Iconic ‘Star Trek’ Actor Expresses Desire to Return to the Franchise

Shatner’s Evolving Relationship with Star Trek

William Shatner, the iconic Captain James T. Kirk from the 1960s television phenomenon Star Trek: The Original Series, is experiencing a change of heart regarding his longstanding sentiments about the franchise. This shift comes decades after his memorable 1986 Saturday Night Live sketch, “Star Trek Convention, ” where he famously told devoted fans to “get a life.”

From Resentment to Interest

Throughout his career, Shatner has had a complicated relationship with the Star Trek fandom. He has often expressed a desire to be acknowledged for more than just his role as Kirk, despite having boldly ventured into real-life space travel himself. The SNL skit, where he dismissively remarked about fandom, painted a picture of an actor eager to move beyond his storied legacy.

Fast forward to the present, and it seems Shatner is reconsidering his position. During a red carpet interview with Collider at the 2025 Saturn Awards, he indicated a new openness to participating in the franchise again, thanks to advancements in special effects technology.

Well, the science of special effects is progressing to such a degree, and I want to be part of it. So, although I don’t want to do it again, being part of this advanced technology is wondrous.

Past Rejections of Star Trek

Shatner’s reluctance to revisit his iconic character in the past is well-documented. For instance, during the production of The Simpsons, he notably declined multiple opportunities to reprise his role, feeling detached from the franchise by then. He ultimately agreed to voice a character in Matt Groening’s Futurama after misjudging the latter as merely another sci-fi cartoon.

William Shatner X post revealing his thoughts on Futurama. — (@WilliamShatner)

Behind the Scenes Stories

Interestingly, Futurama’s voice actor Billy West and Groening provided further insights on their DVD commentary for the Trek parody episode “Where No Fan Has Gone Before.” They noted that Shatner initially rebuffed the offer to return as Kirk on Futurama due to his belief that his SNL appearance was a definitive closure to his portrayal. However, the chance to act alongside his former co-star Leonard Nimoy ultimately swayed him.

Return Through CGI

Shatner’s potential return to the Star Trek universe may take a different form than a live-action role. In November 2024, he appeared in the short film 765874: Unification, produced by OTOY and The Roddenberry Archive. This project utilized cutting-edge digital prosthetic technology to showcase his likeness, as he appeared in Star Trek: Generations, despite the film not being canon. This licensed work involved contributions from several Trek alumni and received approval from Paramount.

According to viewer metrics, the short film has garnered significant interest, amassing over 23 million views on YouTube within a mere three months—a testament to Shatner’s enduring appeal within the Star Trek community.

To experience this digital return of Captain Kirk, view the short film below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgOZFny7F50

765874 – Unification (4K) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgOZFny7F50)

For further details, check the source.