Now, Shakman has been tapped to direct the next Star Trek movie, officially signing on to direct the next movie for Paramount and JJ Abrams of Bad Robot. Moreover, the film is hiring female screenwriters Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet to write the script in what can only be described as a historic movie. According to multiple sources, the film’s production will pick up speed and begin next spring.
Shakman beams up to helm new Star Trek movie
Paramount has been trying to get a new Star Trek feature film out of the space dock for years. 2016’s Star Trek Beyond by Justin Lin was the last of the Trek reboots produced by Bad Robot’s Abrams. It was also the lowest grossing of the three, earning only $343.5 million around the world, against a $185 million budget. The recent reboots reset the timeline of the original films, with Chris Pine signing on to take on the role of James T. Kirk with Zachary Quinto slotting in as Spock. Following the middling success of the third film, a fourth outing for the Star Trek reboot would have seen Jessica Jones’ S.J. Clarkson direct a film starring Chris Hemsworth as Kirk’s father, a role that he also played in the original 2009 reboot. Unfortunately, both Pine and Hemsworth could not come to terms with Paramount, resulting in the plans for the film to fall apart completely. Similarly, other plans for a Star Trek film have found themselves stuck deep in the neutral zone. This includes the Quintin Tarantino-backed Trek movie and Noah Hawley’s original Trek feature. Another Star Trek feature that will be written by Fear the Walking Dead’s Kalinda Vazquez, that is independent of Shakman’s film, is also reportedly in the works. With the recent announcement, fans are undoubtedly excited for the future of Star Trek. However, much remains unknown at the moment. As Shakman’s new Star Trek film will be the first following Lin’s 2016 installment, Paramount has yet to clarify if this will be a sequel or if it will be the start of an entirely new plot. The film might also pick up from where 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis left off, especially with soft reboots/sequels en vogue these days. There is much uncertainty around the next Star Trek film. However, one thing that cannot be denied is the talent that Shakman is bringing to the proverbial table. After leaving the theater scene, Shakman has lent his expertise to direct Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. He’s also served as an executive producer and director for The Great. At the same time, he has directed some of the most memorable episodes of Game of Thrones and Fargo. His work on the former in The Spoils of War set a then-record rating for the HBO TV series. It saw a total of 10.17 million viewers on its initial viewing on HBO. Perhaps this explains why Emma Watts, the current Chairman of Paramount’s motion picture group, lobbied hard to land Shakman in the pilot’s seat for the upcoming Star Trek movie.
