Paramount has removed its untitled “Star Trek” sequel from its upcoming film slate. The project, produced by J.J. Abrams’ company Bad Robot, had been dated to hit theaters on Dec. 22, 2023.

The news comes after director Matt Shakman exited the film, which was nominally set to be the fourth cinematic tour of duty for Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Karl Urban as Bones, John Cho as Sulu and Simon Pegg as Scotty. Shakman will instead helm its “Fantastic Four” reboot, reuniting the “WandaVision” director with the studio, after “Spider-Man: No Way Home” director Jon Watts left that film in April.

With the film now off its schedule it still leaves Paramount without plans for an entry in its most valuable franchise. The last “Trek” feature came in 2016 with “Star Trek Beyond.” Directed by Justin Lin, “Beyond” earned $343.5 million worldwide — the lowest grosses of any of the “Trek” reboots from Bad Robot.

Paramount has pursued multiple “Trek” film projects since “Beyond,” including reuniting Pine and Chris Hemsworth (who played Kirk’s father in 2009’s “Star Trek”) for director S.J. Clarkson, as well as versions overseen by “Fargo” auteur Noah Hawley and Quentin Tarantino.

Meanwhile, “Star Trek” is enjoying is most robust presence ever on television, with five ongoing “Trek” series — “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Star Trek: Picard,” “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” “Star Trek: Prodigy,” and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” — all in various stages of production for Paramount+. The latest entry, “Strange New Worlds,” even takes place roughly in the same time period as the Pine and Quinto movies, albeit in a totally separate timeline.

 

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