Star Trek's William Shatner Reveals He's Been Approached To Reprise Captain Kirk, And I Have A Theory About How The Character Could Return

For the first time in over three decades, William Shatner could potentially return to the franchise via an upcoming Star Trek project. While it's safe to say nothing is set in stone, the actor had fans excited after dropping a big reveal at a recent convention appearance.

After teaming up with OTOY and Star Wars actor Sam Witwer to bring back Kirk via short film, William Shatner addressed the idea of providing a more official return for Captain James T. Kirk. Here's what he told the crowd at FanExpo Vancouver, followed by my theory for how Shatner could come back in a Trek series.

William Shatner Confirmed He's Hearing A Pitch Soon To Return As Captain Kirk

While on the stage as a guest at FanExpo Vancouver, William Shatner was asked about returning as Captain Kirk to Star Trek. Those in the audience might've rolled their eyes at the question, considering how often the actor is asked yearly. This time, however, he had a different answer to give (via SlashFilm):

I'm very curious about who this writer is, and why William Shatner was so impressed by them. I used to think the star coming back was impossible, but after Star Trek: Lower Decks managed to get Jolene Blalock out of retirement, I'm ready to believe anything is possible. Plus, with one upcoming series on the way, there's a great opportunity to bring him back.

Shatner's Kirk Could Appear In Starfleet Academy

I've long thought that Robert Picardo's return to Starfleet Academy as the EMH could pave the way for past Star Trek actors to be guest stars. As a Hologram, he can pull up just about any previous character under the guise of them appearing as a hologram. Could this be how William Shatner returns as Captain Kirk?

This is my theory, as the 93-year-old actor is incredibly busy with all of his appearances at conventions across the world. A short cameo where the cadets are watching Kirk give an interview or something in that vein would be perfect for Starfleet Academy and a cool way to give classic Trek fans a real treat in this new series.

Of course, it's just a reminder that all William Shatner said was that he was going to hear a pitch, and there's a chance that the pitch is not even an official one offered by Star Trek. This could be another situation, like where he is part of a deepfake short film, but I guess all we can do is wait and see.

Readers can watch William Shatner's previous Star Trek appearances at their leisure if they have a Paramount+ subscription. We'll keep an ear to the ground should any other updates pop up about the actor's return, which will be a big deal if it pans out.