Goldstein Daley Star Trek movie set in distant future

Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley have confirmed their new Star Trek movie will be set further in the future than any previous narrative in the franchise. The film will feature entirely original characters and will not be set in the Kelvin timeline established by J.J. Abrams' 2009 film.

John Francis Daley described the setting as a different time, not a different timeline per se, but a little further in the future. Jonathan Goldstein echoed this, calling it sort of a different timeline. This places the story in the main Star Trek universe but at a point beyond all known series and films. The movie will not include any legacy characters or anyone audiences have met before.

Tonal influences and comedic levity in a dark narrative

Daley stated the Star Trek movie is probably their darkest film ever written. The filmmakers cited the tense thrillers Crimson Tide and Training Day as influences on the movie's themes.

Levity will come from characters who find humor in dark moments. Goldstein added that the film should be a fun watch but does not require laughing. This balance aims to deliver a serious science fiction story with the comedic touch the directing duo is known for.

All-new characters and creative background

The characters are an entirely fresh creation for the franchise. Daley emphasized the cast is entirely new with no legacy characters, nobody that you’ve met before.

Goldstein and Daley are the writer-directors behind the comedies Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. They also co-wrote Spider-Man: Homecoming. Their research included visiting an aircraft carrier while working on a previous project called Mayday.

Development context and franchise significance

This project emerges after the cancellation of Star Trek 4, which would have starred Chris Pine and his crew. That film was scrapped after a decade of stalled development. Paramount and Skydance announced this new movie is in development, though it has not yet been greenlit for production.

No release date or casting information is available. While other Star Trek movies are reportedly in development at the studio, this is the only one being publicly discussed. The film's progress is seen as critical, with a well-placed industry source warning that everything rides on this movie with no backup plan.

The broader franchise is at a crossroads. Paramount+ is canvassing writers for the franchise’s next era as producer Alex Kurtzman's deal runs out. Skydance took over Paramount a year ago and ended the Star Trek film projects that were languishing in development.

In their interview, Jonathan Goldstein joked about the plot, saying, "It’s tribbles. It’s all tribbles. The whole movie." The filmmakers await a formal greenlight from the studio to move the project into production.