Karl Urban Gives Update on Star Trek 4

Karl Urban, who plays Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy in the Star Trek reboot series, said that he is confident Star Trek 4 will go into production. Urban talked about the ongoing delays at Trekonderoga, a Star Trek fan convention, earlier this week. Urban said that Star Trek 4 is contingent on the availability of Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, who play James Kirk and George Kirk, respectively, in the series. Followers of the reboot series were shocked when it was announced last month that Pine and Hemsworth walked away from contract negotiations with Paramount, the company that owns the rights to Star Trek. Paramount wanted the two stars to accept pay cuts that would be more in-line with the amount of money a Star Trek film is forecast to make for the studio. Pine and Hemsworth want salaries commensurate with their status as A-list celebrities.

According to digitalspy.com, a leaked plot synopsis for Star Trek 4 hinted at a time travel adventure that saw James Kirk reunited with George Kirk, who died in the 2009 film Star Trek, which kicked-off the reboot series. Urban remains confident that Star Trek 4 will be made, but that it hinges on finishing contract negotiations with Pine and Hemsworth. Urban also said that production would probably revolve around the schedules of Pine and Hemsworth. When it comes to contract negotiations, Urban feels that the ball is very much in Paramount’s court. The actor says that he is in frequent contact with Pine and that the Captain Kirk actor very much wants to be a part of the film.

Despite Urban’s optimism, he does acknowledge that the last film in the franchise, 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, underperformed at the box office. Looking at the situation from Paramount’s perspective, the actor understands why the studio is concerned with giving Pine and Hemsworth top-tier salaries and the film’s forecast profit margins. Looking beyond the box office, Urban says that his sole concern is to make a good movie and tell a story that is worth telling. Should Star Trek 4 be made, it will be directed by S.J. Clarkson, who will be the first woman to direct a film in the franchise. The film has also made headlines with news that the studio is eyeing The Walking Dead’s Danai Gurira for a currently undisclosed role.