Chris Hemsworth Would Return to the STAR TREK Franchise if J.J. Abrams Called and Asked Him
Paramount Pictures and producer J.J. Abrams have been trying to figure out what to do with the Star Trek film franchise since Star Trek Beyond. There have been a few concepts and attempts over the years. The most recent Star Trek 4 project is being developed by director Matt Shakman (WandaVision), and he’s also been supervising the script, which is being written by Josh Friedman and Cameron Squires.
Before that, though, there was a sequel in the works that would have united Chris Pine's Captain Kirk with his father, George Kirk, who was played by Chris Hemsworth. This project was in the works six years ago and at that time Abrams said it was his "favorite Star Trek story that we've had." But, that movie never moved forward.
I always thought it would have been fun to see Hemsworth reprise his role as George Kirk, and he’s totally open to it! He would just need to get that call from Abrams to ask him. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Hemsworth said:
"There was talk about me doing the film with Chris Pine at one point. The script was sort of put together and then it fell apart. If J.J. Abrams called me tomorrow and said 'Chris Pine and I want to do it,' I'd probably say 'Yeah, let's go for it!'"
The actor went on to talk about how he initially landed the George Kirk gig in the Star Trek reboot saying:
"I got called into J.J. Abrams' office. There was no information about what it was for, I knew it was for Star Trek but I didn't know what character or anything. And it was basically based on an audition I had for the lead role that Chris Pine had played twelve months prior... So I came in and he handed me the script and I just read through the scene, and I did something right. I remember not really understanding what I was a part of potentially, which was a good thing. If I had known it was going to be the relaunching of Star Trek and become the film it became, I'm sure I would have been a lot more intimidated but I had auditioned on a Friday and then was shooting on the Monday. So there wasn't a whole lot of time for me to process what it was."
Hemsworth then shared what happened with his career after Star Trek saying:
"I shot Star Trek and then I had about eight or nine months where I couldn't get a job. Then the film came out and it gave me some momentum. And I had auditioned for Thor a few times-didn't get a call back. Then had another opportunity to have another callback. Star Trek had come out, Kenneth Branagh had seen it. I do think it helped in many, many ways. And I think J.J. Abrams and Kenneth had a conversation. The initial audition I sent, or the tape, was with my mum and I, and my mum was reading as Anthony Hopkins. I don't know, maybe it was her read that somehow swayed the vote there."
I’d be surprised if we ever saw Hemsworth as George Kirk again. I just think that time has passed. But who knows!? Would you like to see Hemsworth play the character again?