While arguably not quite reaching the colossal heights and popularity of its younger and more impulsive brother,Star Wars, theStar Trekfranchise has been enjoying a bit of a renaissance over the past few years. From kids' shows to young adult shows to whateverLower Decksis, the final frontier has never looked quite so shiny and new as it does right now.
But there’s one aspect of the long-runningStar Trekfranchise that seems to have fallen by the wayside in recent times. While it’s true that projects like theParamount Plus seriesStar Trek: DiscoveryandPicardhave been charming fans both old and new, it’s been quite some time since there’s been a properStar Trekmovie. Luckily, it looks as though one of the stars from the most recent movies has a bit of an update. Unfortunately, however, it’s probably not the news fans were hoping to hear.
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Simon Pegg, who has been a fixture as Scotty in thelast 3 rebootedStar Trekfilms, recently spoke with Collider about the next movie, among other subjects. While it is true that anotherStar Trekfilm is supposedly on the way, it seems as though things aren’t moving along as smoothly as many would prefer. “I don’t know much,” Pegg said when asked about the progress of the movie. “There’s so many factors that have to align in order for these things to happen. I’m just quietly waiting for news basically. And I texted J.J. [Abrams] the other day and said, ‘Tell me what’s happening.’ He’s just like, ‘We’re waiting for news.’ I’d love to see more adventures in the Kelvin universe. Obviously, any chance I get to work with those actors is… I’ll leap at it, albeit it’s going to be a little sad this time, but stay tuned.”
It’s not surprising, but it’s probably pretty discouraging to hear for fans of the movies. Even with the numerous flourishing series on the air, it probably still stings a bit that there hasn’t been a newStar Trekfilm since 2016’sStar Trek Beyond. The “little sad” bit Pegg mentioned likely refers to the fact that the upcoming film, which wasannounced last year to be developed by Abrams, will be the first one with the modern Enterprise crew (the “Kelvin Universe” as mentioned by Pegg) after the tragic death of Chekov actor Anton Yelchin.
It’s not difficult to see why some might be hesitant to even begin working on a new movie, especially after the death of both Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy before the previous film even released. Of course, that isn’t to say plans aren’t in motion to make it happen.WandaVisiondirector Matt Shakman signed on to the projectlast year as well, giving fans of the surreal even more reasons to get excited about what’s to come.
So hopefully Pegg’s comments aren’t fully indicative of what’s actually happening behind the scenes. During pandemic times, it’s understandable that film production can be rough business, and there are surely a lot of emotions permeating the whole deal. ButStar Trekhas never been a series that stays down for long.
