Star Trek 4 could feature two major A-list Hollywood guest stars if they play their cards right. 8 years since Star Trek Beyond hit theaters, there's still no official news about the release of its long-awaited sequel. By bringing in other big-name movie stars, Star Trek 4 could potentially make its way to an exciting new stage of development. However, even though the original Star Trek (2009) cast, including Chris Pine, Zahcary Quinto, Zoe Saldaña, and Simon Pegg, have all expressed interest in returning, after nearly a decade, the possibility is shrinking.
In the vast and diverse Star Trek timeline, there's plenty of room for a few more guest stars. With two theatrical movies in the works, including an untitled origin film directed by Toby Haynes, Star Trek 4 could use the traction of famous A-listers to boost interest and speed up production. If in-the-spotlight stars sign on for even a small role in the film, Star Trek 4 might see the light of day after all. Two major stars have previously expressed wanting to appear in a Star Trek movie in some capacity, and their interest has so far been wasted.
Nicolas Cage & James McAvoy Could Be In Star Trek 4
Star Trek Could Capitlize On Past Missed Opportunities
Nicolas Cage is one of Hollywood's most recognizable and admired stars, with a career full of beloved films. When Screen Rant spoke to Nicolas Cage at the Saturn Awards, Cage admitted he leans towards Star Trek over other sci-fi franchises. Cage revealed that he grew up watching Star Trek and would jump at a Star Trek movie role. However, despite phone calls with the creative team behind the reboot Star Trek films, Nicolas Cage still hasn't been offered a role, even though he could be perfect either as a villain or crew member of the USS Enterprise.
Nicolas Cage isn't the only movie star who is interested in being in a Star Trek movie. James McAvoy, perhaps most popular among popular culture fans as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, also has a connection to J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies. McAvoy was up for an unknown role in Star Trek (2009) but he turned it down. However, James McAcoy's lost Star Trek role could still happen in Star Trek 4, since McAvoy has expressed how much he loves the work Star Trek has accomplished.
What’s Still Keeping Star Trek 4 From Being Made?
The Fourth Installment Of J.J. Abrams' Reboot Films Is Still Stuck In Development
Star Trek Beyond's ending set up a new five-year mission for Chris Pine's Captain James T. Kirk and his USS Enterprise-A crew, creating endless opportunities for what Star Trek 4 could do with the established narrative. However, Paramount has mounted and then scrapped multiple attempts to develop Star Trek 4 since 2016, including a failed Quentin Tarantino Star Trek film. Since Star Trek Beyond didn't perform quite as well as Paramount expected, green-lighting a sequel has proven difficult – especially when considering the original cast has now become popular (and expensive) movie stars.
There's also Star Trek's growing streaming presence to consider. Even with fewer series, Paramount+'s TV side of Star Trek is still going strong with projects like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek's first streaming movie, Michelle Yeoh's Star Trek: Section 31. Paramount might also be waiting to measure the success of Star Trek's prequel movie, which has an expected 2026 release date. When (or maybe if) Star Trek 4 happens, Star Trek should take advantage of any A-lister's interest in being involved. Nicolas Cage's and James McAvoy's excitement about Star Trek means they could be invaluable assets to the long-awaited production of Star Trek 4.
