Spider-Man: Homecoming writers and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directors John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein will be at the helm of the next Star Trek movie. Paramount has finally given up on plans to continue the Chris Pine-led movies, meaning it's down to the duo to reboot the property.
Appearing at an unrelated panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the filmmakers shared new details about their approach to the franchise, including how it fits into the wider franchise and whether we'll see any familiar faces from the past. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this will be a completely fresh start for Star Trek.
"[It's] in progress, and we're very excited about it," Daley shared (via SFFGazette.com). "I think people will be surprised. I really can't say anything other than that."
Goldstein was a little more forthcoming, adding, "I think we've said in the past...it won't be the characters that you've seen previously in your Star Trek movies. So there will be a new take on that. And I think it'll probably be a little further into the future than we've been before. What draws us to it is the opportunity to do a different spin."
J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot recast icons like Captain James T. Kirk and Spock through time travel shenanigans. However, as Paramount Pictures looks to make this a theatrical property again, it seems moving on from what's come before is a priority.
Star Wars has struggled to move on from the iconic characters that fans associate with the franchise, and it's now down to Daley and Goldstein to find a way to get moviegoers invested in a new crew in vastly different surroundings.
As things stand, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy are the only live-action television series currently in production, with both shows set to wrap up in 2027 with their final seasons. Nothing is planned beyond that, suggesting Star Trek's time as a streaming property is over.
This reboot is in the works at a time when fans are both eager and nervous about Star Trek. Paramount, which is in the midst of a massive acquisition of Warner Bros., is run by the Ellison family, who are longtime supporters of President Donald Trump and what many consider right-wing or far-right politics.
While Strange New Worlds has been a critical and streaming success for Paramount+, the franchise has scaled back its streaming output following the conclusions of Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Lower Decks, and Prodigy.
For longtime fans, diversity and inclusion have been central themes of Star Trek as far back as The Original Series in the 1960s. The franchise has frequently used its futuristic setting to tackle contemporary social issues, but will there be room for that level of inclusivity moving forward?
Time will tell, but it will be interesting to see what Daley and Goldstein have planned for Star Trek.