Chris Hemsworth isn’t the only actor to be quizzed about the future of Paramount’s Star Trek saga – Zoe Saldana, who plays communications officer Nyota Uhura in the Kelvin timeline, told IGN that she would “love” to return for Star Trek 4.
Chatting to the outlet in anticipation of Ben Affleck’s bootlegging drama Live By Night, Saldana remained hopeful that Star Trek 4 – and J.J. Abrams’ seemingly “amazing pitch” – will see the light of day despite Beyond‘s box office performance. Justin Lin’s spacefaring threequel recouped $343 million worldwide, down from the $467 million haul of Into Darkness. Inevitably, said figure has raised questions over the franchise’s future, and that’s despite Paramount officially issuing the go-ahead on a fourth installment.
Here’s what Saldana had to share on the matter at hand:
I hope there is, I really hope there is. It’d be crazy to limit the longevity of a show that has had a 50 year life and on to stop just because they had a bad box office turnout, especially with people talking about how amazing this one was and I would love… I would always come back. To get an opportunity to be with all my friends until we’re 50-60, I would be so happy.
Series stalwart Simon Pegg is said to be working on the Star Trek 4 screenplay, one which will surely explore the father-son dynamic between Chris Pine’s captain and his father, George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth). Details are few and far between at the moment, but at the very least, Zoe Saldana is game to reprise as Uhura not only for a fourth film, but long into her fifties. Such is the enduring legacy of the Star Trek brand.
Even though the actress can currently be seen opposite Ben Affleck in Live By Night, Zoe Saldana has lined up a string of exciting sci-fi tentpoles, the first of which being Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Her MCU contract will make room for a role in Avengers: Infinity War, it seems, while there’s also James Cameron’s long-in-development Avatar sequels to look forward to as well.