Is the Star Trek 4 movie franchise finally over? It's been almost a decade since the release of Star Trek Beyond, and Paramount has been struggling to get a fourth installment off the ground. A recent report from Variety suggests that the studio may have given up, and that Star Trek 4 is officially dead. The new regime at Paramount, led by Skydance's David Ellison, is eager to revitalize the sci-fi franchise with fresh faces. The report states that the studio has moved on from the idea of bringing back the original cast, including Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, and John Cho. While the cast was keen to return, the sequel has spent an inordinate amount of time in development, and perhaps a fresh start is best. Initially, Star Trek 4 was set to feature Chris Pine as James Kirk's father, but that version of the project ultimately fell apart. Since then, new variations on the sequel have been in the works from various writers and directors, including Noah Hawley, Matt Shakman, and even Quentin Tarantino. However, with the studio's apparent shift in focus, it seems that Star Trek 4 may be a thing of the past. Another Star Trek project in development is a prequel, set to be helmed by Andor director Toby Haynes with Seth Grahame-Smith writing and Simon Kinberg and J.J. Abrams producing. Not much is known about the film, but it is said to involve the creation of Starfleet and mankind's first contact with alien life. In the meantime, Star Trek has been very busy on the small screen with three live-action series, two animated series, and even a streaming movie. So, while Star Trek 4 may be dead, the franchise is far from over. What do you think? Is it time to move on from the original cast, or would you have liked to see them return for one last adventure? Let us know in the comments below!
