"Star Trek 4" has already signed on its two main cast members, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto who play Captain James T. Kirk and Spock, respectively. According to the Hollywood Reporter, this was part of a condition for giving the actors a raise for their involvement in "Star Trek 3," tentatively titled "Star Trek Beyond."
"Star Trek Beyond" went through a very rough road in its development. After switching directors and a new writing crew, which includes actor Simon Pegg, things seemed to have gotten back on track when the actors' contracts and salary suddenly became an issue.
According to the report, because the 2009 "Star Trek" earned $385.7 million and its sequel, "Star Trek Into Darkness," earned $467 million, both successful in their own right but not the billion-dollar numbers Paramount Pictures was dreaming of, the studio was hoping that the actors would agree to a relatively small raise for "Star Trek Beyond."
Pine is said to have been paid $600,000 for the first film and $1.5 million for the second. He was set to receive $3 million for the third film but the actors' representatives reportedly stepped in and argued that "a personal services contract cannot bind someone for more than seven years," as stated by California Law. The contract between the actor and the studio was signed back in 2007 and would have been nullified in 2014. Therefore, this year, a new contract needed to be negotiated.
In order to avoid any legal battles, Paramount Studios agreed to give the actors a hefty raise, with Pine reportedly receiving $6 million for "Star Trek Beyond" although no details regarding Zoe Saldana's or Quinto's raises have been announced. It is likely they have reached a similar agreement due to the actors' rising fame.
Pine has starred in his own action flick "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" while Zaldana has become a part of the "Guardians of the Galaxy."
The condition for this raise was that the actors sign on for a fourth "Star Trek" film. Although Paramount has not yet officially announced that a fourth film has been green lit, this contract will bind the actors to the project in case it should happen.
