The Star Trek franchise was launched in 1966 on TV and saw a resurgence in the late 1970s and early 1980s after transitioning to the big screen. The franchise was later rebooted in 2009, with Chris Pine leading the cast of the USS Enterprise.
In the reboot films, Pine played the role of Captain James T. Kirk and appeared in all three installments. However, the critical and commercial reception of the movies dwindled, and a fourth installment languished in development hell for years.
During an interview, Pine shared his thoughts about what went wrong for the franchise. At the same time, the actor had some harsh advice to share for a potential fourth installment that could save the reboot movies from being a total disaster. Here is what Pine had to say about the Star Trek franchise.
Chris Pine revealed harsh advice that can save the Star Trek franchise
The Star Trek franchise was rebooted in 2009 by J.J. Abrams with the new movie taking place in the Kelvin timeline. The first installment received positive reviews and emerged as a commercial success, leading to two sequels.
Despite the reboot’s popularity, the reception of the latter installments was mixed, with a fourth film stuck in development limbo. In the Kelvin timeline, actor Chris Pine played the role of Captain James T. Kirk.
During an appearance at ACE Superhero Comic Con in 2024, Pine discussed the franchise’s condition, shared his honest advice on fixing some of its major issues. The actor stated the following while speaking to fans (via Popverse).
I think we just make a much smaller film that’s more story-driven, more character-based, there’s less shit exploding, and maybe do it that way.
From Pine’s words, it is evident that the actor wants the franchise to return to its roots, where the sci-fi elements were tools for good storytelling. Moreover, Pine also argued that the movies didn’t need to be blockbusters in nature and appeal to everyone.
Chris Pine is right about everything wrong with the Star Trek reboot
Pine’s comments might be harsh, but the actor is certainly right about what’s been going wrong for the Star Trek franchise, not just with movies but also on TV. At its core, Star Trek has always been a low-budget character-driven drama that explores various facets of humanity.
This particular element has been sorely missing from the movies and shows. Instead, the focus has been on bigger budgets and high-octane spectacle seen in recent installments.
The problem is also emblematic of Hollywood’s greed, with Pine also suggesting that it is okay if the Star Trek movies do not appeal to everyone.
I think we should make films that appeal to people who want to see the film. I’m sick of trying to please people who don’t want to see what we do.
Pine made the above statement during the same convention appearances, urging that the Star Trek movies first cater to the diehard fans.
Moreover, trying to appeal to a wider audience often results in ballooning budgets and heavy marketing costs. As a result, the films have a near-impossible task of making back their money, let alone emerge as box office hits. Hence, Pine’s advice may be a bit harsh, but the actor is completely right about the franchise needing to course correct and appeal to its core fanbase for a better future.
Star Trek movies and shows are streaming on Paramount+.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire