DirectorMatt Shakman, who was tapped to direct a newStar Trekfilm for Paramount has dropped out of the project, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.. This film would have been the fourth in the series followingChris Pine’s Captain Kirk, first introduced in 2009’sStar Trek. The news comes as Marvel announcedShakman was in talksto direct their newFantastic Fourmovie.
Shakman was set to direct an untitledStar Trekfilm for Paramount but dropped it due to scheduling conflicts with theFantastic Fourproject.Deadlinereported earlier that Shakman was in early talks to helm the latest attempt at launching aFantastic Fourfranchise. While there has not been an official confirmation that Shakman has signed on, Shakman droppingStar Trekwould suggest that we are one step closer to that deal being closed.
In an official statement from Paramount, the studio stated, “Matt Shakman is an incredibly talented filmmaker, and we regret the timing didn’t align for him to direct our upcoming Star Trek film,” they would continue, “We are grateful for his many contributions, are excited about the creative vision of this next chapter and look forward to bringing it to audiences all around the world.”
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The Shakman-directedStar Trekfilm was originally slotted for a June 23, 2025 release date — time will tell if this announcement has any impact on that — and had plenty of directors throw their names into the hat to helm the film including the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Noah Hawley before Paramount ultimately landed on Shakman.
Shakman has previously worked with Marvel Studios in the past, he directed the MCU’s first Disney+ series,WandaVision, which premiered in early 2021. HisFantastic Fourfilm won’t be the first attempt to bring the team to the big screen. In 2005, Tim Story directed a Fantastic Four film starring the quartet ofIoan Gruffudd,Michael Chiklis,Chris EvansandJessica Alba. That film got a sequel in 2007, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. However, in 2015, 20th Century Fox rebooted the series with a new team consisting ofMiles Teller,Michael B. Jordan,Kate MaraandJamie Bell.
Outside the MCU, Shakman has made a name for himself in the world of TV while directing episodes ofGame of Thrones,It’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaandFargo, to name a few. Shakman’sFantastic Fourmovie will mark his second feature-length film directorial effort.
At this summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Fiege announced that theFantastic Fourfilm would premiere in theaters on August 04, 2025. While a cast has not been announced yet, landing a director gets audiences one step closer to that. Check out the trailer forWandaVisionbelow for a taste of MCU work:
