Chris Pine will very likely beam aboard the USS Enterprise once more and he seems pretty excited about it. Back in February 2022, JJ Abrams broke the news during a Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS) Investor Day call that Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the rest of the Kelvin Timeline crew were returning for another Star Trek film. The announcement was a delightful surprise for fans considering plans for Star Trek 4 collapsed back in 2018. It was also quite the surprise for the cast, who weren’t quite locked in when the project was announced. But still, it sounds like the cast is looking forward to reuniting for the film.
Speaking with Deadline, Pine shared that while he has not read a script for the upcoming film, he has met with Matt Shakman, who will direct, as well as a bunch of people at Paramount. But despite the lack of script, Pine said, “Everybody seems excited about the prospect of [the film].” Which certainly indicates the Star Trek wheels are turning and this movie might actually come to fruition.
Pine further elaborated on the Star Trek franchise and his place in it.
Conceptually, I love it. I love Star Trek. Again, I love the messaging of it. I love the character. I love my friends with whom I get to play. It’s a great gig. I mean, it’s a gig I’ve had, working and not working, for 15-plus years. It cemented the career that I have now. I’m honored to be a part of it. It’s given me so much. I think there are plenty of stories to tell in it. You know, I think Star Trek for me, it’s an interesting one.
He went on to talk about the expectations for the Star Trek films and how much pressure the franchise had to cross the billion dollar benchmarks that Marvel films cross. He noted that the films did well but never quite reached that level of financial success. But for Pine, making the Star Trek films is less about trying to compete against Marvel and more of making a good movie for the fans—and anyone who wants to join in.
I’ve always thought that Star Trek should operate in the zone that is smaller. You know, it’s not a Marvel appeal. It’s like, let’s make the movie for the people that love this group of people, that love this story, that love Star Trek. Let’s make it for them and then, if people want to come to the party, great. But make it for a price and make it, so that if it makes a half-billion dollars, that’s really good.
The All the Old Knives actor further noted what it means for a $500 million movie to reach a billion dollars. And turns out, it’s not as financially successful as it sounds. It’s clear Pine’s interest in returning for another film has everything to do with his life for the Star Trek franchise and its fans. And honestly, that’s the best reason as far as we’re concerned.