New Star Trek Movie: Insider Teases First Plot Details
Everything We Know About the Upcoming Star Trek Project
It's been ten years since the last "Star Trek" movie hit theaters. Since then, the franchise has remained absent from the big screen – but that's about to change. The industry portal Deadline reported some time ago that a new film is currently in development. Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider now follows up on this in his podcast The Hot Mic and sharing the first story rumors surrounding the new film.
According to Sneider, the film has been compared to a very specific movie. Based on what he has heard, the pitch was essentially described as "'Training Day' in space." Specifically, it means that one of the main characters is experiencing their first day in space. That's also the premise of "Training Day," where a young cop (Ethan Hawke) spends his first day on the job with his corrupt partner (Denzel Washington). Sneider couldn't yet say to what extent the story is meant to resemble "Training Day." Nor has the information been officially confirmed yet.
A True Fresh Start
The new "Star Trek" film is set to feature an entirely new cast. The actors from the Abrams films – such as Chris Pine, Zoe Saldaña, and Zachary Quinto – won't be taking center stage this time. Instead, the film will revolve around entirely new characters. So the filmmakers are taking a real fresh start with a new approach.
The project is being helmed by the directing duo Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. The two most recently directed the "Dungeons & Dragons" movie. They also contributed to the screenplay for "Spider-Man: Homecoming." They are set to write the script for the new "Star Trek" project as well.
However, a release date for the film has not yet been set. For now, "Star Trek" fans can look forward to the fourth season of "Strange New World." You can find more details here. The season premieres on July 23 on Paramount+. Watch the latest trailer here!
The Star Trek Universe
For 60 years, this science fiction series has been one of the most influential franchises in the genre and has evolved far beyond its original TV series. It all began in 1966 with "Star Trek." Created by Gene Roddenberry, the series followed Captain James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, and the crew of the USS Enterprise on their missions across the galaxy. Although the series was canceled after only three seasons, it went on to become a cult phenomenon in the years that followed. Television reruns and a passionate fan base ensured that "Star Trek" lived on.
Star Trek on the Big Screen
The series' success eventually led to its leap to the big screen. In 1979, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" became the first theatrical adventure. Several sequels followed with the original cast, including the film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," which remains particularly popular to this day. In total, the crew led by Kirk and Spock appeared in six feature films before a generational shift took place in the early 1990s.
Star Trek Expands on TV
However, the franchise's most successful phase began as early as 1987 with "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The series introduced a new Enterprise crew led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard and proved that "Star Trek" could work even without Kirk. In the years that followed, the universe was continuously expanded. With "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Star Trek: Voyager," and later "Star Trek: Enterprise," additional series were created that explored different aspects of this futuristic world.
At the same time, the crew of "The Next Generation" also made the leap to the big screen. Between 1994 and 2002, four films featuring Picard and his officers were released: "Star Trek: Generations," "First Contact," "Insurrection," and "Nemesis." For many fans, "First Contact" in particular is considered one of the strongest films in the entire series.
The Abrams Films
After several difficult years, Paramount took a chance on a reboot in 2009. Director J. J. Abrams presented a modern reinterpretation of the classic characters with "Star Trek." Chris Pine took on the role of Kirk, Zachary Quinto played Spock, and Zoe Saldaña portrayed Uhura. By introducing an alternate timeline, familiar stories could be retold without completely altering the existing continuity. The successful reboot was followed by "Star Trek: Into Darkness" (2013) and "Star Trek: Beyond" (2016).
The New Series
While there was a long hiatus on the big screen afterward, the franchise experienced a new resurgence in the streaming era. It all began in 2017 with "Star Trek: Discovery," which brought the franchise back to television after more than a decade without a series. This was followed by numerous other productions, such as "Star Trek: Picard," which continued the story of Jean-Luc Picard, the animated series "Lower Decks" and "Prodigy", and "Strange New Worlds," which chronicles the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike and the Enterprise. Most recently, "Starfleet Academy" was released – but the series has since been canceled. Currently, no new series is on the horizon.
Today, "Star Trek" encompasses a vast universe of series, movies, books, games, and comics. That's precisely why fans are closely watching to see which direction the franchise will take next. After ten years without a feature film, the planned reboot could now herald the next chapter in the science fiction saga.
