# Development of Star Trek 4
**Star Trek 4** was the planned fourth film in [Paramount Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount-pictures)' rebooted [Star Trek](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek) film series, announced in July 2016 as a sequel to *Star Trek Beyond* and developed, in several versions, for nearly a decade before being canceled in 2025.[1](https://www.knowitallnation.com/news/star-trek-movie-goldstein-daley-ten-years-of-star-trek-4) • [2](https://www.superherohype.com/movies/637600-star-trek-4-chris-pine-zoe-saldana-update) The project passed through multiple directors, writers, and studio regimes without reaching production, and no film series entry has been released since *Star Trek Beyond* in 2016.[3](https://comicbook.com/movies/news/new-star-trek-movie-update-leaves-fans-tired-skeptical/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original announcement | July 2016, the week *Star Trek Beyond* opened, before a finished script, a director, or deals with the stars were in place[1](https://www.knowitallnation.com/news/star-trek-movie-goldstein-daley-ten-years-of-star-trek-4) |
| Planned cast | Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, and Simon Pegg reprising their roles from the 2009, 2013, and 2016 films, announced by J.J. Abrams[4](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2005084-star-trek-4-former-director-reveals-how-chris-pine-sequel-fell-apart) |
| Director era, 2021 | Matt Shakman signed on to direct for a planned 2023 release[2](https://www.superherohype.com/movies/637600-star-trek-4-chris-pine-zoe-saldana-update) |
| 2024 status | Two films in development at once: Star Trek 4 with a new script by Steve Yockey, described as the "final chapter" for the Pine crew, and a franchise origin movie from director Toby Haynes and writer Seth Grahame-Smith[1](https://www.knowitallnation.com/news/star-trek-movie-goldstein-daley-ten-years-of-star-trek-4) |
| Cancellation | The newly merged Paramount leadership stopped pursuing further adventures with the Kirk and Spock crew; Star Trek 4 and the origin film were dropped[5](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/star-trek-beyond-10-years-on-where-does-the-film-franchise-go-next/) |
| Successor project | On November 14, 2025, Deadline reported that Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley would write, direct, and produce a new Star Trek film not connected to any previous or current series, movie, or earlier development project[1](https://www.knowitallnation.com/news/star-trek-movie-goldstein-daley-ten-years-of-star-trek-4) • [6](https://www.thewrap.com/new-star-trek-movie-directors-john-francis-daley-jonathan-goldstein-paramount/) |
| Commercial backdrop | *Star Trek Beyond* grossed $343.4 million worldwide, the lowest of the Kelvin trilogy, prompting Paramount to pause development[3](https://comicbook.com/movies/news/new-star-trek-movie-update-leaves-fans-tired-skeptical/) |
## Announcement and early development, 2016 to 2021
Paramount announced the fourth film in July 2016, handing the press a release the same week *[Star Trek](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek-2009-film) Beyond* opened in theaters. At that point the studio had neither a finished script, a director, nor a deal with its stars.[1](https://www.knowitallnation.com/news/star-trek-movie-goldstein-daley-ten-years-of-star-trek-4) The commercial context shaped what followed: *Beyond* grossed $343.4 million worldwide, the lowest total of the three films starring the rebooted crew, and Paramount opted to pause development while keeping the sequel on its slate.[3](https://comicbook.com/movies/news/new-star-trek-movie-update-leaves-fans-tired-skeptical/)
**Casting and reported scope.** J.J. Abrams, who produced the rebooted trilogy, announced that [Chris Pine](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-pine), Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, and [Simon Pegg](https://www.edgepedia.org/simon-pegg) would reprise their respective roles from *Star Trek* (2009), *Star Trek Into Darkness* (2013), and *Star Trek Beyond* (2016).[4](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2005084-star-trek-4-former-director-reveals-how-chris-pine-sequel-fell-apart) Variety reported that the studio described the fourth installment of the rebooted series as the "final chapter," and it remained formally in development through those years; writer Lindsey Anderson Beer, involved in the script, told Collider in September 2023 that the project was still moving forward.[7](https://nerdist.com/article/star-trek-4-movie-chris-pine-zachary-quinto-zoe-saldana-jj-abrams-paramount/)
## The Matt Shakman era
In 2021, [Matt Shakman](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-shakman) signed on to direct *Star Trek 4* for a planned 2023 release. The film had already been in development for nearly five years at that point, and it did not reach its target date.[2](https://www.superherohype.com/movies/637600-star-trek-4-chris-pine-zoe-saldana-update) Shakman was ultimately attached to the project without bringing it to production, and he later spoke publicly about how the sequel fell apart.[4](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2005084-star-trek-4-former-director-reveals-how-chris-pine-sequel-fell-apart)
By 2024 Paramount had two Star Trek films in development at once. One was Star Trek 4 with a new script by Steve Yockey, described as the "final chapter" for the Pine crew, as Variety reported in March 2024. The other was a franchise origin movie from director Toby Haynes and writer [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-grahame-smith), first reported by Deadline in January 2024.[1](https://www.knowitallnation.com/news/star-trek-movie-goldstein-daley-ten-years-of-star-trek-4) The initial studio plan was to release a new Star Trek film in mid-2026, timed to the franchise's 60th anniversary.[5](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/star-trek-beyond-10-years-on-where-does-the-film-franchise-go-next/)
## Cancellation and the Goldstein and Daley reset
After Skydance completed its acquisition of Paramount, the company's direction changed. On November 14, 2025, Deadline reported that *Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves* directors and *Spider-Man: Homecoming* writers Jonathan Goldstein and [John Francis Daley](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-francis-daley) would write, direct, and produce a new Star Trek film, described as a fresh approach to the franchise that would not be tied to any past or present television series, film, or earlier development effort.[1](https://www.knowitallnation.com/news/star-trek-movie-goldstein-daley-ten-years-of-star-trek-4) • [6](https://www.thewrap.com/new-star-trek-movie-directors-john-francis-daley-jonathan-goldstein-paramount/) The announcement brought Trek back to Paramount's film slate for the first time since *Star Trek Beyond* in 2016, but it also ended the decade-long effort to make a fourth film with the rebooted cast; the newly merged company decided not to pursue further adventures with Kirk, Spock, and their crew, and both Star Trek 4 and the Toby Haynes origin film were dropped.[6](https://www.thewrap.com/new-star-trek-movie-directors-john-francis-daley-jonathan-goldstein-paramount/) • [5](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/star-trek-beyond-10-years-on-where-does-the-film-franchise-go-next/)
**The cast is not returning.** The new project will not feature Chris Pine, who played Captain Kirk in the three films released between 2009 and 2016; Pine has publicly wished Paramount's new leadership well with the franchise's future.[8](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/news/chris-pine-paramount-bosses-star-trek-32258/) At San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Daley said of the in-progress script, "I think people will be surprised," and Goldstein added that it will "probably be a little bit further into the future than we've been before."[9](https://www.gamesradar.com/news/live/san-diego-comic-con-2026-live-coverage-news-everything-announced-sdcc/) Paramount has continued to confirm that a Star Trek feature film remains in development, though without releasing details, and executives at [Paramount+](https://www.edgepedia.org/paramount) have said the studio has a Trek movie in development.[10](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/as-star-trek-turns-60-we-take-the-iconic-sci-fi-franchise-to-sickbay-for-a-full-health-report)
## The earlier film named Star Trek IV
The numbering invites confusion with a different, completed film. *Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home* opened in theaters on November 26, 1986, directed by [Leonard Nimoy](https://www.edgepedia.org/leonard-nimoy) and produced by Harve Bennett and Ralph Winter.[11](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-with-producer-ralph-winter) Its development began with preliminary preproduction and story work in the spring of 1984, a few months before *The Search for Spock* premiered, contrary to the belief that no sequel was planned until the previous film had been released.[12](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-30-facts-for-30-years)
Bennett and Nimoy agreed early in story development to use time travel and to avoid villains and violence, aiming for what they called a "nice" movie; time travel was chosen based on the popularity of the 1967 episode "The City on the Edge of Forever."[12](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-30-facts-for-30-years) • [13](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57482-STAR-TREKIVTHEVOYAGEHOME) Nimoy's idea of humpback whales answering a 23rd-century crisis grew from a conversation about endangered species and from [Edward O. Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/edward-o-wilson)'s book *Biophilia* (1984), and early drafts were titled *The Adventure Continues*.[12](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-30-facts-for-30-years) • [13](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57482-STAR-TREKIVTHEVOYAGEHOME) Paramount executive [Jeffrey Katzenberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeffrey-katzenberg) proposed casting [Eddie Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-murphy) in the role that became Gillian Taylor, played instead by Catherine Hicks, after the Murphy version was abandoned; Nicholas Meyer was brought in to co-write the final script with Bennett.[12](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-30-facts-for-30-years) • [11](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-with-producer-ralph-winter) The 1986 film was designed to reach audiences not steeped in Star Trek, and it is generally regarded as the most successful of the films featuring the original-series cast.[11](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-with-producer-ralph-winter) • [14](https://forgottentrek.com/feature-films/making-star-trek-4-the-voyage-home/)
## References
1. [No Kirk, No Kelvin, No Legacy Characters, Know It All Nation](https://www.knowitallnation.com/news/star-trek-movie-goldstein-daley-ten-years-of-star-trek-4)
2. [Star Trek 4 Starring Chris Pine & Zoe Saldaña Gets Terrible Update, Superhero Hype](https://www.superherohype.com/movies/637600-star-trek-4-chris-pine-zoe-saldana-update)
3. [New Star Trek Movie Update Leaves Fans Tired & Skeptical, ComicBook.com](https://comicbook.com/movies/news/new-star-trek-movie-update-leaves-fans-tired-skeptical/)
4. [Star Trek 4: Sci-Fi Sequel Gets Optimistic Update From Former Director, ComingSoon.net](https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/2005084-star-trek-4-former-director-reveals-how-chris-pine-sequel-fell-apart)
5. [Star Trek Beyond: 10 years on, where does the film franchise go next?, Film Stories](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/star-trek-beyond-10-years-on-where-does-the-film-franchise-go-next/)
6. [New 'Star Trek' Movie in the Works at Paramount From John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/new-star-trek-movie-directors-john-francis-daley-jonathan-goldstein-paramount/)
7. [The Final Updates on STAR TREK 4 and the Complicated History of the Film, Nerdist](https://nerdist.com/article/star-trek-4-movie-chris-pine-zachary-quinto-zoe-saldana-jj-abrams-paramount/)
8. [Chris Pine Tells New Paramount Bosses to 'Have Fun' and 'Good Luck' With the Future of 'Star Trek', Variety](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/news/chris-pine-paramount-bosses-star-trek-32258/)
9. [Everything announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/news/live/san-diego-comic-con-2026-live-coverage-news-everything-announced-sdcc/)
10. [As 'Star Trek' turns 60, we take the iconic sci-fi franchise to sickbay for a full health report, Space.com](https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/as-star-trek-turns-60-we-take-the-iconic-sci-fi-franchise-to-sickbay-for-a-full-health-report)
11. [The Voyage Home with Producer Ralph Winter, StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-with-producer-ralph-winter)
12. [The Voyage Home: 30 Facts for 30 Years, StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/the-voyage-home-30-facts-for-30-years)
13. [Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/57482-STAR-TREKIVTHEVOYAGEHOME)
14. [Making Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Forgotten Trek](https://forgottentrek.com/feature-films/making-star-trek-4-the-voyage-home/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works › Franchise and series film entries — overview and cross-series topics*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license