Star Trek 4 'cancelled indefinitely'
Director SJ Clarkson will instead direct the upcoming Game of Thrones spin-off pilot
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Your support makes all the difference.Star Trek IV has reportedly been cancelled by Paramount studios.
In August, industry insiders claimed that relationships with Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth over contract negotiations had broken down, and news about the project had been scarce ever since.
Deadline now reports that Star Trek IV has been abandoned completely. The publication confirms that SJ Clarkson – who was set to be the first female director of the Star Trek franchise – has been recruited by HBO for their upcoming prequel pilot of Game of Thrones.
The trade reports: “I hear Clarkson was recruited by HBO for Game of Thrones after she recently became available. Earlier this year, Clarkson was the first female director to be tapped to direct a Star Trek movie when she was hired to helm the fourth feature in the current series. That project has since been shelved.”
Paramount has reportedly responded to movie site Screen Rant, saying: “We have no comment on this for the time being.”
The franchise had been somewhat rejuvenated in 2009 when it returned from a seven-year break with JJ Abram’s Star Trek, but it is being suggested that poor box-office receipts from latest movie Star Trek: Beyond could be a possible factor for the alleged abandonment of IV.
Quentin Tarantino’s imminent take on the franchise has also been cited as a factor, with the director said to be teaming up with the original Abram’s cast once he has finished work on the forthcoming Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, which is due for release in July. Screen Rant suggested that Paramount may have wanted to avoid developing these two sequels in quick succession.
If the ominous cancellation rumours are as they seem, Star Trek die hards will still be able to take some solace in the fact that series two of Star Trek: Discovery is going ahead as planned. The popular CBS show is due to air later this month.
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