Paul Wesley left a strong impression on Star Trek fans after his debut episode as James T. Kirk in Strange New World's "Quality Of Mercy," and we want more! Not necessarily just in the upcoming season of the Paramount+ series either, as Picard Season 3 alluded to a possible Kirk resurrection following the character's death in Generations, thus opened the door for him to possibly appear in a follow-up adventure in the 25th Century. It turns out Wesley is indeed aware that moment went down, and the actor had some thoughts about playing Kirk in other Trek projects.
CinemaBlend had a chance to catch up with Paul Wesley and other Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stars ahead of the Season 2 premiere. During our conversation, I asked Wesley if he was aware of Picard Season 3 showing Kirk's body preserved in the Daystrom Station facility, which sparked resurrection theories after fans saw the placard reading "Project Phoenix" next to his body. The actor shared with me what he's heard about fans wanting to see Kirk in hypothetical future projects such as Star Trek: Legacy, as well as his own thoughts on portraying Kirk elsewhere. In his words:
Yeah, I’ve heard some rumblings about that as far as fan talk. Look, I’ll just say that I love playing this character. I love working with, as you mentioned, Akiva (Goldsman) he’s such a wonderful guy, a wonderful writer. I’m open to play Kirk in whatever show and version that they would like me to play. It’s such a gift and an honor. I’m up for whatever.
I can't say I'm surprised that Paul Wesley is down to play Kirk on any Star Trek series that will have him, but it is indeed good to hear him actually say it all the same. He's enjoyed stepping into the role of the flagship character enough thus far to warrant interest in maybe exploring future stories that take place with Kirk, even if they are outside the confines of Strange New Worlds. Which probably means the creative team hasn't clamped down on the idea behind the scenes.
Of course, before we see Paul Wesley in a hypothetical Trek series that fans want but hasn't been confirmed, we're going to see a good deal of him in the upcoming Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episodes. One Season 2 trailer revealed we'd see Kirk running around with La'an in what appears to be modern-day Canada, which has sparked speculation about an appearance by famed franchise villain Khan.
We also see that Kirk and Uhura will meet at some point in Strange New Worlds Season 2, possibly for the first time. Uhura will eventually be a part of Kirk's crew when he takes command of the Enterprise, and they'll even share a smooch that was celebrated in real-life as one of TV's first interracial kisses.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 will use Paul Wesley's Kirk and other exciting things to captivate all those who loved Season 1. This includes a crossover with the animated comedy series Lower Decks and the return of Klingons with a look more in line with the original series. Now is the time to renew that Paramount+ subscription, especially if there's a chance we'll be seeing more of Paul Wesley as Kirk in upcoming Star Trek shows.
Catch the premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 on Paramount+ on Thursday, June 15th. Tune in now to binge Season 1, and check out all of the other Trek shows available on the platform.
