how are we,’ and stuff. But it’s not like any of us have been banging on the door at Paramount saying, ‘Hey, when are we doing this?’ If they say, ‘We’d like to do another movie,’ I’m sure we’ll all jump at the chance. I miss those guys, and I love making those films. But I just don’t know. Noah Hawley’s project has been mentioned, and maybe that will happen. I don’t know anything about that. So yeah, I’m as in the dark as everyone else, I’m in the same boat as you guys.

If and when a new STAR TREK movie does take shape, Pegg believes that it should take a note from The Original Series and dial back the spectacle. Not only would it be cheaper, but it would be more in line with what the franchise is all about "The fact is, the appeal of Star Trek is slightly more niche than the appeal of, say, the Marvel movies, which make huge amounts of money, and have this really, really broad appeal and they do very well," Pegg said. "I think Star Trek is just a little bit more niche, so it isn’t gonna hit those kind of numbers. So yes, the obvious thing to do would be to not go for that massive spectacle, go for something a little bit more restrained in the vein of the original series. Yes, that would be a brilliant thing to do, and I’m sure it probably has been discussed… You specialize a little bit more." That's not to say that Star Trek hasn't given us moments of great spectacle over the decades, but the franchise is always at its best when it's introspective and offering social commentary. Pegg also said that, "maybe TV is a better place for [Star Trek] now" as the medium has evolved so much over the years.