The Kelvin timeline could continue in Star Trek 4, but development on the long-awaited sequel project has stalled for years. The current iteration of the big screen Star Trek film franchise began in 2009 with J.J. Abrams' quasi-reboot starring Chris Pine as an alternate universe version of James T. Kirk. That first film and its sequel, 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness, scored big at the box office and were critical hits. While 2016's Star Trek Beyond was greeted warmly by critics and fans, it struggled at the box office, and Trek's big screen future has been in question ever since.

Despite the faltering of the third film, the likelihood of Star Trek 4 seemed high, and there were a universe of possibilities in of story. However, Paramount's new take on the Star Trek franchise was introduced with the debut of Discovery in 2017, and the focus shifted to small screen ventures. Now, as shows like Discovery and Star Trek: Picard fade (and new projects rise), the chances of Star Trek 4 begin to brighten. However, a series of real-world delays has kept Kirk and company off the final frontier for nearly a decade, and the window is quickly closing.

Star Trek 4 Latest News

Zoe Saldaña Gives An Emphatic Response To Star Trek 4

Shortly after her co-star, Zachary Quinto, expressed enthusiasm for another sequel, the latest news confirms that Zoe Saldaña has signed on for Star Trek 4. The Kelvin Universe Uhura actor revealed that she is indeed part of the developing project, though she was also quick to point out that she hasn't read any scripts yet. With writing presumably still taking place on the fourth installment, it will probably take a while for more concrete details to surface.

Acknowledging that fact, the star of blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar made it clear that she wouldn't be waiting around for Star Trek 4 to happen. "In the first years when these sequels were becoming a thing in my life, I wouldn’t do anything," said Saldaña, "Now I’m learning that there’s so many things I want to do." This means Star Trek 4 might be further delayed by scheduling conflicts in the future, but nothing is certain yet.

Star Trek 4 Is Not Confirmed

The Sequel Has Been In Various Stages For Nearly A Decade

nothing has surfaced since Yockey was hired, and it's unclear where the development currently stands.

Despite the demand for Star Trek 4, the project hasn't been officially confirmed at Paramount. Rumblings of a fourth Kelvin timeline movie began in 2015 (a year before Star Trek Beyond), but it has changed several times in the years since. J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay were originally tapped to write the fourth film's script, but they eventually departed the project. Fargo creator Noah Hawley was brought on in 2019 after Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek project fell through, but his work was scrapped as well.

Various other writers were attached throughout the early 2020s before the latest update, which saw Steve Yockey brought on to pen the so-called final chapter in the Kelvin timeline. However, nothing has surfaced since Yockey was hired, and it's unclear where the development currently stands.

One concept for Star Trek 4 saw Captain Kirk travel through time to team up with his father, George Kirk (played by Chris Hemsworth).

Star Trek 4 Cast Details

Will Kirk & The Enterprise Crew Return?

Though few details about Star Trek 4's cast have been revealed, it's assumed that the "final" movie in the series will try to bring back as many of the familiar Enterprise crew as possible. Zachary Quinto's enthusiasm about Star Trek 4 practically confirms he will return to reprise his role as half-Vulcan science officer, Spock, and he'll likely be ed by Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk. Uhura actor Zoe Saldaña has confirmed that she's signed on for the fourth movie, meaning her co-stars likely won't be far behind.

One thing hanging over Star Trek 4's cast is the tragic death of Chekov actor Anton Yelchin, who ed away in 2016 at the age of 27. It's unclear if the sequel would write him off, or recast the role. The former seems more likely than the latter, since it would do a disservice to the young actor's memory by attempting to replace him. This does open the door for a new character from Star Trek lore to fill that spot, but details remain uncertain.

The presumptive cast of Star Trek 4 includes:

Star Trek 4 Story Details

Where Will The Crew Boldly Go Next?

There are no concrete story details about Star Trek 4 anymore, though a few ideas have been floated in the past. One of the most popular ideas saw Captain Kirk travel back in time to team up with his father, George Kirk (played by Chris Hemsworth). This idea was eventually scrapped, but it's unclear what parts of each new development have been kept, or if the current iteration of the project will use any of the previously discarded concepts.