2023’s planned Star Trek film, expected to be a fourth entry into the Kelvin Timeline series starring Chris Pine and company, has had yet another setback — following 5 years of other roadblacks that’s kept another KT movie from coming to fruition.

Director Matt Shakman (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Marvel Studios’ WandaVision), was announced as helmsman of the fourth Kelvin movie back in July 2021, and the film itself was slated for a December 2023 theatrical release date in November of last year.

Now, the state of this ever-delayed project is once again in limbo as Shakman has exited the project, The Hollywood Report reports, to take on the forthcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot of Fantastic Four, coming from Disney and Marvel Studios in late 2024.

In a statement issued to THR, Paramount Pictures said:

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.

What does that mean for the Star Trek film franchise? Your guess is as good as ours, as the next movie has always just been over the horizon since the summer of 2016 — and with each passing setback, it feels further and further away.

For the meantime, the future of Trek continues to be strong and steady on television, with five active Star Trek shows in production for Paramount+ and potentially two (or more!) additional series in the works to follow the current slate.

Keep checking back to TrekCore for all the latest in Star Trek movie news!