Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Tried To Get William Shatner In The Series Every Season

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William Shatner never appears in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but it isn’t for a lack of trying.

As a huge Star Trek fan, I was really enjoying Strange New Worlds – it’s been one of the best things Paramount+ has done with the franchise, and I especially loved seeing a young James T. Kirk, played by Paul Wesley. Sadly, it looks like the show is ending after season 5, which is a real bummer. The good news is they’ve already finished filming both seasons 4 and 5, and season 4 is hitting screens on July 23rd.

Before the fourth season of Strange New Worlds, co-creators Akiva Goldsman and Alex Kurtzman told Polygon they repeatedly tried to include William Shatner as a version of Captain Kirk who had retired to New York City during the Great Depression with Edith Keeler (played by Joan Collins). The idea stemmed from the classic Star Trek: The Original Series episode “The City on the Edge of Forever,” where Kirk and Edith had a memorable encounter. Although several scripts were written to explore this concept, it ultimately wasn’t developed for the show.

Goldsman’s biggest regret is not being able to get William Shatner involved with the Star Trek show. While he and Kurtzman still have many ideas they’d like to pursue, he believes the worst outcome isn’t failing, but running out of creative energy. He’s proud of all the episodes they’ve made, but feels the most satisfying experiences—like a great meal—leave you wanting just a little bit more.

More to come…

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2026-05-24 18:29