Over the years, theStar Trekfranchise has boldly gone where few franchises have gone before, through various TV series, blockbuster films, reboots, and even expansions across multiple timelines. But one of the most intriguing and unexpectedStar Trekmovies of all time almost came from none other than the director ofPulp FictionandKill Bill, Quentin Tarantino.
Quentin Tarantino’sStar Trekwas pitched asan R-rated fourthStar Trekfilm in J.J. Abrams' Kelvin Timeline franchise, based on theStar Trek: The Original Seriesepisode, “A Piece of the Action,” which features a planet with a culture of 1920s gangsters.Tarantino’sStar Trekmovie never made it to production,but it has remained a tantalizing what-if.
Now, at Fan Expo Boston, Simon Pegg (who plays Scotty in theStar Trekreboot) gave his candid reaction toQuentin Tarantino’sStar Trekmovie.Pegg revealed that, although he didn’t read the script himself, he received a detailed summary of Tarantino’s movie idea from producersAbrams and Lindsey Weber. Check out Pegg’s reaction to Tarantin'’sStar Trekbelow:
That was what we call in the business, bats**t crazy. It was everything you would expect a Quentin Tarantino Star Trek script to be.
Pegg didn’t describe exact plot details or what exactly he thought was “bats**t crazy” about Tarantino’sStar Trekidea, but the actor admitted “it would have been such an incredible sort of curio to see Star Trek through his lens.” That being said,Pegg also stated: “I don’t know how it would have gone over with the fans.”
What Simon Pegg’s Comments Mean For Quentin Tarantino’s Star Trek
TheTarantinoStar Trekmovie that never happenedwould certainly have been an R-rated, gritty cinematic venture with a healthy dose of gangster flair. TheStar Trekmovie, being based on theTOSgangster episode, would have given it both nostalgic and radical undertones. However,it’s uncertain how an R-rated movie would have fit with the franchise’s overall tone.
The idea is certainly divisive and, as Pegg points out, it’s uncertain how fans would have reacted. Yet,Pegg himself was intrigued by the concept.Unfortunately, the idea fell through when the writer-director stepped away, due toTarantino’s concerns that theStar Trekmovie might be his final project, instead of something original.
Our Take On Simon Pegg’s Star Trek Comments
Pegg’s description of Tarantino’s proposedStar Trekmovie certainly makes the project appear both ludicrous and fascinating, andit almost sounds like the film could’ve offered a perfect blend of the director’s unruly style with a universe built on idealism and exploration. Therefore, ifTarantino’sStar Trekhad happened earlier in the franchise, it might have radically altered its course.
Tarantino’s movie could’ve caused division by challengingStar Trek’stone. However, while some fans might recoil at the R-rated idea, there has been surprisingly positive reception to theStar Trek: Red Shirtscomic, which feels very Tarantino-esque in concept. We’ll likely never see the film, but as Pegg says, Tarantino’sStar Trekis the kind of oddity that makes you wonder.
