Star Trekactor Simon Pegg reveals atAwesome Conthat he has pitched Nick Frost as one iconic character from the franchise’s history. The first Kelvin timeline movie was released in 2009, introducing new versions of classic characters, with Chris Pine taking on the role of James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto taking on Spock, and Pegg stepping into the role of Montgomery Scott, aka “Scotty.” After two sequels, there’s now hopes that aStar Trek 4will happenwith this same cast, though the film seemingly remains stuck in development after first being announced in 2016.
During a recent panel at Awesome Con moderated byScreenRant’s Joe Deckelmeier, Pegg, who attended the event with his Cornetto Trilogy costar, Frost, shares an update onStar Trek 4.The Scotty actor shares his hopes that another installment will eventually come to fruition, but, unfortunately, he doesn’t have any concrete news to share about the film’s status:
That would be fun. I’d like us to do another movie. I would be happy to get back with those guys and do another movie, whatever the story is. I love my Enterprise crewmates; they’re the sweetest people. I was so proud of Zoe winning an Oscar this year.
It’s going to be a hard one for us, because we lost Anton [Yelchin], who was a very beloved member of our group. But whatever that story is, I’ll be there for it. I have no news to give you in that regard, just that it’s not impossible. So, fingers crossed.
Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Chekov in theStar TrekKelvin trilogy, died in 2016.
When asked who he would like Frost to play in a futureStar Trekproject,Frost chimes in, saying enthusiastically, “Harry Mudd!“Pegg is seemingly aware of his frequent collaborator’s desire to play this memorable character, revealing that he has pitched the idea:
What This Means For Star Trek 4
Harry Mudd’s Franchise History Explained
Star Trek’s Harcourt Fenton “Harry” Muddhas appeared several times across various iterations of the show. The character was first played by Roger C. Carmel inThe Original Series, and he was most recently played by Rainn Wilson inStar Trek: Discovery. The character has consistently been something of a wildcard in the franchise, andhe has a long history as a con artist and a smuggler. His criminal associations resulted in him butting heads with Kirk during his first appearances onThe Original Series.
Star Trek: Why Harry Mudd Never Returned Before Discovery
After debuting in Star Trek: The Original Series, Harry Mudd later returns in Discovery, but there were various failed attempts beforehand.
Mudd hasn’t yet appeared in any of the Kelvin TimelineStar Trekmovies, but Pegg has clearly floated the idea previously. While a fourth film is clearly facing some creative hurdles behind the scenes, most of the coreStar Trekmovie cast membershave expressed interest in returning, which bodes well for the project.If Frost were to join as Mudd, it would mark the latest in a long line of collaborations between him and Pegg, who previously starred together inSpaced(1999 – 2001),Shaun of the Dead(2004),Hot Fuzz(2007), andThe World’s End(2013).
Will Star Trek 4 Actually Happen?
Talk ofStar Trek 4has been ongoing for nearly a decade now, but it’s still unclear if the film will actually happen. Various creatives have been attached to the film over the years, including S. J. Clarkson,FargoTV show creator Noah Hawley, and Matt Shakman, who reportedly left the project after taking on directing duties for theupcomingTheFantastic Four: First Steps. Even Quentin Tarantino was said to be toying with the idea of making aStar Trekmovie for a time, though this may not have been a proper fourth installment in the Kelvin Timeline series.
The fourth film got a promising update last spring, with screenwriter Steve Yockey brought on board to pen theStar Trek 4script, withParamount dubbing the film the “final chapter"in the story for theUSS Enterprise Kelvin Timeline crew. This was followed by another positive update in October 2024, with Nyota Uhura actor Zoe Saldaña expressing interest in returning. Quinto has also expressed a similar sentiment, tellingVarietythat he would return regardless of how long the movie takes to come to fruition:
“There’s nothing more fulfilling as an artist then to come back to something after time has passed, and cultivate a relationship with it from a completely different perspective.”
Pine, too, has affirmed that he would return as Captain James T. Kirk, expressing interest inmakingStar Trek 4at a lower budget levelin a way that appeals purely to die-hard fans. One challenge the film faces, he explained at ACE Superhero Comic Con 2024, is thatit would cost a massive amount, and would therefore have to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. As seen in the chart below,Star Trek Beyondexperienced a dip at the box office, meaning nailing down a budget could be a key problem facing a fourth installment:
94%
91%
84%
89%
86%
80%
Our Take On Nick Frost As Harry Mudd In Star Trek
He Could Be A Fun Addition To The Franchise
If Frost were to play Mudd, it would be most exciting to see him on screen opposite Pegg as Scotty, especially given the pair’s long history of collaboration. IfStar Trek 4doesn’t end up coming to fruition, however, the franchise is living on through various TV shows. Wilson may have the character covered inDiscovery, buta future take on the sci-fi property could open the door for another small-screen take on the character by Frost.
Frost recently joined another iconic sci-fi franchise with his role as SM 33 in thecast ofStar Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Many of Frost’s best roles have various degrees of comedy to them, and it would be interesting to see his particular brand of humor brought to life in the world ofStar Trek. The franchise tends to be quite serious, butMudd is one of a number of wacky characters that brings a certain amount of chaotic energy. It remains to be seen whether another Kelvin TimelineStar Trekmovie will ever happen, but it sounds like audiences could be seeing Frost as Mudd if it does.
