Paramount has officially announced that the Kelvin Timeline will continue in STAR TREK 4 (official title yet to be determined), which will bring back Thor actor Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk in the planned sequel.
J.J. Abrams revealed the scoop to Access Hollywood’s Scott Mantz last week, who nearly has a stroke when he hears the news:
Here’s the official press release, which also confirms that one-time STAR TREK BEYOND writers J.D. Payne and Patrick McCay will return for the script.
PARAMOUNT PICTURES, SKYDANCE AND BAD ROBOT
ANNOUNCE A FOURTH “STAR TREK” FILMCHRIS PINE AND CAST TO BE JOINED BY CHRIS HEMSWORTH, WHO RETURNS TO THE BLOCKBUSTER FRANCHISE AS GEORGE KIRK
HOLLYWOOD, CA (July 18, 2016) – Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Bad Robot today announced that the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise will return to the big screen for another voyage.
In the next installment of the epic space adventure, Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk will cross paths with a man he never had a chance to meet, but whose legacy has haunted him since the day he was born: his father.
Chris Hemsworth, who appeared in 2009’s “STAR TREK,” will return to the space saga as George Kirk to star alongside Pine.
The remaining cast is expected to return.
J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay will write the screenplay. J.J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber will produce through Bad Robot Productions. David Ellison and Dana Goldberg of Skydance will executive produce.
We’ve known for a year that both Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto have been contracted for a fourth film, and in J.J. Abrams’ recent comments about a possible sequel, he confirmed that Anton Yelchin’s Chekov would not be recast after the actor’s unexpected death.
More details to follow as they are announced!