Since 2016 and the release of Star Trek Beyond, fans of the Trek movies have been caught in a transporter beam that’s failed to fully materialize. While the Trek universe has expanded on streaming TV in an impressive way, the future of Trek in the cinema has been less clear. But after several starts and stops, a new Trek feature might finally be warping into theaters just in time for the franchise’s 60th anniversary in 2026. Here’s why it seems this new Star Trek “origin story” film is really happening now, what its unexpected subject matter will be, and why we should expect a lot more updates soon.
As reported by Trek Movie via Puck, “...the new Trek script, by Seth Grahame-Smith, is done and on its way toward a green light, possibly by the end of the year, for a shoot in the first half of 2025.” This project, which had been previously reported in a variety of outlets, is a script focused on Starfleet history before the J.J. Abrams movies, and perhaps could even be set “well before the U.S.S. Enterprise era.” If that’s the case, it would be the first Trek movie of its kind, a prequel to all of Trek’s divergent canon that might give it the feeling of a cinematic reboot.
Some previous reports have suggested that this new movie would take place mainly on Earth, which isn’t that unusual when you consider that three of the franchise’s biggest box office hits — The Voyage Home, First Contact, and Star Trek (2009) — all take place at least partially on Earth. But the strange part about this rumor is that this new movie could deal with Earth’s first contact with alien life, which Trek canon has long made clear was a peaceful encounter with the Vulcans. If this new film changes Star Trek’s origin story, it will be either a massive retcon or establish a third continuity, one separate from the Prime canon and the Kelvin Universe of Abrams’ reboot films.
Puck’s report also confirmed that acclaimed Andor, Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Black Mirror director Toby Haynes is attached to helm the project. Interestingly, it also appears that Simon Kinberg — recently rumored to be doing his own Star Wars trilogy — will co-produce. Creators have been involved with both franchises before, with Trek Movie noting that Kinberg’s involvement isn’t an issue because the Star Wars deal is “far, far away from happening.”
Meanwhile, a direct sequel to Star Trek Beyond is still in the works, although there are no concrete developments yet. Of all the theatrical Star Trek films discussed and workshopped since 2016, this strange new origin story is the one closest to coming together. Puck’s report suggests that production could start in 2025, and the film would hit in 2026. If that’s the case, it might be just a few months before we start hearing about casting, which will give us a sense of what the Final Frontier's future — and past — looks like.
