It was all looking so good for the fourth outing of the rebooted cinematic Star Trek universe. The pieces were falling into place for the script, and SJ Clarkson was aboard to direct. And most intriguingly, some time travel madness would see Chris Pine's James T. Kirk meet his late father George, played by Chris Hemsworth in one of the roles that helped launch his big screen career. Now, though, both actors' participation in the film have vanished into a deal-making limbo.
Pine and Hemsworth had been in negotiations to return to their roles (the former for his fourth stint, the latter back after appearing in the prologue to JJ Abrams' 2009 film), but Paramount is being budget conscious and not willing to meet the pair's quotes. The studio's argument is that the Trek movies, especially the likes of 2016's Star Trek Beyond haven't exactly been huge blockbusters, with that most recent effort taking just $343 million worldwide.
So now Pine and Hemsworth have effectively walked away (at least, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and who knows if their sources are looking to sway the outcome either way). There's a chance the studio could decide to simply recast (not the best option given the popularity of Pine's Kirk) or simply try another offer. The movie itself is reportedly staying on track, but this is a blow to the warp speed development.
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