At the moment, “Star Trek 4” remains without a release date and has not entered production. The film has experienced a prolonged and uncertain development process, with various writers and directors attached to the project, only to see them depart before significant progress is made.
The idea of a fourth installment in the Star Trek franchise began circulating before the release of its predecessor, “Star Trek Beyond.” Initially, Quentin Tarantino pitched his own concept to J.J. Abrams in 2017, developing a separate storyline with an R-rated tone due to violence and language. Despite assembling a team of writers, Tarantino’s take on Star Trek has not materialized.
Director S.J. Clarkson was next in line to helm the project, but she left when negotiations involving the return of Chris Pine (who plays Kirk) and Chris Hemsworth (who plays Kirk’s father) fell apart. Fargo’s Noah Hawley was then enlisted for a new direction that retained the ensemble cast, but his plans also fell through.
Writer Kalinda Vazquez was briefly associated with “Star Trek 4” before being replaced by director Matt Shakman, who was set to work on a story by Lindsay Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet. However, cast negotiations delayed the project, and Shakman eventually left to direct Marvel’s Fantastic Four reboot. Despite the challenges, Beer stated in early 2014 that the story she and Robertson-Dworet were developing was still active.
The lack of a release date and ongoing changes in personnel have contributed to the uncertainty surrounding “Star Trek 4.” As the film remains in limbo, fans of the franchise will have to wait for more concrete developments in its production.
