There has long been talk about Quentin Tarantino directing an R-rated Star Trek film based on his own script. And this talk hasn’t been based on rumor or speculation in the press, it’s been coming directly from the legendary filmmaker himself. He has repeatedly said he wants to make his Star Trek. And he has had plenty of opportunity to say, “Ah, you know what, I changed my mind and it isn’t happening.” But he hasn’t done that!
…Until now.
Speaking with Consequence of Sound, Tarantino had this to say about his proposed Star Trek:
“I think I’m steering away from Star Trek, but I haven’t had an official conversation with those guys yet.”
Well, that is definitely a change of tone from what we heard before! And I really hope he has that official conversation with the folks at Paramount soon because there were a lot of people getting hyped about QT directing a Star Trek movie. There was some controversy about the idea, sure. Some didn’t like the thought of a Trek film being filled with adult language and violence and I understand that. But you can’t deny the idea of Tarantino boldly going where no one has gone before sounded like a cinematic combination that would be very, very interesting.
But it’s not happening now. Honestly, I never fully believed this thing was going to get off the ground. It just sounded too good to be true. It felt like one of those pie-in-the-sky Hollywood ideas that would be forever promised but never brought to fruition. I guess it’s good that Tarantino ripped the band-aid off and told fans to not get their hopes up. It’s better this way then people eagerly waiting for something that’ll never come.
Tarantino said a lot more in the interview above. It’s well worth your time. He is still on track to make one more movie, his tenth, and then retire from directing. His response about the pressure to make his final project is so damn Tarantino that you can’t help but read it in his voice:
“In a strange way, it seems like this movie, Hollywood, would be my last. So, I’ve kind of taken the pressure off myself to make that last big voilà kind of statement. I mean to such a degree there was a moment when I was writing and went, “Should I do this now? Should I do something else? Is this the 10th one?” No, no don’t stop the planets from aligning, what are you, Galactus? If the Earth is saying do it, do it. Not that it was an argument, but a little thought, like, “Well, if I’m gonna go out like Max Ophüls style, Lola Montez, this is it, and if It’s not good, then all my other work is trash, alright.” This would have been the one. But in a weird way, it actually kind of freed me up. I mean, I have no idea what the story of the next one’s going to be. I don’t even have a clue.”
So all the Star Trek fans out there can stop waiting for a big announcement regarding Quentin Tarantino and this beloved franchise. That ship seems to be sailing. But don’t worry, QT will still make one more movie (although it may be awhile) and Paramount is hard at work on a new Trek from the tremendously talented Noah Hawley. So the future of the series is definitely alive and well.