Paramount shifts Star Trek from Kelvin timeline to a new film

Paramount’s new leadership under David Ellison is moving the Star Trek theatrical franchise in a new direction, choosing to pursue a fresh feature rather than advance the J.J. Abrams-era Kelvin timeline that began in 2009. Studio executives say the company hopes to reinvigorate Star Trek on the big screen but has moved on from plans to reunite Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and other members of the reboot ensemble for a fourth sequel.

The decision follows nearly a decade of fits and starts around a long-gestating Star Trek 4. After the 2016 release of Star Trek Beyond, the project cycled through writers and directors, with J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay attached to early drafts and several filmmakers including S.J. Clarkson, Noah Hawley and Matt Shakman later joining and leaving. High-profile pitches, including one from Quentin Tarantino, and other development attempts failed to reach production. At times the studio signaled progress even as key contracts remained unresolved and budget and salary demands complicated negotiations.

The three Kelvin timeline films — Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016) — effectively served as a...