Paramount has removed its untitled Star Trek sequel from its upcoming film slate. The project had been dated to hit theaters on Dec. 22, 2023.
The news comes one month after director Matt Shakman exited the project. Shakman had been courted by Marvel Studios to helm its Fantastic Four reboot, reuniting the Wandavision director with the studio. Shakman has now officially taken over the project, after director Jon Watts exited during the summer.
“Matt Shakman is an incredibly talented filmmaker, and we regret the timing didn’t align for him to direct our upcoming Star Trek film. We are grateful for his many contributions, are excited about the creative vision of this next chapter and look forward to bringing it to audiences all around world,” Paramount said in a statement.
The untitled sequel to Star Trek, a follow-up of Star Trek Beyond from 2016, was announced at a Paramount investor day early this year by producer J.J. Abrams, tapping Shakman as the director and with the hopes that the film would begin shooting this year. The film was even dated for a release in December 2023.
In February, producer J.J. Abrams even said, “We are thrilled to say that we are hart at work on a new Star Trek film that will be shooting by the end of the year that will be featuring our original cast.”
Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldaña and John Cho along with Chris Pine and Zachary Qunito were all expected to return (save for the late Anton Yelchin), but it’s unclear now whether the date will move and, if it does, who will fill the director’s chair.
Shakman first became attached to the Star Trek sequel in the summer of 2021.
