He was coy about his answer at first, joking that he'd "get up" for the part if need be and saying that if he played hard to get it would make the producers of Star Trek: Discovery want him even more. And, honestly, he might be right about that last part. It seems like getting to play your famous character again on a new show set in the same universe could be a lot like dating. If you're actively looking for opportunities, they don't really come to you, but as soon as you say "Screw it, I'm just gonna do me for a while," eligible options start to peep out at you from every corner.

So, why is William Shatner suddenly sounding so much more available for playing Kirk again on Discovery? Well, the series will make its debut in January, which really isn't that far away now, and they are surely hard at work on scripts at this very moment. Now would be the perfect time for them to figure out a way to work Shatner's famous character into the show. Even though this new series will take place 10 years prior to the original Star Trek, there are all manner of time jumps, flash forwards and other tricks that could make an appearance possible. Even though fans may riot, there's also a chance that he could actually play someone other than Kirk. What? All right, calm down, forget I mentioned it.

I think it's incredibly likely that William Shatner has been mulling over the idea of Star Trek: Discovery and has simply taken a liking the the idea of being asked to be a part of the show. I'm sure having a new paid gig would be nice, but it would also be good for the new show to find a way to honor what came before, and Shatner knows that using him would be a great way for the show to do that.