Star Trek 4: Release date, cast, protagonists and everything we know about the most difficult film in the sci-fi saga – Film News

Since Star Trek Beyond was released in 2016, Paramount Pictures has wanted to make another installment of the galactic saga reboot, but the process has been very problematic.

It’s been eight years since Star Trek: Without Borders was released in theaters as the third film in the new saga of the galactic franchise that JJ Abrams started in 2009 and which was a reboot of the original films. But although the plans from the beginning were to make a fourth part, fans have been waiting for it for almost a decade without the project coming to fruition.

With Star Trek 4 as a working title, Paramount Pictures officially announced a fourth film in the saga in 2016, with John D. Payne and Patrick McKay – the showrunners of the series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – as screenwriters, but ultimately the project ended up in different hands without ever leaving the paper.

At times it was unclear whether the plans were to continue with the cast led by Chris Pine; whether the actors of Kirk, Spock, Uhura and company would be changed; or whether they would opt for a fresh start with a completely renewed team. Or even a mix of all the options.

Star Trek 4: In Progress Since 2016

The journey to get Star Trek 4 off the ground hasn’t been an easy one. In 2017, Quentin Tarantino himself proposed an idea to Paramount and JJ Abrams that was based on one of the episodes of the original series and a team of writers was even hired to develop it, but in the end the project could not go ahead.

During the following years, there would be several other attempts: one of them led by screenwriter SJ Clarkson (Anatomy of a Scandal, Madame Web) which was basically a continuation of Without Borders, and which was canceled after failing to reach the necessary agreements.

There was a third attempt by Noah Hawley (Fargo), hired to write and direct a new film based on his own vision for the franchise, but which ended up being rejected by the company’s new leadership. And then the most recent was with Matt Shakman (WandaVision), who worked for years with several different groups of writers before leaving to direct Fantastic Four without the project being able to move forward.

However, now Star Trek fans have reason to be excited again. Check it out below everything we know about Star Trek 4.

Star Trek 4: In New Hands

The latest news is that a new writer has officially joined the fleet and that’s always a good sign that things are moving forward. As reported by Variety in March 2024, Steve Yockey, the showrunner of the HBO series The Flight Attendant, is writing the script for the as-yet-untitled Star Trek 4. And while there are no story details yet, it will be the final chapter in the reboot saga.

At the moment, it has not been announced who will be in charge of directing, but it appears that there is currently an active search to take charge of the potential new chapter in the saga.

Meanwhile, the galactic franchise has two other films in development with which the project should not be confused: a prequel directed by Toby Haynes and a Star Trek: Discovery spin-off film titled Section 31, which has already completed filming and the premiere is scheduled for 2025.

Star Trek 4: Release Date

Currently, in addition to there being no release date, we are far from knowing when the new project will premiere. There have been so many changes in recent years that the only thing we know about Star Trek 4 at the production level is that it “remains in active development.”

Although there is a new screenwriter responsible for the new film, the project is in the early stages of development.

Star Trek 4: Who’s coming back and who’s not

As the project is in its early stages, there are still no actors or actresses who have confirmed their presence in the new film, although most of them have spoken numerous times about a possible return.

Once the new plan for Star Trek 4 solidifies, we’ll be closer to knowing if Chris Pine (Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Zoe Saldaña (Uhura), Karl Urban (Bones), John Cho (Sulu), and Simon Pegg (Scotty) will be part of the new story, but for now it seems like that’s the idea.

Likewise, if it were a direct sequel, the film would have had to make decisions regarding Pavel Chekov following the tragic death of Anton Yelchin in 2016.

Another much talked about presence in the last eight years was that of Chris Hemsworth, as one of the plans for the fourth part was an adventure in which Chris Pine’s James T. Kirk would join forces with his late father, played by the Marvel actor.

What is the plot of Star Trek 4?

Likewise, there are no confirmed plot details for the fourth film as of yet. One of the most likely possibilities is that it will be a continuation of Star Trek: Frontiers, which puts the final touch on the saga with a new and final mission aboard a new USS Enterprise. But it’s also possible that Yockey is betting on something completely different.

Either way, we’re pleased that the film can move forward, after a path full of holes and complications that prolonged the process to a point where it seemed like it could be shelved forever.

We are already looking forward to finding out more.

*Translation from a partner website of QuandoCinema.

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