As of this summer, it will officially have been six years since the last Star Trek movie hit theaters. After 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, Paramount has been scrabbling to launch another outing for Chris Pine and his Enterprise crew, but various behind-the-scenes issues have caused it to become stuck in the space dock. Star Trek 4 remains in the works, however, with the full Kelvin cast attached to appear under the direction of WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman.
Beyond that, we don’t know what’s happening with the production, and neither it seems do those actually involved with the movie. The Guardian spoke to Karl Urban — who plays Leonard “Bones” McCoy — ahead of The Boys season three and dared to ask him where things are at with Star Trek 4. It appears Urban is pretty much on the same page as us as all he could do was spout the basic facts that we’re all aware of. Here’s what he had to say:
“Listen, I know it’s in development. They have a director attached. They are writing scripts and I know that the cast are all willing and ready to get back and do another one.”
It’s fair enough that Urban isn’t too clued up into the studio’s plans, especially as they keep on changing. Remember when it looked like Quentin Tarantino was going to do his “Pulp Fiction in space” Trek flick for a hot minute there? Or when Chris Hemsworth was set to return as George Kirk? Paramount even considered wiping the slate clean with a reboot from Fargo‘s Noah Hawley.
But, by the looks of things, Shakman’s Star Trek 4 will be more of a direct continuation of the first three Kelvin movies, although you’d imagine that the studio would want to reinvigorate the franchise in some way as this iteration of the film series is now 13 years old. But whatever you do, don’t look to Karl Urban for answers. Damnit man, he’s an actor not a producer!
In the meantime, catch Urban in The Boys, premiering on Prime this June 3. Or else keep up to date with TV Star Trek as Strange New Worlds releases new episodes Thursdays on Paramount Plus.