MOVIE NEWS – Zoë Saldaña has expressed a strong desire to see Star Trek 4 come to life without further delay, arguing that it’s already long overdue. Although the Star Trek universe thrives on Paramount+ with its ongoing TV series, it’s been eight years since the last film, marking the franchise’s longest cinematic pause. Despite being announced back in 2016, the project has faced countless obstacles, leaving fans—and seemingly even the cast—questioning if it will ever materialize.

In a conversation with Deadline, Saldaña shared her thoughts on the film’s delays. “I just wish we could’ve done it earlier,” she admitted. She humorously added that the cast is no longer getting any younger: “It feels like we’re all sporting a full head of gray hair now. If the original team is coming back, we better get moving quickly.”

Having experienced long gaps between sequels before, Saldaña is well-versed in the waiting game. She reprised her role as Neytiri in Avatar: The Way of Water 13 years after the original hit theaters and is set to return again in Avatar: Fire and Ash in late 2025. However, the gap since Star Trek: Beyond has been so significant that Saldaña has essentially completed her Marvel Cinematic Universe tenure in the meantime, starring as Gamora in four blockbuster films: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

The Challenges Surrounding Star Trek 4

The cast’s aging could ironically align with the series’ themes. While it’s a loss for fans to have just three films exploring the youthful Enterprise crew, diving into aging and mortality would resonate with the classic Star Trek films’ narratives. After all, it took a decade for Star Trek: The Original Series to return as Star Trek: The Motion Picture. With Chris Pine at 44, he and his fellow cast members still have ample potential to helm future Starfleet missions.

Paramount Pictures, however, has struggled to move Star Trek 4 forward. Despite numerous iconic episodes ripe for cinematic adaptation, crafting a cohesive script seems elusive. Although the Kelvin Timeline cast’s return was announced in 2022, no script has materialized, nor have actor contracts been finalized. Matt Shakman was initially attached to direct but left for Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. With its original December 2023 release date missed, and a potential 2026 debut feeling equally unrealistic, fans are left in limbo as the franchise approaches its 60th anniversary.

Source: MovieWeb