UPDATE: Make that four names! Following the initial story, Duncan Jones has taken to Twitter to confirm he won’t be directing. “Very flattering being on short list for Star Trek, but won’t be doing it,” he wrote. “Absolutely MUST make my own thing next, or I’ll die of old age!” The original story follows:
Following the departure of Roberto Orci from the director’s chair of Star Trek 3 (or 13 depending on your point of view), the hunt for a new director has already begun and now Deadline reports that Paramount Pictures and J.J. Abrams have narrowed it down to a list of five names. On the list are directors Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game), Daniel Espinosa (Safe House), Justin Lin (Fast & Furious), and Duncan Jones (Moon, Warcraft).
Although a release date has not been specified, it is widely believed that the plan is for the film to hit theaters in 2016, as the year marks the 50th anniversary of the “Star Trek” franchise.
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana and John Cho are all expected to reprise their roles as the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Plot details have not yet been revealed, although Orci stated earlier this year that his plan was to set the action in deep space, unlike the relatively Earth-centric J.J. Abrams films. There is no word currently on whether the film will move forward with the same screenplay scripted by Orci, Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne or seek a new draft.
