K.T Simpson
Don’t overthink that headline, I’m just referring to “Star Trek”. Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino has come up with a great idea for a new “Star Trek” movie at Paramount, shared the idea with J.J. Abrams, and is set to pitch it to a team of writers – all this news courtesy of Deadline.
If all goes to plan, word is that Tarantino (not normally one to hop aboard pre-exisiting franchises) could also direct the new film, with Abrams to produce. Abrams is currently knee deep in work for “Star Wars Episode IX”, but doesn’t seem opposed to crossing over enemy lines to the “Star Trek” franchise for a good idea.
What’s the idea Tarantino has? It’s possible it’s the same one he’s had for a few years, which he first mentioned on the Nerdist podcast in 2015.
https://youtu.be/rzNnfKT6IrM
Tarantino, noting that he’s always been more of a “Star Trek” fan than a “Star Wars” fan, said he’d like to transport an episode of “Star Trek : The Next Generation” to the big screen.
The episode Tarantino namechecks is “Yesterday’s Enterprise” – an ep from the third season – which saw Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise have to choose between altering a timeline to save a newly-resurfaced USS Enterprise-C or forfeiting the lives of those on that ship for, well, the greater good, as they help end the Klingon war.
Assumingly, Tarantino would swap out Captain Picard for Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and their respective crews for the feature.
With talk of bringing Chris Hemsworth (who appeared briefly in JJ Abrams’ “Star Trek”) back as George Kirk (James’s late father) for a future “Star Trek” film, it’s possible that Tarantino will have the USS Kelvin, led by the “Thor” actor, stand in for the USS Enterprise-C. After all, Paramount did make it sound pretty official that Hemsworth will be back for that next film.
In the aforesaid interview, Tarantino acknowledged that so many of the old “Star Trek” episodes could be extended into feature-length films (including the classic “City on the Edge of Forever”).
Even if Tarantino doesn’t end up directing the new “Star Trek” film, it’ll be really something seeing his moniker listing in the credits as a writer or story-conceptualizer.
Tarantino is currently working on an unnamed film for Sony Pictures that includes some sort of subplot revolving around the Manson murders. Whilst the cast hasn’t yet been finalised (though names such as Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise have been circling), the release date of the film is set at August 9, 2019.
