Shatner Turned Down Animated Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Return
Henry Alonso Myers says he and Akiva Goldsman pitched William Shatner a Kirk return in an animated Strange New Worlds episode. Shatner declined.
Henry Alonso Myers, executive producer of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, has revealed that William Shatner declined an offer to return as Captain James T. Kirk in an animated episode of the Paramount+ series. Myers said he and co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman tried to get Shatner to guest star in every season of the show.
The proposed episode would have been a serious sequel to the classic Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever," done in the style of Star Trek: The Animated Series. Shatner ultimately turned the offer down.
Kirk was canonically killed off in 1994's Star Trek Generations, and Shatner has been sought after to reprise the role in various Star Trek TV series and movies since then.
Strange New Worlds has already nodded to the animated era: the season 4 finale honored Star Trek: The Animated Series by adding characters like Lieutenant M'Ress to Captain Kirk's (Paul Wesley) USS Enterprise in live-action.
Seasons 1 to 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are streaming on Paramount+.
Quick answers
Did William Shatner return as Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?
No. Henry Alonso Myers confirmed that Shatner declined an offer to return as Kirk in an animated episode.
What was the proposed animated episode about?
It would have been a serious sequel to "The City on the Edge of Forever," done in the style of Star Trek: The Animated Series.
Where can I watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?
Seasons 1 to 4 are streaming on Paramount+.