Paramount’s new Star Trek film from Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley is already raising eyebrows.
The duo behind Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and Spider-Man: Homecoming are known for turning established IP into light, jokey, Marvel-style adventures.
That worked for some fans, but it also stripped those properties of the seriousness they were built on. Now it looks like Star Trek may be next.
Concerns About Tone
Star Trek has always carried a more thoughtful, character-driven tone. Even the Kelvin films kept the core idea intact.
Goldstein and Daley’s track record points in a different direction. Their version of Dungeons & Dragons swapped the franchise’s grounded fantasy for a Guardians of the Galaxy-style comedy. It was even woke. Fans of the property were split (the movie bombed with only a $205M worldwide gross), and many felt the movie talked down to the material.
Now that same tone is being teased for Trek. Sources for Deadline describe their pitch as a “fresh” and “fun” take, which usually signals the Marvel formula: fast jokes, quips during dramatic moments, and a lighter emotional approach.
That might work for some audiences, but it’s the opposite of what long-time Trek fans look for.
Via Deadline:
Plot details are being kept under wraps for now, but sources say Goldstein and Daley’s film is a completely new take on the Star Trek universe and not connected to any previous or current television series, movie or prior movie development projects. That pitch falls in line with Skydance founder David Ellison’s recent comments on an earnings call where he said the next Star Trek film would not be a sequel in the Chris Pine-led series but something different with new actors.
While not confirmed, sources also add it’s likely that new characters will be featured in this version.
As for Goldstein and Daley, the two have shown a knack for delivering scripts with new and fresh takes on existing IP while also adding a fun and lightness that differentiated them from other films in the franchise.
Why Trek Fans Should Be Worried
The franchise already suffered tonal drift with the Kelvin movies leaning more into action. A full comedic swing risks pushing Trek even further from its identity. Paramount picking Goldstein and Daley suggests the studio wants something closer to modern superhero humor than classic Starfleet storytelling.
It’s an understandable business move, but it’s also exactly what fans fear: turning a franchise built on ideas and character into another quippy, interchangeable studio product.
The Marvel brand also isn’t what it used to be. James Gunn also took that approach to his Superman, which also didn’t do well at the box office. Likewise, Gunn’s DCU shows on HBO Max have all bombed. Fans are tired of the goofy Marvel approach.
What This Means Going Forward
Until script details surface, nothing is confirmed. But based on the duo’s style, Trek may be heading toward a lighter, goofier, and jokier direction.
For fans who’ve watched the franchise drift from its roots for more than a decade, this feels like another step away from what made Star Trek Star Trek.
If Paramount wants to win those fans back, tone will be everything. Make Star Trek great again.
