Showrunner and filmmaker Noah Hawley has delivered yet another banger with Alien: Earth, but the creator’s scrapped Star Trek 4 was still a missed opportunity. The filmmaker had developed the fourth movie and was almost ready to go on floors before the pandemic and studio decisions put it on hold indefinitely.
Hawley revealed that the film has soundstages in Australia, and they were in negotiations with actors before the film was shelved (via Men’s Health).
Mostly, what I can say is that it was a really hard loss because we got so close. It was an original story that was not Chris Pine-related, nor was it Captain Kirk-related. I guess the thing that might stick with people is that there was an unboxing of Data, the idea of the android. And that was to become an element in the films.
While there have been some reports of what Hawley’s movie was about, the filmmaker could be brought back to make a creature horror film that is similar in tone to Alien: Earth, making it a first for the franchise.
Everything We Know About Noah Hawley’s Scrapped Star Trek 4
Plans for a fourth Star Trek film based on the Kelvin timeline hit a roadblock after the underwhelming response to Star Trek Beyond
Hawley was signed to develop a new film in the franchise and was set to go on floors after completing work on the fourth season of Fargo. The filmmaker hinted at the show being an original story that celebrated the franchise’s spirit of exploration. He compared it to a scene from Wrath of Khan, where Captain Kirk outsmarted his enemies.
Filming was reportedly set to begin in Australia before it was put on pause due to the pandemic. Deadline reported that the story was set to be about a virus outbreak and the Federation’s response to it (a gloomy premise considering what happened in 2020). Reports also suggested that Paramount was still on the fence about an unrelated original story (via Trek Movie).
The film was put on pause indefinitely, and Hawley moved on from the project. Over the years, the filmmaker has dropped many hints about what it could have been. He also hinted that Rami Malek and Cate Blanchett were set to star in the movie, though there have been no confirmations regarding their casting (via Trek Movie).
With Species Like the Gorn, Star Trek Has Plenty of Ways to Explore Creature Horror Like Alien: Earth
Noah Hawley is currently tasting success with the FX series Alien: Earth. The creature horror series set in a crash-landed extraterrestrial ship has been lauded for its atmospheric horror and connections to the Alien franchise. Hawley has proven time and again that he is a creator to look out for, and Star Trek may have really fumbled the bag with his exit.
As the studio hopes for a new dawn with the franchise, closing its TV shows and hoping for a big-screen adventure again, Star Trek 4 should definitely bring back Hawley to work on the film and possibly make it a creature horror movie. The franchise’s structure lends itself to being perfect for any genre. Species like the Gorn would be frightening in the genre.
Hawley’s virus outbreak movie can also be melded with the creature horror setting, and it can again be a true homage to Alien. There have been plenty of stories with Kirk, Spock, Picard, and Data already. The franchise is expansive enough for a new crew to have its day in the stars, and Noah Hawley’s movie could be a great way to test the waters.
What do you think about a creature horror in Star Trek 4? Comment below.
Alien: Earth is available to stream on Hulu. Star Trek is streaming on Paramount+.
