J.J. Abrams Set to Produce Two New Star Trek Movies at Paramount – Here’s Everything We Know So Far

Paramount is ready to bring Star Trek back to theaters in a big way now that its merger with Skydance Media is complete. According to a report from Deadline, the studio currently has multiple Star Trek films in development.

One film will be directed by Toby Haynes, known for Star Wars: Andor, and written by Seth Grahame-Smith. This movie will focus on a cast of “brand new characters,” giving the franchise a fresh start.

The other project will bring back familiar faces like Kirk, Spock, and the crew of the Enterprise. Steve Yockey is writing this film. So far, there are no production dates or release schedules set for either movie. Deadline notes that Star Trek remains a “high priority” for Paramount moving forward.

These new projects come after reports that the franchise is the “immediate priority” for both Skydance and Paramount as they plan their upcoming blockbuster films. The last Star Trek movie, Star Trek Beyond, was released in 2016, coinciding with the series’ 50th anniversary.

While it received positive reviews, it underperformed at the box office, earning $343.3 million worldwide against an $185 million budget. It was also the lowest-grossing entry in the Kelvin Timeline series that began with J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot.

Star Trek has seen many films in development over the years that never made it to theaters. A fourth Kelvin Timeline movie went through several writers and directors. Quentin Tarantino was once rumored to direct a standalone Star Trek film. Noah Hawley also planned a movie with an all-new crew, but it was canceled during casting because Paramount was concerned about a story involving a pandemic.

Skydance’s interest in a new-crew film shows the studio wants to keep exploring fresh directions for the franchise. Haynes’ film will take this approach, which is important for keeping Star Trek alive and relevant. As Deadline explains, “Star Trek is a franchise renowned for its ability to create entirely new ensembles for viewers to fall in love with.” Repeating the same stories with Kirk and Spock could eventually grow stale.

At the same time, there’s excitement for the new Kirk/Spock movie. Fans love the Kelvin Timeline cast, and if those actors return, it could be a memorable send-off. It will be interesting to see which film Paramount prioritizes. Haynes’ project could give Star Trek a fresh start for new viewers, while the Yockey film might give longtime fans a final hurrah with their favorite characters.

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