Star Trek 4 Writer No Longer With Project, Reveals Original Idea Came from J.J. Abrams Himself (Exclusive)

Star Trek is one of the most beloved brands in all of pop culture, and while the franchise has been expanding in recent years on the small screen, it's been seven years since the release of Star Trek Beyond on the big screen, leaving fans waiting for the next installment in the cinematic series. While fans were initially excited when it was announced that Lindsey Anderson Beer was writing the next chapter in the franchise, she recently confirmed how she had to part ways with the project to focus on Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, but that the concept for the sequel was inspired by J.J. Abrams' ideas. Fans can see Pet Sematary: Bloodlines when it lands on Paramount+ on October 6th.

"I wrote a couple drafts of that before I had to leave for Pet Sematary. And it was originally, the seed of the idea came from J.J. himself, who's such a creatively generous person, and it was amazing collaborating with him," Anderson Beer shared with ComicBook.com of leaving Star Trek 4. "And it was very sad to leave our Zoom sessions to focus on [Pet Sematary: Bloodlines], but this was my baby, so I had to prioritize."

In the years since the release of Beyond, a number of figures have been attached to Star Trek 4, including SJ Clarkson and Matt Shakman, with Anderson Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet being the most recently attached writers who were working on a script that was set for Shakman to direct. Shakman, though, left the project to develop Fantastic Four for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a replacement director has yet to be announced.

Luckily, fans can still see Anderson Beer jump into an exciting franchise, as she brought to life a chapter of Stephen King's Pet Sematary for her directorial debut.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is described, "In 1969, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown of Ludlow, Maine behind, but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront a dark family history that will forever keep him connected to Ludlow. Banding together, Jud and his childhood friends must fight an ancient evil that has gripped Ludlow since its founding, and once unearthed has the power to destroy everything in its path."

The movie stars Jackson White (Tell Me Lies), Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant), Jack Mulhern (Mare of Easttown), Henry Thomas (The Fall of the House of Usher), Natalie Alyn Lind (The Goldbergs), and Isabella Star LaBlanc (True Detective: Night Country). David Duchovny and Pam Grier also appear in the prequel.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines hits Paramount+ on October 6th. Stay tuned for updates on Star Trek 4.

Are you looking forward to the next Star Trek? Let us know in the comments!