Simon Pegg has shared new details about the unproduced Star Trek movie that director Quentin Tarantino had envisioned. Speaking at a Fan Expo Boston panel, Pegg, who played Scotty in the rebooted Star Trek films, revealed that he received an outline of Tarantino’s project from J.J. Abrams and producer Lindsey Weber, describing it as as wild and unconventional as Tarantino’s previous films.
A “Batsh– Crazy” Take on Star Trek
Pegg characterized the planned movie as “batshit crazy” and noted,
“It was everything you would expect a Quentin Tarantino ‘Star Trek’ script to be.”
He highlighted the unique and eccentric nature of the script, which diverged sharply from typical franchise fare.
The Unique Appeal and Fan Reactions
While Pegg expressed enthusiasm for how Tarantino’s distinct style might have offered a fresh perspective on the Star Trek universe, he acknowledged that longtime fans might have been more skeptical. He said,
“I think it would have been such an incredible sort of curio to see ‘Star Trek’ through his lens,”
but added,
“I don’t know how it would have gone over with the fans, but it certainly would have been an interesting thing.”
The Project’s Development and Challenges
The project was officially announced in late 2017 when Paramount and producer J.J. Abrams agreed to move forward with Tarantino’s idea, with Mark L. Smith, known for writing The Revenant, attached as screenwriter. However, the film never advanced to production. In 2023, Smith explained that Tarantino became hesitant because he feared this movie could be the final film of his career. Smith recalled,
“Quentin and I went back and forth, he was gonna do some stuff on it, and then he started worrying about the number, his kind of unofficial number of films,”
adding,
“If I can just wrap my head around the idea that ‘Star Trek’ could be my last movie, the last thing I ever do. Is this how I want to end it?”
Smith noted this uncertainty blocked progress, and said,
“the script is still sitting there on his desk.”
Setting Inspired by Classic Star Trek Episode
The film was set to unfold largely on a planet resembling Earth but within a 1930s gangster backdrop. This setting appeared to take inspiration from the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “A Piece of the Action,” in which the Enterprise crew encounters a civilization operating under a 1920s gangster culture. This creative choice underscored the unique and unconventional approach Tarantino planned for his Quentin Tarantino Star Trek Movie.
Impact and Legacy of the Unmade Project
Although Quentin Tarantino’s Star Trek project never came to fruition, the concept intrigued both fans and creators by promising a distinctively bold take on the franchise. Simon Pegg’s remarks shed light on the possibilities such a film could have explored and the challenges that ultimately halted its production. Whether the script will ever be revived remains unknown, but its very existence reflects the ongoing creative experimentation within the Star Trek universe and at Paramount under J.J. Abrams’ production.
