The Star Trek movies saw a huge revival in 2009 with J.J. Abrams’ fresh take on the story. Starring Chris Pine as Captain Kirk, these films updated the classic sci-fi series for modern audiences and were both popular with viewers and critics. For almost ten years, the series seemed unstoppable, but Star Trek Beyond in 2016 was the last Star Trek film released in theaters. Though the franchise has continued to thrive on TV with shows on Paramount+, it’s been nine years since a new movie appeared on the big screen. Recently, Noah Hawley, the showrunner known for Legion and Alien: Earth, developed a new film idea that briefly entered pre-production before being unexpectedly cancelled.
After working on Lucy in the Sky, I realized I enjoyed making movies and wanted to tackle a larger project,” Hawley shared on the SmartLess podcast. “Everything seems to be about franchises these days, and I noticed a lot of them focus on war – like Star Wars and Marvel. But Star Trek is different. It’s about discovery and resolving conflicts through intelligence and problem-solving, not just fighting.”
Noah Hawley described a key moment from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – when Kirk puts on his glasses and lowers the enemy ship’s shields – as the heart of the franchise. He explained that this scene demonstrates Kirk’s superior intellect compared to Khan, and it inspired the original idea he pitched to Paramount. He hadn’t even considered casting Chris Pine or any other actors at that point. Paramount loved his concept and immediately began preparations, even starting to book stages and plan logistics, with Hawley preparing to move to Australia for the project.
Hawley explained that when Jim Gianopulos was head of the studio, a new executive was brought in to oversee the film division. One of their first actions was to halt the development of the planned Star Trek movie. Their reasoning was a lack of confidence in the project and a preference for a safer, transitional film featuring the existing cast from the Chris Pine movies. Ultimately, the original concept was shelved.
Noah Hawley’s Star Trek Movie Should Still Be Made
Noah Hawley has a remarkable talent for taking familiar stories and creating something fresh and original while still respecting the source material. He proved this with Legion, which offered a uniquely psychological take on the superhero genre, and again with Alien: Earth, showcasing his skill with complex science fiction. He also clearly understands what makes Star Trek special, noting that its focus on solving problems, rather than fighting wars, is key to its lasting appeal over the past sixty years.
Looking back, cancelling this project for a less ambitious one seems like a huge mistake. The studio shut down a film that was all set to shoot in Australia because they worried audiences wouldn’t accept a new team, hoping instead to wait until the original cast, led by Chris Pine, was available. But that plan fell through, and the movie series went on hold for almost ten years. Basically, Paramount Pictures gave up a sure thing from a talented director for a potential project that never got off the ground. Trying to avoid risk ultimately meant they didn’t release a movie at all.
I recently spoke with David Ellison and told him, ‘You still haven’t made a ‘Star Trek’ movie – I really think it would be great!’ Now that Ellison and Skydance Media are in charge at Paramount, the chance to bring this project to life is within reach. The script is finished, the concept is well-defined, and I’m still eager to direct it. A ‘Star Trek’ film focused on smart storytelling rather than just action is exactly what the franchise needs.
Should Paramount bring Noah Hawley’s Star Trek movie script back to life? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!
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2025-12-02 16:10