Paramount is charting a new course for Star Trek on the big screen, hiring Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves filmmakers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein to write, produce and direct a stand-alone feature described as a completely fresh take on the franchise. Trade reports say the project is not linked to any existing Star Trek series, films or previously developed movie concepts, marking a clean break from the Chris Pine–led “Kelvin” timeline that has anchored the brand in cinemas since 2009.
Sources indicate the new film will introduce an entirely new crew and setting rather than revisiting familiar characters like Kirk and Spock. Plot details remain under wraps, and no casting or production timetable has been announced. The movie will be produced under the filmmakers’ GoldDay banner for Paramount Skydance, the newly combined studio now steering the franchise.
The decision follows nearly a decade of false starts after 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, which earned about 343 million dollars worldwide and fell short of its predecessors. During that period the studio explored a range of ideas, including a direct Star Trek 4 sequel with the Pine ensemble and separate pitches from high-profile creatives, none of which reached the starting line. An earlier origin-story film with director Toby Haynes, announced for a 2025 release window, is now effectively sidelined as the new project becomes the priority for the merged company.
Skydance founder and Paramount boss David Ellison recently signaled this change in direction, telling investors the next Star Trek feature would not continue the Pine series and would introduce new actors. Star Trek has been labeled a key theatrical focus under the new ownership, with the Daley-Goldstein film positioned as the flagship effort to revive the brand after years of uncertainty.
Daley and Goldstein bring a track record of blending character-driven comedy with genre spectacle through films such as Game Night, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Honor Among Thieves. Their upcoming Cold War action comedy Mayday, starring Ryan Reynolds, reportedly tested extremely well for the studio, a result that helped cement confidence in giving the pair control of the next Trek feature. Early fan discussion reflects a mix of excitement about new territory and disappointment from viewers hoping to see the Kelvin cast return, underscoring the stakes of relaunching one of science fiction’s longest-running screen franchises with an all-new crew.
