Chris Hemsworth turned down 'Star Trek 4' return because he was 'underwhelmed' by script

Star Trek launched Chris Hemsworth’s career in 2009 but plans for him to return in Star Trek 4 have been scuppered.

This is, according to the actor, because he was ‘underwhelmed’ with the story that would see him return as George Kirk, the father of Chris Pine’s Jim Kirk.

The plan was to have Hesmworth and Pine team up in the fourth instalment with Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness director J.J. Abrams returning to produce a script from J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.

However, Hemsworth decided against committing to the film, telling Variety: “I didn’t feel like we landed on a reason to revisit that yet. I didn’t want to be underwhelmed by what I was going to bring to the table.”

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“I’d still love to do more, to be honest,” he added. “And I don’t know what the plan is. I feel like we’ve opened up such a different character. I feel more energised for the possibility of where it could go.”

It had been reported, in August 2018, that both Hemsworth and Pine were planning on walking from the project, though that was apparently to do with salary demands not creative differences.

The last movie, Star Trek Beyond, was released in 2016 but even though it earned $343.4 (£271.5) million worldwide it was still the lowest-grossing film in the rebooted franchise.

Quentin Tarantino had also developed his own idea for a Star Trek movie with Abrams, Lindsey Beer, Megan Amram and Drew Pearce.

Pearce told Yahoo Movies UK about the experience last year.

“Star Trek was just this amazing couple of days. I got a phone call, in fact, it didn’t come through my agents because it was such a secret,” the Hotel Artemis director said.

“Even Tarantino’s agent didn’t know it was happening. So the day before we found out that it was brainstorming with Tarantino, and he’d never done that before because he generates his own stuff. He’s a writer, director like I am but it was just a fantastic couple of days with a brilliant set of brains.

Paramount chairman Jim Gianopulos said two Star Trek movies are currently in the works but Pearce couldn’t confirm if one of them was the movie he worked on.

“That question is above my pay grade,” he explained. “I don’t know if it definitely happens because I did my two days and that was fun but honestly, even if that movie doesn’t happen I will always have the memory of two-days of Tarantino in a room and we all got given a Star Trek badge, including Tarantino at the end. A genuine crew badge too.”

Read more: Patrick Stewart on Star Trek return

Star Trek 4 still seems to be hanging in limbo though British filmmaker SJ Clarkson has been tapped to direct, which will mark the first time a female director has been at the helm of a Star Trek movie.

Hemsworth can next be seen in Men in Black: International which arrives in cinemas on 14 June.