Karl Urban is Confident That STAR TREK 4 will Move Forward With Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth
A few weeks ago it was reported that Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth ended up dropping out of Star Trek 4 because negotiations with the studio fell apart. Paramount Pictures reportedly wanted to pay the actors less than what they initially agreed on.
There hasn't been any word on the current status of the situation, but Karl Urban is confident that the studio will work things out with the actors and that the movie will move forward with them. In an interview with Trek Movie, he said:
“Hopefully, we get back for another movie, or two of them. We are just sort of waiting on negotiations. I’m confident we will."
He went on to talk about the payment dispute between all the parties and says that he knows Chris Pine and everybody wants to make the movie, the thing is... is the studio willing to take the steps to make it happen?
"It’s an interesting one. The last film did pretty well. I think it made about 320 or 350 or 380 globally [Editor’s note: actual Star Trek Beyond global box office: $343 million] But still, for a movie that cost what it cost to make, the profit margins aren’t that great and so particularly Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pine subsequently have done big movies, and their quotes have gone up and so I am pretty confident though that Paramount and those guys, they will figure it out. Because I know Chris. We were all in touch recently and everybody wants to do it and make it happen. So, if Paramount is willing there will be a way to make it happen. So, fingers crossed."
Pine and Hemsworth were expected to reprise their roles as Captain James T. Kirk and his father George Kirk, and the story would center around the two coming together somehow and embarking on an adventure. Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Simon Pegg (Scotty), and John Cho (Sulu) will obviously all be involved in the story as well. When talking about the current status of the film Urban said:
"The status is they have a script and brought on a director, S.J. Clarkson. I have not had the pleasure [to meet her] yet, but others have. I just haven’t been in the vicinity. They plan to shoot in the U.K., which is where she’s based. J.J. is also over there shooting that other space franchise. At the moment. I believe the status of the project is really hinging on the availability and the contract negotiations of the two Chrises."
Urban then goes on to talk about the story and how he just wants to make sure that it's going to be good:
"I just want to be sure if we do another one that it is good. I was pretty happy with Beyond, after the first two, and just want to make sure we push the envelope and develop these characters and take it somewhere new. That would be my biggest concern. What’s the story. Is it a story worth telling?"
Well, if Paramount doesn't get Pine and Hemsworth on board, the story that they've come up with will have to go through a major overhaul. Personally, I hope that Urban is right and they all are able to work something out. If not, things are definitely going to get interesting if they move forward with the franchise without them.