Chris Hemsworth doesn’t want to return to “the place where no man has gone before.”
In an in-depth interview with Variety, he revealed the real reason he turned down the chance to reprise his role as George Kirk in Star Trek 4.
Hemsworth’s Star Trek character …the father of Chris Pine’s James T. Kirk …only appeared in the opening sequence of J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek reboot …and his character seemingly perished after the Romulans attacked the Federation starship USS Kelvin.
Ever since then, franchise fans have wondered whether the fallen officer will ever pop up again in a future installment. Unfortunately, it sounds like that isn’t going to happen anytime soon.
Hemsworth told Variety that he turned down the chance to star in Star Trek 4 because he didn’t find the script particularly intriguing or satisfying. More importantly, it sounds like he didn’t think the storyline ultimately earned the character’s return. As he put it,
“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.”
What’s interesting about these comments is how they contradict an announcement Paramount Pictures made about Hemsworth’s involvement in Star Trek 4. In 2016, the studio claimed the actor would be returning to Star Trek 4, as would Chris Pine. That announcement read in part:
“In the next installment of the epic space adventure, Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk will cross paths with a man he never had a chance to meet […] his father. Chris Hemsworth, who appeared in 2009’s Star Trek, will return to the space saga as George Kirk to star alongside Pine.”
Between then and now, Hemsworth backed out of the film …as did Pine, evidently. In August 2018, The Hollywood Reporter ran a story that claimed both actors parted ways with Paramount and Skydance Media after the companies reportedly backtracked on promised deals.
Following the disappointing box office performance of Star Trek Beyond, Paramount reportedly modified Hemsworth and Pine’s deals in such a way that they both would’ve had to take significant pay cuts. Perhaps money was the major issue for both Chrises, but for Hemsworth, it evidently wasn’t the only factor that led him to walk away from Star Trek 4.
Though it would’ve been truly amazing to see Hemsworth return to the franchise, we understand why he ultimately declined. Based on his statements, it sounds like he’d still be interested in reprising the role for a future installment …just as long as the script was super-solid. But based on what Hemsworth told Variety, it sounds like the way George Kirk would’ve figured into the storyline of Star Trek 4 was shaky at best.
What’s more, Hemsworth has become a household name thanks to playing Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At this point, it sounds like he only wants to sign on to projects that he truly feels passionate about. Since he’s one of the hottest names in Hollywood right now, he must be getting dozens of offers on the hour. At the end of the day, Star Trek 4 simply didn’t tickle the Aussie actor’s fancy, and that’s okay. It’s not like he’ll be out of work without it. Keep watching the video to learn the real reason why Chris Hemsworth said no to Star Trek 4!
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