J.J. Abrams' Star Trek franchise was transformative for a series that has been around for decades. While it was divisive amongst the older fans of the franchise, there's no denying that the action and spectacle brought to the franchise helped bring in new fans and reinvigorate the series into what it's become today. Now, with a fourth film confirmed, things have gotten a bit rocky after director Matt Shakman left the position, supposedly to work on Fantastic Four. But the answer to who could continue the franchise may lie in the past.
The newest Star Trek films exist in a reality where Captain Pike avoided being terribly injured and a time-traveling Romulan contributed to the death of Kirk's father. As a result, many of the events in the series were slightly altered to fit this new timeline. But narratively, this also allowed for new stories to be told with a younger cast and have things more based on action and adventure. Star Trek Beyond served as a victory lap of sorts as the film felt like an elongated episode of the series and showed what type of stories could be told in this new reality when not relying on past stories like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
But Abrams' lens flare camera work has since become an identifying factor of the series, and it's a franchise that he had left prematurely to venture into the Star Wars universe. And with current issues looming over his partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, it could be time for him to return to the franchise that he helped bring to new fans. Not only would this aid in getting him back in the director's chair, but it could be mutually beneficial to both Paramount and Abrams. But most importantly, it could put this new chapter in the franchise on the right track.
Star Trek Beyond captured what Abrams had left behind but left room for director Justin Lin to bring his high-octane storytelling to the series. Since then, the cast has yet to reunite, and the Star Trek franchise has also evolved into something that mixed its more mature themes with the adventure of the original. Abrams' return could help further evolve this change while bringing back the feeling of boldly going where no one has gone before. With his use of IMAX cameras, lessons from Star Wars and the advancements in special effects, he could bring some new and exciting changes to a series that set a new standard in sci-fi.
It could also be a chance to properly acknowledge and honor the passing of actor Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the films. The actor lost his life in a tragic accident in 2016, making Star Trek Beyond his final movie. While the void left behind from his passing would be evident in the film, Abrams would be the perfect person to give justice to his role and the future of the character's position.
J.J. Abrams has always had an eye for capturing the wonder and fun of science-fiction and the adventure of classic Amblin films from the '80s. Having him return to Star Trek for the fourth installment would help ensure that the franchise remains on the right track tonally while also offering bigger and better moments. Considering that most of the cast may still return, it would be a great way to get everyone back in the saddle to see what more surprises would be in store for the Starship Enterprise.