In an interview with Radio Times, actor-writer Simon Pegg explained that the original script for the third "Star Trek" film, tentatively titled "Star Trek Beyond," is too "Star Trek-y" and he was assigned with the task of making it more suitable for a wider audience who are not "Star Trek" fans.
Pegg explained by comparing the last film, "Star Trek Into Darkness," with the 2012 blockbuster hit "Avengers." The former earned well over $500 million but the latter earned $1.5 billion in sales, so now, the studios want a "Star Trek" film that could garner the remaining $1 billion.
In the interview, he stated that he was tasked to take the script, originally drafted by Roberto Orci, Doug Jung, John D. Payne and Patrick McKay, and then "make a Western or a thriller or a heist movie, then populate that with Star Trek characters so it's more inclusive to an audience that might be a little bit reticent."
For fans of action science-fiction, this might sound like good news but for "Star Trek" fans, this is a total nightmare.
As reported by Cinema Blend, the last "Star Trek" films reduced the deep philosophical undertones of the "Star Trek" series in favor of fast-paced action, a change that most "Trek" fans are very much against. In many ways, fans have complained that the films are more "Star Wars" than they are "Star Trek."
Pegg's statements only mean that the next film will step away even further from the core base of the franchise.
However, in the interview, Pegg also expressed his concern with the modern trend of cinema and how it is "dumbing down" its content to satisfy an audience that is seeking instant gratification. He cites films like "The Godfather" and "Taxi Driver" which were once the pinnacle of entertainment and how people now prefer popcorn action with very little depth.
According to the report from Cinema Blend, Pegg and Doug Jung might be able to strike a perfect balance in making "Star Trek Beyond" enjoyable for a wider audience without losing the basic essence of what a "Star Trek" masterpiece is.
