Karl Urban Talks Quentin Tarantino's 'Star Trek'

In December, news surfaced that Paramount and JJ Abrams are working on developing a new Star Trek movie based on a pitch from Quentin Tarantino, the director of such films as Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, and Inglorious Basterds.

This is big news for the Star Trek film franchise, which has gone dormant following Star Trek Beyond's release in 2016. Though Tarantino is known to be a longtime fan of Star Trek, some other Star Trek fans aren't sure how to feel about the director, who is known for pulpy material, taking on the venerable science fiction franchise.

ComicBook.com spoke over the phone to Karl Urban, who stars as Danny Gallagher in the new movie Bent but also plays Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the Star Trek films, and he told us that Tarantino may be just the person to shake things up for the Star Trek movies.

"I think it's a fascinating prospect, and I think probably exactly the kind of energy that Star Trek needs at this point in time," Urban said of Tarantino's Star Trek. "Quentin Tarantino's a dynamic filmmaker. I have admired and respected his work for a very long time, and I would be thrilled to get the opportunity to work with him in any capacity. So, you know, we're just going to let the chips fall where they may, and fingers crossed, we'll get that opportunity."

Urban isn't the only Star Trek star interested in working with Tarantino on a new movie. Urban's co-star, John Cho, has also expressed excitement at the idea. Past Star Trek stars William Shatner and Patrick Stewart have also expressed a willingness to return to the franchise to work with Tarantino.

While Paramount Pictures has yet to make an official announcement about Tarantino's Star Trek film, rumor has it that the project is going to be R-rated. Mark L. Smith, the screenwriter of The Revenant, is penning the script. Tarantino hopes to direct, but that is not a guarantee.

It's unclear what Tarantino's new Star Trek film project means for Paramount's previously announced Star Trek movie plans. Shortly before the release of Star Trek Beyond into theaters, Paramount announced the sequel with Chris Hemsworth returning to play George Kirk, the father of Captain James Kirk. After Star Trek Beyond's mediocre box office performance, Paramount went silent on the sequel. Whether these original plans have been scrapped, put on a separate track, or will be incorporated into Tarantino's film remains unknown.

Bent opens in theaters on March 9th.