Quentin Tarantino’s vision for Star Trek remains a tantalizing possibility, but it comes with a twist that might hinder its realization. Known for his distinct storytelling style, Tarantino once envisioned a Star Trek film that promised to inject his signature flair into the beloved franchise. However, a key concern has emerged: the striking resemblance of Tarantino’s concept to a major Marvel franchise.
As Star Trek fans eagerly await news of this bold project, the potential overlap with Marvel’s universe could pose a significant hurdle.
Tarantino’s Star Trek Dream: The Final Frontier That Might Still Happen
Remember that buzz about a Tarantino-helmed Star Trek movie? Beam aboard, Trekkies, because it might not be dead in the water just yet! The reason for the delay? The legendary director himself, apparently having a case of cold feet about making it his final film.
Quentin Tarantino, known for his blood-soaked masterpieces like Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, was previously attached to a Star Trek project described as an adult-oriented edition take on the franchise.
But according to screenwriter Mark L. Smith, who worked on the script, Tarantino shelved the project due to his self-imposed “number” of films before retirement. Smith said Tarantino wrestled with the idea of Star Trek being his final frontier, wondering if it was the right way to end it. He revealed (via Collider):
I remember we were talking, and he goes, ‘If I can just wrap my head around the idea that Star Trek could be my last movie, the last thing I ever do. Is this how I want to end it?’ And I think that was the bump he could never get across, so the script is still sitting there on his desk.
However, Smith isn’t throwing in the towel just yet. He believes the script—still sitting on Tarantino’s desk—could be “the greatest Star Trek film” thanks to the director’s unique vision. Smith further added:
I know he said a lot of nice things about it. I would love for it to happen. It’s just one of those things that I can’t ever see happening. But it would be the greatest Star Trek film, not for my writing, but just for what Tarantino was gonna do with it. It was just a balls-out kind of thing.
However, Smith compared the potential impact to Taika Waititi’s revitalization of Thor with Thor: Ragnarok and Guardians of the Galaxy, shaking up the MCU. Both these films are known for injecting humor and irreverent tone into established franchises. This might be a dealbreaker, alienating fans who want a specific tone from that particular franchise.
That said, will there ever be a Tarantino-style Star Trek movie? Things will only get clearer with time. The story’s still out there, waiting for the right time to boldly go where no Star Trek movie’s gone before!
Rolling Thunder: Tarantino’s Ambitious Project That Failed to Launch
Rolling Thunder, which started in 1995, wanted to bring back to life Tarantino’s personal favorites for the big screen. Italian horror and blaxploitation films are examples of hidden gems that would be a film lover’s dream, but viewers weren’t interested. Eventually, Tarantino gave up, saying that the project was “mostly a frustration.” In a conversation with Sebastian Haselbeck, he explained,
Yeah I ended up pulling the plug on it because it ended up being mostly a frustration, not fulfillment, because of mostly all the reasons you’ve been saying. But what’s nice now is, you know, well we’ll see how well the movie does, but I think one thing will be for sure is, we’d actually set up this grindhouse label.
Rolling Thunder quietly shut down in 1999, a lesson learned that even A-listers can misjudge audience taste. So, the next time you think Tarantino walks on water, remember the story of Rolling Thunder—a box office flop that proves even cult classics need fans to become cult classics.
Quentin Tarantino’s Star Trek is available to watch on Netflix!
