It may be named Star Trek, but lately the Gene Roddenberry-created franchise might as well be called lost in space. Salary disputes are leaving Star Trek 4's cast and story in question, and if they aren't resolved, it's unclear what happens next to Star Trek on the big screen. Of course, the wild card with Star Trek right now is the potential Quentin Tarantino film. We don't really know anything about what the story would be, but given that it's Quentin Tarantino, you have to imagine it would be unlike anything we've seen before in this franchise. Karl Urban, who plays Doctor Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, confirmed as much, teasing what he knows about Quentin Tarantino's wild idea:
Quentin Tarantino went in to [producer] J.J. [Abrams]'s offices and pitched him an idea for a Star Trek movie. I know a little bit about what that is, and it's bananas. So, they are writing that as well. He is currently making a film with Brad Pitt and and [Leonardo] DiCaprio [Once Upon a Time in Hollywood]. So, it is going to be a year away from finishing that. So, it would be really rad to get to make a film with him. That would be a dream come true, he is definitely an auteur. Whether you like his films or not, he is a good filmmaker. And he makes interesting stuff. So, to me, that is when you get the best results.
The very idea that Quentin Tarantino would be involved in a Star Trek film was bananas in the first place, so it is only right that the idea he is bringing to the table is bananas as well. Karl Urban clearly knows a little bit more than we do and perhaps has heard at least the elevator pitch for what Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek would be. From what he passed on, it sounds like it would boldly go where no Star Trek film has gone before. The real question is where that is and whether or not we will get to see it.
Karl Urban notes that even though they are working on a script based on the Quentin Tarantino's idea, the auteur is still working on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, so it would be a while before he could theoretically hop to Star Trek. And there are some questions about if and when that would happen. But like some of his co-stars, Karl Urban is excited about the possibility. Also speaking at the Trekonderoga convention (via TrekMovie.com), he sounded very enthusiastic about what Quentin Tarantino brings to the table as a filmmaker and a fan, saying:
I was personally delighted he was not only a Star Trek fan, but also interested in working with our cast. It's not only a new story, but he is just one of those filmmakers that has a very unique and specific vision. And he totally utilizes the camera to tell the story. I think he would make a great Star Trek movie, I really do.
That is one thing that has been interesting with this from the beginning. Instead of making his own entirely original science fiction film or doing a new Star Trek film with an entirely new cast and timeline, Quentin Tarantino could potentially work within the existing framework. The director has a very specific style and there are some questions about whether or not that is compatible with Star Trek, but as Karl Urban says, Quentin Tarantino is a fan of the franchise. So maybe that unique vision is exactly what Star Trek needs at the moment.
In the meantime, we await to see what is going to happen with Star Trek 4. Karl Urban is optimistic that the salary negotiations with Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth for Star Trek 4 will work out and that movie will happen, so here's hoping he's right. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest in Federation news and check out our release schedule for the biggest movies still to come this year.
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