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
