Noah Hawley Says His ‘Star Trek’ Starts “From Scratch” With No Picard Or Kirk

It’s clear that Paramount has decided the Star Trek franchise is best where it started, on the small screen. The CBS All Access shows have all done extremely well, and even an animated spinoff such as Lower Decks has been well-received. But as far as movies go, the lackluster response to Star Trek Beyond has left Paramount floundering for answers. Fargo creator Noah Hawley is the latest attached to a new film, but even that one is on hold. Still, Hawley has ideas for what it will be when/if it finally goes forward.

Speaking with Variety, Hawley says his Star Trek will be very similar to the way his Fargo series is related to the Coen Brothers classic that preceded it…

“We’re not doing Kirk and we’re not doing Picard,” he explained. “It’s a start from scratch that then allows us to do what we did with ‘Fargo,’ where for the first three hours you go, ‘Oh, it really has nothing to do with the movie,’ and then you find the money. So you reward the audience with a thing that they love.”

So that’s an answer to the question of whether Hawley’s Star Trek would incorporate characters from the JJ Abrams universe. Clearly, that’s not going to happen. A fresh reboot might be just what’s called for, and honestly, I think waiting might be the best way to go. Give Star Trek a little breathing room, let the streaming shows continue to build up the fanbase again, and then come back with a movie when the time is right.

That’s assuming it happens at all. Paramount has toyed with other options already. There was a proper Star Trek 4 that would have Chris Pine and the gang return. Also, an R-rated spinoff by Quentin Tarantino and writer Mark L. Smith was considered. Any or none of these projects, including Hawley’s, might be what they decide to go with

 

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.