Fans Just Got An Ominous Update Regarding Star Trek 4

Way back in 2009, the widely-beloved "Star Trek" franchise boldly charted a brand new course under the direction of JJ Abrams. Complete with a new cast and story, "Star Trek" revamped familiar characters and story elements for a new generation of moviegoers. Chris Pine took on the role of James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto portrayed Mr. Spock, and Eric Bana played the villainous Nero in what amounted to a colorful, entertaining cinematic adventure. It proved a critical and financial homerun, prompting the continuation of this updated take on the "Star Trek" mythology.

Four years later, audiences got the chance to see "Star Trek Into Darkness," which also became a critical and financial success for Paramount Pictures and all involved. Naturally, three years later, "Star Trek Beyond" followed — a film that general viewers and critics enjoyed but couldn't rake in the same profits as its predecessors. With that, the future of the revitalized "Star Trek" series came into question, but the studio was hoping to turn things around. In 2018, plans for a "Star Trek 4" came to light, and ever since, it's been believed that such a project would come to fruition.

However, a concerning bit of information regarding "Star Trek 4" has recently reached the public that fans have every reason to be worried about.

As reported by Variety on September 27, 2022, we may not see "Star Trek 4" after all. The production has been removed from Paramount's upcoming film slate for unknown reasons, having occupied the release date of December 22, 2023, previously. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Karl Urban (Bones), and more would've starred, keeping the "Star Trek Beyond" story going. The publication notes that this revelation comes not long after Matt Shakman of "WandaVision" fame departed as director — the third person behind SJ Clarkson and Noah Hawley to do so.

For those who love the rebooted "Star Trek" film series, one can only hope that whatever behind-the-scenes issues are plaguing "Star Trek 4" can be resolved before long. Thankfully, if you're just interested in more "Star Trek"-related content, there are plenty of television productions around to enjoy. For instance, there's the Sir Patrick Stewart-led "Picard," the adult animated comedy "Star Trek: Lower Decks," the kid-oriented "Star Trek: Prodigy," and "Star Trek: Discovery," as well as its spin-off, "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," which chronicles the exploits of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the USS Enterprise prior to the events of "Star Trek: The Original Series."

There are more options than ever to get your "Star Trek" fix. It's just too bad that, at least, for the time being, one such option in the form of "Star Trek 4" is seemingly off the table.