New Star Trek Origin Movie in Development: What We Know So Far

The New Star Trek Movie

A new Star Trek movie set 'decades before' J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009 is reportedly in development at Paramount Pictures. Star Trek Beyond in 2016 was the last time a Star Trek movie hit theaters, and multiple attempts to develop Star Trek 4 produced by J.J. Abrams have failed to lift off.

star-trek-4-movie-update-zachary-quinto

Meanwhile, Star Trek on Paramount+ has launched several successful TV series such as Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek Strange New Worlds, which have bolstered the Star Trek brand and I.P. Paramount+ is also producing its first made-for-streaming movie, Star Trek: Section 31 starring Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh.

Star Trek (2009), Into Darkness, Beyond. Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk.

The Development Details

Deadline is reporting that Paramount has set director Toby Haynes (Star Wars: Andor) and writer Seth Grahame-Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) to develop a new Star Trek movie to be produced by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot. This new Star Trek movie is said to be an origin story set decades before Abrams' Star Trek 2009, which took place in the alternate Kelvin Timeline in 2258.

Star Trek 2009 Crew

In addition, Deadline says Star Trek 4, which it called the 'final chapter' of Abrams' Star Trek saga starring Chris Pine that includes Star Trek 2009, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond, remains in 'active development.'

Chris Pine As Captain Kirk In Star Trek 2009

Speculations and Reactions

The reports of two new Star Trek movies in development at Paramount Pictures are unexpected but fascinating. The Star Trek origin movie is surprising, especially if it's set in J.J. Abrams' Kelvin universe because the Star Trek timeline diverges in 2233 with the arrival of Nero (Eric Bana), the destruction of the USS Kelvin, and the death of Lt. George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth), the father of Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine).

Star Trek 2009 ending

Will this new Star Trek movie be set before Nero's arrival, or will it possibly show the aftermath of how Starfleet begins to change technologically in the decades when Kirk and Spock (Zachary Quinto) are still children? Meanwhile, Andor is perhaps the most lauded Star Wars project of recent years, so Toby Haynes directing offers hope his new Star Trek movie could be something special.

Zachary Quinto as Spock in Star Trek (2009)

Also surprising is Deadline's report that Star Trek 4 is in 'active development' as 'the final chapter' of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies. The cast led by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto have expressed a willingness to return to their roles aboard the Starship Enterprise, and Star Trek 4 could now be looked at as their final voyage together.

Star Trek fans have grown accustomed to news of a new Star Trek movie and nothing has materialized since 2016, so it's understandable if fans remain skeptical that either of these announced Star Trek movies will actually hit theaters.