A new Star Trek origin film is reportedly in development by Paramount Pictures as the company’s previously announced fourth Kelvin timeline movie remains in development hell.
Zachary Quinto as Spcok and Chris Pine as Captain Kirk in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Paramount Pictures
Deadline’s Justin Kroll reported that J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot will produce a new Star Trek origin film with Toby Haynes tapped to direct based off a script by Seth Grahame-Smith.
Kroll details “the project is an origin story that takes place decades before the 2009 Star Trek film that rebooted the franchise.”
The Enterprise in STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions. © 2013 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: ILM courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Kroll also shared an update on the fourth Kelvin timeline film claiming it “remains in active development.” However, he did not provide any other information.
The fourth Kelvin timeline film was announced back in February 2022 by Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins and J.J. Abrams. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldaña, and John Cho were all expected to reprise their roles.
The film was supposed to hit theaters on December 22, 2023. That clearly did not happen.
Star Trek Beyond poster
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At the time the announcement appeared to be Paramount Pictures grasping at straws given The Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit shared immediately following the announcement, “Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that most, if not all, teams for the franchise’s primary players — who include Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldaña and John Cho — were not aware that an announcement for another film was coming, much less that their clients would be touted as a part of the deal, and certainly not that their clients would be shooting a movie by year’s end.”
By April, Zachary Quinto told The Hollywood Reporter, “I don’t know that we will do it this year. I don’t know when it will happen. And I always maintain that I would love to do it.”
He added, “But until I get something concrete — ‘We’re shooting this day, here’s your script, get ready’ — I’m in a wait and see pattern. I’m not really attached to it in any way until I have much more definitive certainty that it’s actually happening.”
Zachary Quinto plays Spock in Star Trek Beyond from Paramount Pictures, Skydance, Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark and Perfect Storm Entertainment
Karl Urban also informed Variety, “I haven’t seen a script, I know nothing. But I would love to work with those guys again, so much fun, the best hang. We’ll see.”
Chris Pine, shared with IndieWire, “I know there’s a script out there somewhere and I’m waiting to see it.”
“Looking forward to reading it. I love the group. I love the team. I love the world. Happy to go to work,” he added.
Zachary Quinto plays Spock in Star Trek Beyond from Paramount Pictures, Skydance, Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark and Perfect Storm Entertainment
Quinto would explain during an appearance at the 57-year Mission convention in Las Vegas in August why the film was stuck in development hell.
As reported by Trek Movie, Quinto said, “I think there’s a lot of other stuff, creative things. It’s complicated. The fact that anything good gets made is kind of miracle. I think it’s about different people having different agendas and ideas about what it will be. And I don’t know if and when it will happen…”
He added, “And if coalesces again and we come back and we’re able to do it, wonderful. If not, we had a great run.”
Left to right: Zachary Quinto plays Spock and Karl Urban plays Bones in Star Trek Beyond from Paramount Pictures, Skydance, Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark and Perfect Storm Entertainment
As for the individuals attached to this new Star Trek film, Toby Haynes’ biggest claim to fame is that he directed six episodes of Lucasfilm’s Andor series. He also directed five episodes of Doctor Who back in 2010 and 2011. He has no feature film experience. His only film was a TV movie titled Brexit starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
Seth Grahame-Smith’s biggest claim to fame is The Lego Batman Movie. He also wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Grahame-Smith also wrote screenplays for the Johnny Depp film Dark Shadows as well as Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Left to right: Zachary Quinto plays Spock, Sofia Boutella plays Jaylah and Karl Urban plays Bones in Star Trek Beyond from Paramount Pictures, Skydance, Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark and Perfect Storm Entertainment
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