2026 will mark the 10-year anniversary of Star Trek Beyond, the third movie that took place in the sci-fi franchise’s alternate Kelvin timeline. There have been numerous attempts to get the informally-known Star Trek 4 off the ground since then, only to be met with obstacles and setbacks. Well, it seems like we finally have a concrete update on the Kelvin timeline’s future, and unfortunately, it doesn’t bode well for Chris Pine’s Kirk, Zachary Quinto’s Spock and the rest of the crew of the alternate USS Enterprise-A.
In a Variety report delving into Paramount’s first 100 days under new CEO David Ellison’s ownership, it’s mentioned that Star Trek is one of the franchises that the studio is looking to reinvigorate. However, while there is the hope that a new Star Trek theatrical movie can be made, Paramount has reportedly “moved on” from it being Star Trek 4. If this information is accurate, then apparently we need to make peace with the Kelvin timeline being gone for good.
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Technically this doesn’t constitute an official update, so until Paramount announces what the next theatrical Star Trek movie is, there may be a slim chance that Star Trek 4 could still happen. However, let’s be honest, the writing has been on the wall for a long time that this project wouldn’t move forward. Not only have so many writers, directors and other talent come and gone from Star Trek 4’s development, but the franchise is also in a much different place compared to when Star Trek Beyond came out thanks to new life being breathed into its TV side (most of those shows can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription).
Additionally, the core cast of the Kelvin timeline Star Trek movies are in much higher demand these days, so Paramount would need to shell out more money to bring them back. And even if the cast did return, they’d be incomplete, as Anton Yelchin tragically died at the age of 27 just a month before Star Trek Beyond came out. As much as I’d like to see Star Trek 4, particularly if they went back to the story that saw Chris Hemsworth reprising George Kirk, it just doesn’t appear to be in the cards anymore.
So assuming Star Trek 4 can be taken off the board, that leaves two potential candidates for what could be the next theatrical Star Trek movie, at least that we know about. There’s the “origin story” movie that was first announced in January 2024 and was once expected to be released on the 2025 movie schedule, and then there’s the Kalinda Vazquez-penned Trek movie that was announced in March 2021 and was still in development as of March 2024. Whether one of these two is prioritized or a project that hasn’t been shared with the public yet, it’ll obviously be at least a few more years until this beloved franchise can shine on the silver screen again.
In the meantime, there’s still new Star Trek TV programming on Paramount+ to enjoy. Starfleet Academy will premiere on the 2026 TV schedule January 15, and Strange New Worlds Season 4 is also expected to drop next year, followed by the shortened fifth and final season presumably in 2027.