It has been nearly a decade since the release of Star Trek Beyond, prompting many to wonder if the long-rumored Star Trek 4 will ever see the light of day. One of the stars at the center of the Kelvin Timeline movies, Zoe Saldaña, recently revealed that she believes time may be running out in making the film, but remains hopeful that the cast will get at least one more chance to be on the big screen.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Saldaña addressed the current status of Star Trek 4, which has been in production limbo for many years. “I wish we were able to do it sooner rather than later,” Saldaña said. “I feel like a lot of us have a full head of gray hair, so we need to do this quickly, if this is the same cast that’s going to reprise it again.” Saldaña portrayed Uhura in all three of the Kelvin timeline films, initially spearheaded by director J.J. Abrams. The first two Abrams-directed Star Trek films were massive successes, with Star Trek Into Darkness still holding the distinction of being the highest-grossing film in the franchise’s history. However, the third film Star Trek Beyond, was considered a financial disappointment, perhaps leading Paramount to question whether making another sequel was worth the risk.
However, Paramount has maintained that they are still pursuing the fourth film, having recently brought in a new screenwriter to pen the sequel’s script. While plot details are still being kept under wraps for the fourth film, Saldaña hopes that the sequel will further explore Uhura’s relationship with Quinto’s Spock, which was a prominent subplot throughout all three movies. “It’s been a minute since I reconnected with Star Trek and all the characters’ journeys,” Saldaña said. “But Uhura and Spock were always sort of drawn to each other, it just makes sense to see what is the next step in their relationship and their work relationship as well.”
Who is the New Screenwriter for Star Trek 4?
The new screenwriter, Steve Yockey, was officially announced back in March but there has been no word on the status of the script ever since. Yockey has served as a writer on numerous television shows, including Supernatural and Doom Patrol, and recently served as a showrunner for the Netflix series Dead Boy Detectives. Originally, Wandavision’s Matt Shakman was attached to direct Star Trek 4, with Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet set to write the screenplay, however, all three departed the project. Paramount has still yet to announce a director for the fourth film, nor is there an official release date for the project.
While the status of Star Trek 4 still remains a bit of a mystery, Paramount continues to push out Star Trek television shows for its streaming platform, including the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, which just recently concluded its five-season run. A new Star Trek movie, Section 31, is also nearing its release on the platform, though it will not be released theatrically. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, Section 31 stars Michelle Yeoh, Omari Hardwick, Kacey Rohl, Sam Richardson, Sven Ruygrok, and Robert Kazinsky.
