Since his last time in a feature film as Captain James T. Kirk in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations, there has been much speculation about if William Shatner will ever return to his iconic role. And of course the actor himself has been the source of much of that speculation, especially after it was announced J.J. Abrams was rebooting the franchise a decade ago, but the return never materialized.
Kirk died under a bridge in Star Trek: Generations
Now, in a new interview from NYCC with IGN, the 86 year-old actor was asked if he still sees a path to the captain’s chair for himself and he responded by drawing a comparison to his Better Late Than Never co-star and former football player Terry Bradshaw:
“Are there stories to tell about an aging guy?” said the once and future Kirk. “[Bradshaw] was a great athlete. An awkward kid of 15, 16, who matured and then was a quarterback that was third quarterback, then he became the second quarterback. He grew into this great quarterback, one of the great quarterbacks, that he became. Now, he’s older, his knees hurt, his back hurts. … So here’s this aging athlete, who isn’t [what] he was in his twenties and thirties. Still carries himself grandly and has a sense of humor and all, but he’s not the athlete he was. What would Captain Kirk be like 50 years later, with the sagacity of mind, and yet the body doesn’t do what he wants it to do? I mean, it’s an interesting story.”
Shatner draws inspiration from his Better Late Than Never costar Terry Bradshaw
Could Star Trek do a ‘Logan’ with Kirk?
What Shatner is proposing is not entirely unlike the final film in Fox’s X-Men Wolverine spin-off trilogy, Logan, released earlier this year. That film dealt with the now more aged Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Professor X (Patrick Stewart) as they both pondered their mortality. The R-rated film was well-regarded by critics and a box-office success.
Patrick Stewart in Logan
Do you think Shatner has one more Kirk in him? Sound off below in our comments.
Oh heck yeah! I’d like to see an AU Trek where Kirk didn’t die.
Definitely. They should just tell a good story and not bother to come up with tedious solutions to Kirk being alive again. The whole of Generations was a clunky time travel story anyway, best ignored.
@Dom — exactly the only thing more tedious is the endless canon debate. Who cares how he survived GEN. That’s not the story; another film or novel will fix the canon for those who need it.
Yeah, why bother with intelligence, why bother with sense & continuity & believability- lets just put him back on the A & go at the Klingons again.
@Patricia Scott — as far as I’m concerned GEN is the AU. All of the mostly terrible TNG films happened in an AU, as a result of the Nexus. As far as I’m concerned, Kirk walked out of the Nexus of his own power once he came to the realization that It wasn’t real, and Kirk being Kirk needed reality, and lived the rest of his life.
One argument is, that in the Nexus everyone gets what the want.
Picard wanted Kirk to come with him.
Kirk wanted to stay.
So one Kirk went with him, And another Kirk stayed behind.
@William Carr — yup. I love how everyone thinks they know how the Nexus works. Some of the debates I’ve been in are ridiculous. Those who are most certain how it works tend to be those who are opposed to Shatner returning as Kirk. But you have a good point. Who knows if the Nexus doesn’t create AUs and duplicate everyone who enters it depending on the actions initiated by the individual? Or exist interdimensionally thus allowing access in any time, and any place that exists?
Good thought! I like it!
Oh boy here we go!
And sure I don’t disagree with him. But yeah, they killed him off. If he was still living, sure, why not? But thats the issue. And yes, yes, yes, I know its Star Trek, they can bring him back, etc, etc, but they won’t. Or they would have a looooong time ago.
And now watching Discovery and that show is a much more darker, serious tone I just can’t see him popping up on that all. He would seem almost out of place on that show but that won’t happen regardless since they already said you would never see any (main) TOS characters.
But I’ll repeat before people start typing, I think the idea in general is fine and I would see it. But in reality its just never going to happen for a plethora of reasons. Star Trek has moved on from Shatner’s Kirk long ago.
I’m agreeing and disagreeing Tiger2 ! I agree that the Franchise intends keeping an iron grip on their creative product . But I disagree that Bill is finished , and I believe there are many Fans who would support the continuing adventures of an older James Kirk .
Its been 24 years. The last time he was Kirk in that same year people were born and now old enough to have finish college, got jobs and married.
No one is saying fans won’t support him. What I’m saying is neither do Paramount or CBS wants to hire again to play James Kirk or it would’ve happened already. People let their fanboyism shine too much on these boards but thats all that is being said here, reality.
If they wanted Shatner to play Kirk again, he would’ve him again decades ago now. Its not going to happen and he’s almost 90. Again, that said and they did put him in a Trek product again I would certainly watch it. It just isn’t going to happen.
Right. I think we fans have a habit of forgetting that Paramount and CBS are businesses and they make Star Trek to make money. If it made financial sense to feature Shat again, they would.
Exactly. And I don’t think its personal on CBS and Paramount end either. It simply comes down to what they feel are in their best business interest. And I’m sure if someone came up with the right idea to have Shatner back as Kirk and they feel its worth doing they would at least consider it.
But considering its already been over 20 years they are clearly not exactly jumping at the chance to have him back, mostly because he wouldn’t attract a new audience at this point, which some of these people don’t seem to understand. Thats what they are looking for. Notice everyone arguing why he should be brought back has been watching him for probably 30-50 years already. Its the people who HAVEN’T been watching him forever that CBS and Paramount has the stake in today and who they are concentrating on.
They certainly will not get ‘less’ people watching.. lol
If we’re talking about ‘doing a Logan,’ we’re not going to worry about obsession with continuity anyway. Continuity obsession kills creativity; I genuinely have always preferred Star Trek stories – particularly TOS ones – to be ‘Once upon a time in space…’
No one explained how Charles Xavier came to be alive and in his wheelchair again from the end of The Wolverine onwards: they just got on with telling a good story. So, make a low budget Star Trek spin-off film about an aging Jim Kirk, facing life without having Spock and McCoy around to back him up. Pair him up with some attractive younger actors and actresses to appeal to the younger generation. Ignore the timeline-crossing ‘space tinsel’ from a 24 year old film almost no one likes and simply tell a new Kirk adventure on the kind of budget that can turn a profit.
“Continuity obsession kills creativity; I genuinely have always preferred Star Trek stories – particularly TOS ones – to be ‘Once upon a time in space…’
I disagree. Part of the appeal of Star Trek is in it being a “history of the future.” Star Trek was the original world-building franchise.
To be sure, I’ve much less of a problem minor continuity deviations (prop/set design, etc.) But we’re talking here about how the franchise’s arguably most iconic character died. There is a point where the “he’s not REALLY dead, Jim” trope gets to be a parody.
The only way to plausibly bring back Kirk is in the mirror universe.
The River Temarc,
Re: “he’s not REALLY dead, Jim” trope
You’ve got to be kidding me. If there was an such parody point, it was crossed a long time ago in the first series singular episode, THE DAY OF THE DOVE, alone as a whole ship full of good and bad guys kept offing each other and the hate and anger feeding entity kept bring them back to life to do it all over again.
Face it, by now this trope is as much a part of TREK’s narrative DNA as non OSHA sanctioned exploding consoles.
Re: …for a plethora of reasons.
That went right out the door with Paramount’s budget woes regime change.
And I’m fairly certain as Hollywood’s women find the strength to rise up and end its misogynistic power yielders’ decades long rule and their casting couches, that they are going to sweep the the studios’ ageism you gave voice to right out with it.
If a 94yo, who just got a standing ovation at the Paley Center a year older, Betty White can get cast in multiple episodes of the science-based series, BONES, I think, as apparently you do as well, STAR TREK can come up with some better-written thing for her, as well as the younger Shatner’s Kirk, to do that can be just as worthy of them being cast in our favorite franchise.
Unless, he pours on another few layers of makeup and a more recent Enterprise zips around the Sun to go back in time? Please, don’t let them do this!
Discovery is way too dark. I enjoy watching The Orville MUCH better, and I’ve been a Trek fan since the show’s original run in the 60s.
Yeah I will say Discovery is certainly a bit dark but my guess is due to the war theme. I have a feeling it will feel a bit more lighter next season. DS9 was also darker but it used tons of lighter moments and characters in between all the blood shed and Kira talking about tortured Bajorans. I think Discovery needs a Quark or someone who can just be a more humorous character when he has to be. I guess Cadet Tilly is kind of suppose to be that but still a bit bland.
His best shot might be on Orville — a character who is Kirk in all but name.
Kirok ?!!
Lol!
A Commander Cain type of character. Tim Allen could be his XO….
I would LOVE that! Hell get him and Stewart in an episode together. The ratings would go through the roof.
good idea!
I bet he’ll guest star eventually.
Super good idea
@Kev-1 — he’d be a great doddering and forgetful admiral, reprising himself from the “Deadly Years”. Kind of a Lloyd Bridges character from AIRPLANE! I’d actually get excited to watch an ORVILLE episode to see that … But I bet he won’t come cheap!
OH MY GOD YES!!! I think you’ve got it! This may appeal more to Bill?
There is no reason in the universe why his DNA couldn’t be reconstituted, and a clone made of a sample that was taken by the Romulan’s or the Klingon’s, like the clerics did with Khaless. He could play his older self morphing into a younger version with a new actor that looks like he did when he was 50.
It could be done so easily, but instead they will wait till he’s dead then do it without his assistance, and input.
Who cares if he died in Generations? I know I don’t- because this is Star Trek. They brought Spock back in ST:III- and even though it was unbelievable the fans didn’t care, they just wanted Spock back.
Give Shatner the dignity of a second chance at a dignified death. Then re-cast the role with a younger actor who will portray Kirk on TV. That would be a sure-fire hit IMO
Q (or Trelane) shows up on the Enterprise bridge, nearly breaks the fourth wall muttering something about “Generations… Incredibly… Stupid…”, snaps his fingers, and Shatner as Kirk is back in the captain’s chair.
Given Generations involved a messy time travel plot, I’m quite happy to assume the timeline reasserted itself, Jim never entered the Nexus and lived a normal life.
Bill Shatner’s contribution to the franchise is so great, that Paramount should give him whatever he wants. For the years and years they will continue to profit from his likeness, and other contributions he’s made they owe it to him to have closure with a role that became him, and he became.
“Bill Shatner’s contribution to the franchise is so great, that Paramount should give him whatever he wants.”
No. That’s the exact opposite of what Paramount/CBS should do. Merely playing a lead role, and playing it well, doesn’t automatically translate into creative genius. Star Trek V (which I think more highly of than most) illustrates that, as does Patrick Stewart’s role in developing INSURRECTION. (To be sure, some actors do write and produce well, such as Jonathan Frakes and Leonard Nimoy. But they’ve shown talent for *screenwriting*. Bill Shatner, not so much.)
“For the years and years they will continue to profit from his likeness, and other contributions he’s made they owe it to him”
…for which they’ll pay royalties to his estate. He’s not “owed” carte blanche on the creative side in the slightest, particularly given his track record on that score. That’s Star Trek V thinking.
You mean like Seth MacFarlane?
Bill Shatner’s Odyssey Novel Series is a complex Opus , but it’s central tenet was Kirk’s mortality . The Series ended with James Kirk looking further ahead , with Starfleet behind , and pioneering into the unkown .
Of course they should.
Of course Shatner does. Doubt he’s ever doubted it over the last twenty years or so.
The character is still dead, it’s doubtful the surviving cast is up to a movie, and with all apologies to Mr. Shatner, he’s not Hugh Jackman or Patrick Stewart. If a project were greenlit today, the guy would be close to 90 for principle photography. Sorry, but now more then ever, that ship has sailed….
Phil,
And I think the current power upheaval being instigated by Hollywood’s women is going to sweep that actors’ age limit pov right out the door along with the casting couch.
FWIW there was a production delay due to a fire and her scenes were filmed last, so I believe Dame Judith Anderson may have hit her 87th birthday by the time she completed filming and looping for her appearance STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK.
Phil,
Re: The character is still dead…
Presumed still dead. When you have two dead Kirks and one of them springs back to life, it is utterly ridiculous to claim the other’s “still dead” when there’s been no canonical scene in the ensuing films establishing that the remains have stayed undisturbed since Picard tiled them over with rocks. I mean, what is it with this only Kirk can retrieve a dead friend’s body shtick? Besides, Shatner’s Kirk has already been declared dead twice before and it didn’t take. Why’s the third the charm?
And TNG established that the E uses stasis fields to preserve dead bodies in its morgue so the technology existed in the 24th century civilization to preserve a dead Kirk’s body until something akin to Khan’s blood could revive it.
“Just because something’s old doesn’t mean you throw it away.” — R. Moore, TNG episode RELICS
Why does no one accept that the new Movies take place in the Kelvin Timeline? Nobody knows whennor how Kirk will die there.
@ Disinvited.
I don’t believe that Hollywood grappling with it’s sexism problem isn’t going to spill over into an abundance of roles for geriatric actors. Here’s the problem with Shatners Terry Bradshaw analogy – Bradshaw isn’t an athlete anymore, he’s a TV personality. Kirk would be the equivalent of one of these network news consultants, reduced to grumbling about what Starfleet Command is going now – not someone leading the charge one last time, he’s just someone talking about it.
Okay, so lets just pretend Kirk isn’t dead. Lets also pretend that Shatners post Generations novels are not the basis for a film. If the studio greenlights a project, they either ignore Generations and keep him in the 23rd century, or resurrect him in the 24th century. The problem with keeping him in the 23rd century is obvious – you’re asking a guy who’s approaching 90 to recreate a character he played in his 50’s and 60’s. If you keep him in the 24th century, then he is the man out of time. Other characters TNG resurrected weren’t welcomed back to the fleet with open arms, they were shuffled off to the Starfleet old folks home at the end of the episode, save the Vulcan ambassador. So, lets pretend they write up a great, Oscar worthy script for Shatner, if, as he says, he’s grappling with old age, it’s not going to be a grand space adventure. Some fans would be good with that, others, not so much. I’d think the least we could agree on that it absolutely, positively has to be done right, otherwise it’ll just be a laughingstock of a production, a bad vanity project to satisfy an aging actors ego.
Phil,
Re: positively has to be done right
We definitely agree there.
In addition to Logan, there was a film a couple years ago about an aged Sherlock Holmes. I think Sir Ian McKellan played him.
Old Kirk could make for an interesting what-if scenario outside of canon. Hey, get Nick Meyer to write it. He knows something about stories for an aging Kirk.
Its kind of silly to compare Logan to Kirk though. Hugh Jackman isn’t actually near 100 years old and still a big star in a very popular franchise who has been in the last 10 films of that franchise.
Shatner really is almost 90 and most people under 30 who don’t watch Star Trek would not be interested in seeing him and thats the real issue.
Its not JUST about age, about relevancy. And yes, sadly the two goes hand in hand but in this case he’s not relevant to the franchise anymore OR he would’ve been in more Trek films or shows by now.
Who said it has to be a blockbuster appealing to as many people as possible? Make it a special TV movie on Netflix or something. Have Kirk meeting Carol Marcus again. Helen Mirren, or some other established older actress, could play her. A simple drama could work. Doesn’t have to be a supernova. Make it about the story and acting, like The Inner Light and The Visitor.
Studios rarely think that way anymore. Hence why the KT films cost $150+ million and Discovery cost $8+ million an episode. I’m personally not against the idea, I just don’t think its appealing enough for executives to back it, thats all.
On the contrary, Hollywood still loves sticking old established actors in those ‘hey, they stick got it!’ type stories. They’re typically not on the blockbuster level, sometimes they’re comedies, but they do still get made.
That should be ‘hey, they STILL got it!’
If they love it so much, then how come the guy hasn’t played Kirk in over 20 years now? You guys have to stop the delusion. Shatner is never playing Kirk again. Hollywood has moved on long ago.
Tiger2,
William Shatner last portrayed James T. Kirk in 2006, in the video games STAR TREK:LEGACY and STAR TREK:TACTICAL ASSAULT 11 years ago.
A video game doesn’t count because its not canon. And he doesn’t have to be dead in a video game.
Tiger2,
Re: not canon.
Neither is streaming which is just as equally a non-canon alternative Trek performance platform:
http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Canon
And Trek canon established in the very first season ever, quite to the opposite of your assertion, that beings that die on Trek don’t stay dead, least of all one James T Kirk.
I never said people stay dead on Star Trek. Janeway knows a thing or two about that lol. I said since he’s been dead for over 20 years now, he’s no longer relevant to the franchise and being in video games is not canon or close to playing the character in a show or a film. Seriously.
Tiger2,
Then what did you mean when you said “And he doesn’t have to be dead in a video game.”? Because I read that as “He doesn’t have to stay dead in a video game.” Where DOES he HAVE to be dead, if “…he doesn’t have to be dead in a video game.”?
He doesn’t have to be dead in a video game because, once again, video games AREN’T CANON! Jesus, does this really have to be explained? Its a freakin video game, they can do whatever they want.
But in the Trek universe of films and shows he was officially killed off. So they would have to find time to resurrect him IF they want to use him again outside of a dream or a flashback. And no one seems to want to do that since the franchise is no longer about him anymore.
Tiger2,
Re: …does this really have to be explained
Yes, since you insisted you never claimed he had to stay dead in the interim which is EXACTLY what you are now doing.
And again, I remind you just as video games were new technology that didn’t exist when the definition of STAR TREK canon was set, so is video internet streaming. Neither are canon until their tales or story elements fend their way onto actual television or movie theater exhibition.
Genius I never said he HAD to stay dead, please point out that sentence to me. What I AM saying is he’s been dead so long at this point no one has any interest in bringing him back outside of sad deluded fan boys as yourself.
And one more time, video games aren’t canon. They are video games.
@Hector — I loved Ian McKellan’s performance in that movie. That would be an appropriate vehicle for a man Shatners age, though surprisingly, I find Shatner much more energetic and youthful than McKellan.
But you’ve given me an idea. Why not just tell this story in the Nexus? Kirk was there for 100 years before Picard pulled him out. Why not show Kirk’s life there? Yes it would be fake to us, but as far as Kirk knows, it’s real, and it allows him to get old and interact with anyone fans would care to see, CGI dependant in some cases of course. But in general, as long as there’s a good story to tell, there’s a simple way to do it.
Yeah, that could work. And the Nexus is so vague a concept there’s many things to do with it to bring Kirk back. Just like protomatter. Throw some technobabble in there, we’ll buy it to have the actor return.
Get Paramount to tell Shatner they can’t afford him, and then float the idea of them doing a stand alone movie. The budget would be 25 million, Shatner only getting 2 million with the built-in incentive that he gets a hefty portion of the box office profits. You could slap together a great sci-fi epic (for that money) if done right. A great story where Kirk is rescued from the Nexus and then goes out in a blaze of glory saving the universe. Do CGI to de-age him for the Nexus bits, and then explain that, once he got out, he was marooned somewhere for years (a la Castaway), thus explaining his current age.
I bet that, if done right, it would turn a tidy profit, while wrapping up (and securing) the Captain Kirk legacy.
“he was marooned somewhere for years (a la Castaway), thus explaining his current age…, it would turn a tidy profit, while wrapping up (and securing) the Captain Kirk legacy.”
Marooning Starfleet’s most famous captain for 20+ years would do nothing to enhance his legacy. This is a great example of why contrived scenarios to resurrect Kirk will go over like a lead balloon.
@TRT — how about Kirk, Picard and Guinan never left the Nexus. They just thought they did. Everything that happened after Picard ended up in the Nexus was part of his Nexus fantasy including FC, INS, and especially NEM (I mean that totally explains NEM!). How about a series with the 3 of them becoming an intergalactic team of specialists who fight crime from the Nexus! Ha
Shatners own solution to reviving Kirk was made Canon in Voyager.
Neelix died, and was revived 18 hours later by Borg Nanites.
They should have credited Shatner on that episode, because that’s his idea.
Probably the Reeves-Stevenses’ idea, prompted by a Shatner pitch like, ‘kirk lives again.’
I honestly wished they would’ve made a movie out of The Return. I never read it but it does sound like an interesting story of the Borg resurrecting Kirk.
My thought is for them to go back to the beginning. Have the Talosians bring back Kirk. They are a pretty powerful group. Spock did them a favor and brought Captain Pike to them. Kirk saved Spock in The Search for Spock. So Spock’s payback is to ask the Talosians if they could resurrect Kirk. The movie could have Captain Kirk back in charge of the Enterprise and everything seems normal, but he has nagging feeling that something is wrong, like he does not belong there. Eventually a big clue is revealed about Talos 4 and Kirk and company go there. Meet an aging Captain Pike and Vina and there family and the small community that has grown there. Kirk then meets the Talosians and all is revealed. Kirk then goes back to the Enterprise and continues his adventures doing what he always wanted to do. The adventure never ends. Full Circle.
Except while the Talosians masters of illusion, but there is nothing to indicate they can resurrect the dead. Quite the contrary: Pike threatened to test his seemingly malfunctioning phaser on a Talosian to see if the phaser was really working, and the Talosian was genuinely frightened. The Talosians aren’t gods, and making the gods destroys their mystique.
@TRT — ah but here’s what they could do: they know who Kirk is from The Menagerie. So the Nexus approached close to Talos during its pass through the Galaxy, the Talosians mentally investigated it, and detected Kirk trapped within it, so they influenced him to exit it onto Talos. Simple.
That could be a great story if Kirk was still alive. But he’s dead. Besides, Wrath of Khan was already about him aging, even though he wasn’t actually that old back then.
Legate Damar,
Re: That could be a great story if Kirk was still alive
By that logic, you’ve just explained why BEYOND underperformed.
Yes, except that he’s dead.
AJinMoscow,
Tell that to Chris Pine.
He’s saying he’s dead in the future. Pine is playing him when Kirk was still young and leading his own ship. Unless Shatner can pass for a 30 something, he can’t play Kirk in that period anymore.
In the Kelvin Timeline, 40 years from the last movie, you could have James T Kirk take command of the Enterprise B on it’s maiden voyage when it’s captain, Captain Cameron Frye, is too inept. The story should take place on a Tuesday, just after the Photon Torpedos have been delivered.
It NEEDS to happen!
He is dead. Let it go.
Jemini,
Re: He is dead. Let it go.
By this reasoning, Chris Pine needs to stop beating his dead corpse. Abrams TREK can’t be successful either, because their Kirk died too.
Exactly. Its over people.
It would be interesting to see him back,
but another part of that quote that isn’t included here is that he said that it would take a lot of money for him to appear on the show.
Was gonna say that ship has sailed but you know what? Give him a Trek role one last time. Cause after he beams away to a better place (which could be sooner than later), we’ll be saying: It would have been awesome to see Kirk one last time :/
Sure he should return! Have him caught up in some sort of defective Nexus causality time loop, where he ages as the loop repeats, and an aged Picard sets him free. Then he teams up with Sulu, Uhura and Chekov to go on a suicide mission, and this time dies with honor!
He should forget about Star Trek. Star Trek has now turned into something that… well, doesn’t look, sound, feel like Star Trek. But there’s certainly an interesting story to tell with him in The Orville!
Yes I do I think they should somehow bring him into one of the films they make one last time get captain James t Kirk on the bridge of the Enterprise. He is going to be in Ticonderoga NY next may where there is a replica of the original Enterprise set. Meeting people and signing autographs. I have tickets to go and meet him get a picture. There aren’t to many people I would pay to see but he is one I hope to get to talk to him a little I plan to tell him his fans want see him in another star trek film
Yes, of course..Just because a person ages doesn’t mean the end(as you well know) James T. Kirk may have a different perspective on life and have learned NEW things, But that makes it FUN. (his words)
Yes….I’d love to see him play Kirk again!
Make it a Saturday Night Live skit with….
Generations is Kirks final film. I’m not of the opinion that the film was bad like some fans think it to be. It is a mostly fun film, which serves to pass the torch from TOS to TNG, and it does so in an acceptable manner; It is an OK Film with some good acting, and some good action. It ain’t a great film alla’ Wrath of Khan, or Empire Strikes Back, but it is a good fun film. I am happy to leave this film as the Shatner-Kirk swansong.
I think he can do it again.
The nice thing about the films is that they are set in an alternate timeline, and because of that, who’s to say that Kirk’s gonna die on Veridian III? I want to see him with Patrick Stewart in the 24th century.
Who knows, maybe even in the prime timeline we could say that the so called Shatnerverse was actually what happened. They don’t have to delve into it much, maybe just a biography of him on an okudagram could tell his story and how he came back to life or whatever, and just go straight into the story; that way you can get passed that crazy mess as soon as you can and get into the meat of the story we are probably all more interested in seeing.
I think they can and should do a stand alone film with Shatner. I have thought about this for years. Generations bothered me because of the whole Nexus thing. Who says that the reality at the ending of Generations was real. Picard and everyone died when the planet exploded… yet he stepped out of the Nexus and everyone lived. What is to say that Kirk isn’t still in the Nexus? They say that the Nexus doesn’t have time. Or what is to say Kirk actually died on the planet? the memorial that Picard made was way too small for a human body. Perhaps it was just a memorial and they took Kirk’s body with them and he is still alive. Shatner actually wrote a novel about how he was regenerated with Borg nano tech. This is sci-fi – ANYTHING is possible. I would love to see a stand alone move in the same vein as Logan. Kirk still has a nephew, Peter Kirk, that is still alive. If somehow he was a Captain of a ship and comes across someone from Kirk’s past that only Jim Kirk can help with. This would give the opportunity to give Captain James T. Kirk a better death than he had in Generations and perhaps give a new direction for the movies in the Prime Time Line with Captain Peter Kirk (on a different ship, of course). Just my 2 cents.
YES
Using computer generated abilities re-create SPOCK talking to Picard & requesting seeing where Captian Picard buried Kirk.
Upon arriving at the site, a fairly large # of rocks Picard had placed on top of Kirk’s mound have been moved and the dirt mound has collapsed into an obvious empty grave.
Peerinf inside, Picard could say something like; ” I could have sworn her had died; but,….after all Mr. Spock I am a Starship Captain, not a Starfleet Doctor..”
Spock would then say something like; “..Captain Kirk in his journeys among the stars met many cultures and perhaps learned many things I am not aware of..THERE ARE ALWAYS POSSIBILITIES…”
Additional Comment to my 1st post:
Maybe toward the end of the film where Kirk is “found” as in the old classic Western movies where the Cowboy rides off into the Sunset, Captain Kirk woyld be seen flying a ship toward the direction of the central core of the Milky Way Galaxy….
A quick jaunt to the future to see an aging Kirk would be a good story for the new crew. They did a time travel to the past so why to the future?
Read the star trek pocket books.
I want to see Kirk again. But I want it to be a kind of art film. Make it for $60 million or less and the money will come back.
Absolutely! You kidding?! OF COURSE
If they have the right story they have to do it quick. More likely in the Kelvin Universe with Shatner as Old Pine than Kirk Prime, as suggested for Orci’s ST13. He was going to be Mirror ‘Tiberius’ or the Chef (a doppleganger who Daniels plucks out of time to stand in for Kirk at an historical event) in Enterprise S4 but I think there were money issues, so In A Mirror Darkly was made instead.
Maybe he could be a time travelling Mirror Kirk in Discovery? Apart from Older PineKirk I don’t know any more logical option to bring him back!
This conversation has taken place so many times since 1994, but all roads lead to a brick wall. Is its a curse?
@Danny — tell the story in the Nexus, during the 100 years before Picard arrived to pluck him out of it. Since it’s a character piece about Shatner aging, it can still be told without it having to take place in the real world. And because it’s the Nexus, you can do anything. Kirk can imagine he’s been recruited to go on one last mission only he can solve, even as an old man. It’s not real, but that hasn’t necessarily ever stopped the enjoyment of a story. Was the WIZARD OF OZ real? As long as the story is good, it doesn’t matter. I can imagine Kirk living a retirement of ease and comfort, and like MR. HOLMES, Kirk can tell the story of his last great adventure to a local boy even as he deals with his increasing irrelevancy.
I had an idea for a New Voyages/Continues episode set in the Nexus where Young Kirk would be showing Old Kirk events in his life, in a Wonderful Life/Christmas Carol-type thing. A Discovery Nexus thing could be interesting!
I’ve always wanted to see Shatner return as Kirk, but I just realized something. Without Nimoy and De Kelley there to play off of…it just won’t be the same. The three of them together was pure magic. Two of them could pull it off, like they did with “Star Trek III”, but one by themself. Only Nimoy could pull that off because Spock was just the best.
@Steve Gennarelli — I disagree, depends on the story. It all depends on how you imagine an 80 year old Kirk. Is he still in starfleet, or did his growing irrelevancy push him into retirement, where he tried to escape the legendary reputation he attained during his service? Imagine the story of Kirk returning to Iowa, by himself to farm his family land. From there anything can happen. Maybe it’s a sweet character piece about a young boy who recognizes him and wants to learn from him, but Kirk wants nothing to do with it. Maybe it’s an action film like RED where his nephew shows up and invites him to go on a a top secret mission with him. Maybe Q shows up and takes him into the future in a SCROOGE-type tale … Anything is possible without Spock and Bones. While that’s ideal, the lack of ability to do it, is no reason not to take advantage of the opportunity available with Shatner.
Something that Bill recently said did resonate with me. He alluded to a film where he could kind of do what Jeff Bridges did with the Tron reboot…Virtual reality himself into a younger version of Kirk… That might be the kind of Science Fiction magic that could revitalize Kirk and the series. I’m all for Mirror Universe action…Why not have Mirror Universe Kirk, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura meet up with the Chris Pine era Kirk & Spock & just for kicks & giggles…have Picard & his ship in the same temporal Universe. I’ll buy a ticket !!!
I believe Shatner wrote a book covering his survival after the incidents in Generations. It was a great book. The story can continue from there.
Sure do do. I think its about time for him to take the captains chair back one more time.
Personally, I’d love to see a RED type film with Kirk. Or a SPACE COWBOYS approach.
Here’s the thing about Trek. They’ve created their own worst problems. And arguably the biggest problem they created was Q. And that makes anything possible, whether it’s real or not. “All Good Things” wasn’t real, yet it’s generally thought to be a great episode of Trek.
And Q can take people out of time and put them right back without affecting canon. So here’s a story — Q pops in on an aging Picard, and they have a debate about aging and relevancy. Somehow during it, GEN and Kirk comes up, and Q decides to give Picard another chance to go out on top, but decides he needs some friends to help him on this mission. Next he pops in on Kirk in the Nexus, introduces himself. Then we see him pop in on old Janeway. Then old Sisko. Then he brings them all together and explains he has a real mission in the future to send them on, and their success or failure will determine the fate of the Federation. Go!
And there’s absolutely nothing about that which conflicts with canon, or is in any way implausible, yet the entertainment potential would be substantial.
How is Q a problem?? He’s not a member of Starfleet so its not like he shows up and fixes everything after every episode. And lets be honest, with that thinking you can say that about pretty much everything. Time travel for instance they can simply go back and fix any real issue they had if they truly wanted to. Someone died yesterday? Well, go back the day before yesterday and that gets fixed too. I mean its not like someone simply can’t go back in time and save Kirk that way if they REALLY wanted the guy alive. And its kind of funny in all the crazy ideas thrown out how he can be saved that’s actually the easiest way to do it; especially since that was what was done in Generations itself to save the planet.
Star Trek is a science fiction universe where literally anything is possible. The trick is finding limits or rules where people just can’t do anything they want all the time.
If anyone at Paramount or CBS had any brains they would just do it.
While I must admit that I would be curious enough to see such a story if it were made, I’m not dying for it to be made either, for a few reasons.
First, I don’t think Shatner can do Kirk anymore. He’s become a persona unto himself, such that I find myself unable to get lost in a Shatner performance nowadays. I’m more aware that I’m watching a performance than I am seeing an actor inhabit a character.
Second, as I get older, the less appeal I find in nostalgia. That’s all this would be in the end, and nothing seems sweeter in the moment and bitter later than trying to rehash the past in the present. I want to enjoy Star Trek for what it is, without the need to get a nostalgia fix.
Third, no way would fans as a group be satisfied with it. Some will find fault with it for one reason or another (inevitably), while others would see it as a proof that CBS/Paramount would demand that more stories with previous should, nay, MUST, be made.
Yeah I think they could do something like his grandson is investigating a mystery, and one of the leads turns out to be one of his former crew members as a suspect (someone from the original show), and he is asked to come along to negotiate… Or he could be on some recreational vacation (in space), when the ship he is one his hijacked…. kinda like “Die Hard” or “Under Siege” or “Air Force One”, and he has to ban together and save the day…
One last time…
Yes Yes Yes. I’d pay more than a few shekels to see Shatner as Kirk again.
An ‘echo’ of James T Kirk is still alive and well within the Nexus, as explained by Guinan when her ‘echo’ confronted Jean Luc Picard there!
Yes, please. This fan would love it.
“William Shatner Thinks There Is Still An Interesting Story To Tell With Him As Kirk In Star Trek ”
I for one agree. There was always an interesting story with him in it.
Shatner already wrote the answer to how Kirk could be alive. His book, The Return picks up right after Generations and his body is brought back to life,I believe by Romulans.
One only need witness Discovery to see the ‘importance’ of canon. lol
Of course there is a story with Shatner as an elderly Kirk…he could easily play a 70-something Kirk, exploring all the drama that goes with it. Didn’t Orci try to give it to us for a fitting 50th anniversary film? The suits had no idea how to handle the 50th anniversary and I doubt they’re any less clueless today. I’d love to see an intimate story of an aging Kirk, performed by the man who breathed life into the role…played the character as a young man, a middle aged man and as a retiree. But I won’t hold my breath, the suits are running the show and they don’t know what they’re doing.
They could if they wanted to easily bring Shatner back. Just ignore Generations or have the Echo Kirk return from the Nexus as he is still alive. They could even get Urban & Quinto as aged Spock & McCoy but most likely this would be a TV movie not a big budget feature film. Although they could easily feature Shatner if they wanted to but JJ is not a fan of his especially after he is rumoured to have told him 10 years ago to ditch Nimoy & make Shatner the lead character in the 2009 film!