In the latest shocking news in movies, Quentin Tarantino decided he won't be doing The Movie Critic as his final movie after all. It seems the field is now wide open as to what he might do next, including his previously-buzzed Star Trek movie that was discussed years ago. While CinemaBlend's Sean O'Connell and others were thrilled at the thought of it possibly happening, this resident Star Trek fan is not.
We have no idea what Tarantino will do next, but I can most assuredly say I feel like a collaboration with Star Trek is the wrong move. I say this as a fan of both the franchise and the filmmaker: this is like oil and water in that they don't mix, and I think trying to force a hard R-rated Star Trek via his vision, as awesome as many think that sounds, will only end in disappointment for the following reasons.
The Things Quentin Tarantino Is Most Celebrated For Are Discouraged In Star Trek
When I think of the hallmarks of Quentin Tarantino's best movies, what comes to mind on those flicks are heavy swearing and colorful dialogue, lots of bloody violence, and an overall cynical view on humanity and its vices. It's the polar opposite of what Star Trek has been about for the past 60+ years, and given the over-the-top outcry by fans when the franchise dropped its first f-bomb, I can't imagine the response to a Tarantino-directed Star Trek movie would be any different.
While a more mainstream and casual audience won't care what angers dedicated fans, Alex Kurtzman and the powers that be have worked pretty hard since the franchise's revival in 2009 to slowly modernize it to current pop culture norms and standards while still maintaining its humanist ideals and civility. There are some things that are non-negotiable in Star Trek, and I could see copywriters having a fit with Tarantino for some of the dialogue or scenes he'd want to write for Starfleet officers. In the end, I think both sides would have to compromise in a way that disappoints everyone, and we'd end up with Tarantino-helmed Trek film that doesn't feel like either.
His Pitch Sounded Like A Regular Movie That Used Star Trek As A Supporting Element
Alleged details of Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek movie have traveled the internet for years, and we learned he was reportedly trying to pitch something similar to the typical time travel episodes we've seen repeatedly throughout the franchise. This pitch supposedly featured a 1930s-era mob story, set primarily on Earth and inspired by the Original Series episode "A Piece of the Action.
While Star Trek: First Contact spends a lot of time on Earth, it's hard not to hear that elevator pitch and feel like Tarantino wanted to do a standard mob movie, with a twist embedded that there are members of Star Trek's Starfleet and potentially other alien lifeforms in the mix. It's not a bad idea, but it feels like the franchise is playing second banana to the mob story, which doesn't feel like a way to do a Trek movie. Of course, we only know alleged details, so this is just speculation on my end, and I can confess perhaps Tarantino had it plotted out a different way.
Star Trek Movies Are Tied To The Overall Universe
I think the biggest issue with Quentin Tarantino doing a Star Trek movie is that, as it stands right now, it wouldn't exist as a standalone one-off idea. Even the Kelvin Chris Pine-led films have a link to the Prime timeline used in the shows and previous movies, meaning that Tarantino's movie would be canon just like the shows available with a Paramount+ subscription.
Given those stakes, there could be a lot of restraints put on Tarantino and what he wants to do with a Star Trek movie, which is not the way to get the director's best. As interesting as the premise it sounds, I just don't see the powers-that-be running Trek giving Tarantino a green light to do whatever he wants knowing it could impact the overall health and interest of their franchise once the glow of box office returns fades. But I could be wrong, though, and maybe given all the struggles with making Star Trek 4 happen, there are many interested in just seeing a movie made no matter the consequences.
We still don't know what Quentin Tarantino's next film will be, but a new Star Trek movie is in the works as we speak. CinemaBlend will have updates on both as they come, so continue to stick with us as we await the arrival of upcoming Trek shows and more in the coming years.
