What Could Have Been: Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek 

JJA: “This is a fantastic opportunity to tell new and interesting stories in the Star Trek universe!” Also JJA: “Lets just redo Wrath of Khan.”

Uhura's Feet, The Movie

I kind of love the idea of Tarantino coming in and not giving two shits about the original/Kelvin timeline inconsistencies and just filming a Star Trek film that he wants to make.

Fun little fact about "A Piece of the Action" is that when the 30th anniversary of the franchise was coming up one of the pitches for DS9 was to revisit the Iotians and find out that they moved on from the gangster theme and were now obsessed with imitating Kirk and Starfleet. So basically an entire planet of Star Trek fans! Ultimately they went with Trials and Tribble-ations which of course is the better choice.

Great video. Fun fact: In 1989, I wrote and pitched a sequel episode to "A Piece of the Action" to the TNG production team. It was called "All of the Action" and involved the Iotians developing teleportation and sub-warp technology thanks to Bones' communicator. The Iotias hijack the Enterprise but Picard bluffs his way out by showing the eager gangsters all of the other hostiles in the universe they'd have to deal with making the Iotians back down. There were some other subplots about two Iotians from separate gangs falling in love and Data learning how to bluff in poker. If there is anyway to access WGA's script library, you could probably find it there (a copy was registered with the guild back then). The TNG staff turned it down because a) they said that they "didn't make sequels to TOS episodes" back then and b) the scene where Picard uses the holo-deck to show a map of the known universe would have broken the episode's budget (an effect that would be "nothing" to do these days!) and the episode was rejected. However, it's nice to know that Tarantino and I were on the same wavelength!

If Netflix or Amazon were truly smart, they would contract Tarantino to produce a Star Trek-like series. It wouldn't be the 10th movie, because it would be a limited series (8 to 13 episodes). It would allow Tarantino to do what he wanted, and choose the best stories to make.

Thirteen theatrical movies and a zillion television episodes deep, Star Trek can afford to take a really bold swing for its next film.

You know what they call the Enterprise in Paris? ...a Starship Royale.

I would love to see Tarantino do a, "Did you see the sign in my yard that said dead Klingon Storage?" line. It could be worked into A Piece of The Action with ease.

Just the fact that Tarantino loves classic Trek and his favourite character is Shatners Kirk gives me a good feeling about him directing a Trek movie, because let's face it, classic Trek is the best and it's very specific. Directors who are not fans of the original show and have no love of classic Trek should not be allowed anywhere near the direction of Star Trek movies!

I'd like to see the "Mirror Mirror" episode from the original series made into a movie.

The original Star Trek II The Wrath of Kahn will never be bettered.

Today I found out Vic Tayback (Mel from Alice) played an alien Iotian gangster named JoJo Krako in an episode of Star Trek. EPIC.

One of my favorite ST episodes was "Piece of the Action" . I would LOVE to see a Tarantino expanded film based on this!

I've heard about this. Star Trek isn't the only franchise he wouldn't mind taking on, he's also express interest in directing an Ian Fleming's James Bond film as well if the opportunity is giving ..

A Piece of the Action: The Movie, would have been a great fit for Quentin Tarantino's style. I personally do not like cursing in Star Trek, as the recent shows have seemingly embraced... However, if the gangster aliens were the ones swearing, then cut to a shot of Kirk and Spock looking at each other with confused expressions, and uttering something silly such as "double fract to you", like they did in Voyage Home... That would have been funny and entertaining!

This is coming from someone who isn't particularly interested in the Star Trek franchise and Only Knows the bare minimum but a Quentin Tarantino movie basically about anything has me interested especially something outlandish and outside of his comfort zone like StarTrack would be incredible

I cry during movies very rarely. Once when ET died. And again when the Enterprise blazed across the skies of the Genesis planet in STIII. The ship WAS indeed a character, just as much as Kirk Spock, McCoy and all the rest. When the Enterprise died, it hit like hammer.

Give Tarantino, the Mirror Universe to be his Star Trek playground. He could be a violent as he wants to be, and just think of the new characters and villains he could come up with. Man it would be all his movies wrapped in one

In my dreams Tarantino would've done a Star Trek with the original bridge set, cheesy effects, and rock-solid actors in a tight script.

The latter 2 films also seemed to forgot that there's a strong friendship between the three--Kirk, Spock, *and* McCoy. I missed Kirk turning to McCoy for the 'human' take on situations. (A Tarantino ST would be amazing!)

Quentin Tarantino and Star Trek, one of my favorite directors and one of my favorite IPs, I would have loved to have seen what this would have been.

Damn, I had no idea I so badly needed this movie in my life!

We've been robbed of a Zoe Saldana feet scene...

This could have been great. He probably would have given it a 60s vibe in space.

I remember when I saw the episode, '' a piece of the action'', when it first aired back in the sixties. I didn't think much of it, because the whole idea of the world being run by gangsters just seem too absurd to me at the time. It's amazing how much we change with time, because now I know, we live in such a world.

Shatner's book about the time between the original series and the syndication which re-introduced Star Trek to the country and the making of the first couple movies was a great read. Especially considering what happened AFTER with the other TV shows and many movies.

I would LOVE to see his script become a Trek movie. It sounds like it would be a welcome change , and I bet a very good one!!!

I would love a Tarantino trek. One of the few passionate filmmakers left in Hollywood.

Quentin Tarantino should do a film that’s like a direct sequel to the Original Series. Like stories before the movies. This way he can set it around the Original Series and recast the actors from the Kelvin films

Great content as always!

I just found this channel a couple days ago--- quickly becoming a favorite. Great stuff!

A Tarantino Star Trek episode, as described would’ve been a standalone awesome movie.

I don't see the downside of Quentin Tarantino doing a Star Trek. If Trekkies hate it they can just ignore it. He rewrote World War II and the Civil War. So Tarantino fans are used to him exploring different things.

Great job presenting all that.

My heart is still healing from what kind of thing, I was so excited when I heard about this movie… But this video helps

Absolutely would've loved to have seen this. I don't even like Star Trek, but this would've been interesting.

If Quentin Tarantino did Star Trek, the Enterprise would go to the Mirror Universe and just stay there for like three movies.

To be fair, Star Trek has so many episodes that you can make almost any style of movie with : p also ty for the videos, I'm just binging them all after finding this channel and it's been really cool to hear all of these stories

This was really good!! Thank you!

I'm not gonna lie, into darkness is actually my favorite of the three! But I do see all the flaws believe me, I just liked a lot about it, and really felt the stakes in that one being high!

I hope we do get a star trek film like TMP again, about exploring and character moments instead of bad guy wants revenge for some dumb reason

Great video. Excellent analysis.

That was really good!

It could be awesome, a bit like what Joker did for Joker.

That would have been kinda cool! Maybe bring Shatner back to give Kirk a really decent death, or a different future like in The Return. But time is passing; Shatner and Jean-Luc are both getting ooollldddd! Too old? Oy...

Quintin should make a Star Trek film set in its own time in the future discovering new species, new worlds and solving weird problems. The essence of what Star Trek is.

This should still happen. Star Trek is the only franchise where you can have a Tarantino movie and a kids show on Netflix while Strange New Worlds continues on Paramount+… it’s versatile is what makes it timeless and challenges the two dimensional thinking that every story has to link up with one another. It just needs to be good and compelling

The bond franchise could use Tarantino. Id love to see a r rated version. I cant see the star trek crew dropping f bombs or talking about royale with cheese

This honestly sounds a better idea for a graphic novel co-written by Tarantino. The problem with a film is that it is clearly going to influence in one way or another what comes next. So....stylistically would a Tarantino film end up as a dead-end for the wider franchise, or too controversial, or just a one-off experiment. Studios do not think in terms of just one-off films.

Man, the editing in this video is amazing. Yeah, the storyline is great and very informative, but damn, send your editor to Disneyland!!!

Hey man. Sincerely great work on these videos. I don’t have a lot of “movie friends”. Like people to talk shit about movies with and kinda geek out over the minutia, history and lore of cinema - I hope that made sense - so I really appreciate creators like you producing this kind of content. Reminds me I’m not alone. Sounds corny but dead ass, thanks man

As a Star Trek fan, I’m thinking it’s just as well that this film never got made. As a Tarantino fan, I’d give my right eyetooth to read the script.

A sequel to A Piece of the Action would have been quite interesting.

Tarantino is one of my favourite directors and Star Trek is on of my favourite franchise, I also really enjoyed the reboot JJ did in 2009. I did hear he was going to do it but never really looking into it anymore than that and from what you’ve said it sounded like a very interesting project just a shame it’s never going to happen.

One of the criticisms of the original Star Trek series was the fact that every time there was a time travel story, it was always to twentieth-century USA. Tarantino could have moved the story to anywhere on Earth, making it more realistic

John Woo's Star Trek. John Carpenter's Star Trek. David Lynch's Star Trek. ..... Tommy Wisseau's Star Trek 😂

He could never have embraced Roddenberry's original vision---he is too in love with violence for violence's sake. Not saying that's bad, necessarily--or that Trek sequels in film and on television have avoided that, But it isn't the Roddenberry vision that gave us the classic we love.

All of quentin’s ideas seem to be GOLD

I would have loved to see it!

J.J. Abram's choice of plot was sh*t. We then also had the issue with the lens flares. Star Trek, Star Wars and countless other space action adventure movies were as much about good good visual effects in-addition to the storytelling. The visuals were their own characters. J.J. Abram decided to cover up space with lights, and the lens flares are still lingering in the new Paramount + Star Trek shows.

There was also rumors of a Tarantino Rambo movie

Give Tarantino a two (or three) part episode of SNW. Everyone walks away happy.

QT would have me a very memorable Star Trek movie. He's dead, Jim, and he's dead, Jim, and he's dead, and so are ALL of them! Spock: WTF doctor?!

Quinten is absolutely right that the original series episodes could easily be expanded to movies. That is in fact what was done for several of the movies. The first one with V-Ger is basically the episode with NOMAD. Wrath of Khan expands on the Khan episode. The movie with Spock's brother Sybock, is the Eden episode expanded and retold. First Contact is loosely the episode where they have to make sure events leading up to the moon landing happen.

Interesting , Could work. Thank You

Now that would be.... something to see...

That is a bit unfair about Benedict Cumerbatch who was, after all, only doing his best with the script he was given. I would have been much happier if they had gone with Gary Mitchell,rather than Khan although that would have probably failed for the same reason Khan did.

I have never seen anything star trek until yesterday where I watched the 2009 and 2013 movies back to back and was very surprised at how much I like them. I thought all the actors were convincing and don't see why the casting was an issue. Benedict did a good job portraying a calculated and threatening presence

I’m 58 and grew up watching Shatner. I still mimic his delivery exaggerating the syllables and inflection when I’m trying to get coworkers to listen to an idea. “That’s A Good IdeA”😅

Damn that have Damn! That would have beena great movie! Haven't been to the theater in years but I would definitely run to see that one.

Fun fact: Into Darkness and Beyond are both f**king good movies.

Not a huge fan of his... But I think he would have injected into the Star Trek legacy a much needed adrenaline rush so desperately required to push it beyond Star Trek "Beyond!"

Definitely would have been Fun and probably Great! Maybe one day?

fascinating

After watching D&D I'd like to see Chris Pine as Kirk again.

I'll say it again, JJ will be known as the guy who F-UP both Star Trek and Star Wars. Please don't let him near Star Gate.

I would have liked Quinten to remake City On The Edge Of Forever. That could be the foundation for reseting the Kelvin time-line back to the prime time-line.

Thanks for finding what Tarintino wanted to make. I heard that he was announced to want to make a Star Trek 4, but never heard what it'd involve. Nice to know it was The Gangster episode. That sounds like a fun episode premise to adapt on screen Tarintino style. When I first heard about this news years ago, I never got any follow up on the extra details for what he had in mind. Thanks❤🙏 I think I would've liked this adaptation for a 4th Star Trek film. It's too bad Paramount was more attracted to the script from the Rings of Power team just because it had Hemsworth in it and I assume they hoped it would get more investor money bc of how high profile he was at the time I assume that script was written. I know this is very armchair quarterback, but what if they took some of the Rings of Power plot of Buffer Papa Kirk and put him in the Tarintino story somehow? If they truly needed him for the extra financing for the extra investor money Paramount needed or something? Like maybe The Gangsters have Papa Kirk somehow for some reason. And later on its a father son gangster movie bonding thing or something...I don't know, just random thinking 🤔 How about that? But now roughly knowing from what u were able to find via podcasts and other research pieces, I think i mightve liked Tarintino Star Trek if they gave it a chance. 😔

Inglorious Basterds and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood are two alternate timelines, how the fuck doesn't he get the Kelvin timeline? I don't like Tarantino films so I can't say I'm upset this wasn't made. I'd rather have seen Noah Hawley's film to be honest.

Has anybody noticed that Craco is very obviously the inspiration behind Colin Farrell‘s penguin

I remember hearing about the Hemsworth Trek film back when that was happening and being kind of hyped about it. But, seeing that it was being made by the "Rings of Power" guys, I think we really dodged a bullet, or phaser blast or whatever.

Into Darkness was my favorite of the three….

QT will only make 10 movies because he only stole verbatim cut&paste from 10 Master Director's movies and QT hates to repeat himself.

I seriously doubt Quintin could refrain from using the N word!

It would be like Picard Season One with more gore, violence, and swearing.

This would be absolutely fantastic! I hope this eventually gets made, Tarantino would have really done the newer films justice! Love the idea of "rebooting" the reboot and resetting the timeline to the TOS timeline.

The mishandling of Star Trek has been awful.

Thank god this didn't happen. As much as I respect Tarantino as a filmmaker, his sensibilities are completely wrong for Star Trek and he clearly didn't understand it beyond the surface level appreciation of a casual fan.

Man i hope it could still happen

I would really love to see that movie

Love Tarantino, but him getting annoyed by the rebooted OG crew’s alternate history is VERY rich.

My favorite Trek movies are the two-part episodes of TNG. Or just watch all of the Borg episodes in a row.

What are those guys shooting at the beginning of the vid? Pretty good blanks?

My go-to joke about Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek would have Samuel L. Jackson as Ben Sisko: "Say 'Emissary' one more time! I dare you! I DOUBLE-dare you! Say 'Emissary' one more Prophets-damned time!"

The idea that any divergence from canon infuriates Star Trek fans is wrong. The problem with current Trek is that the writing is terrible; breaking canon is secondary, a result of terrible writing. Current Trek stinks because it checks boxes and hits people over the head with messaging instead of telling a great story with characters we care about. Tarantino understands you only actually need Kirk, Spock, and McCoy; he loves "The City On The Edge Of Forever", "Yesterday's Enterprise", "A Piece of The Action", and he's right to hate the Kelvin Timeline. It's idiotic. It was created by idiots.

Would have been fascinating

Considering Strange New Worlds has utterly destroyed Star Trek canon, might as well allow people to do whatever they want.

A Tarantino star trek movie about 1920s gangsters, reminds me of the simpsons episode with the kids doing market research for itchy and scratchy *"So you want a realistic down-to-earth show that's completely off the wall and swarming with magic robots?"*

Thank the stars that this film never happened! Tarentino would have exaggerated everything in this film , too!