Fans of Star Trek are living in interesting times.

A successful television series is finally on our smaller screens thanks to Star Trek: Discovery. Which is good, because the movie franchise that has provided our fix of Gene Roddenberry's space opera in the long gap between TV outings seems to have run out of dilithium crystals.

Star Trek 4 is in jeopardy as Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth have both reportedly dropped out over proposed pay cuts. That leaves the Enterprise down two Kirks!

Digitalspy/ST Paramount

If only there was another movie that could warp into our orbit while those pay issues are addressed. Hang on a minute...

Paramount has previously confirmed that there are multiple Star Trek movies in development, telling the audience at CinemaCon 2018 that it is working with Skydance on two new films.

Since Quentin Tarantino is planning to boldly go somewhere he's never gone before, we're hoping his entry into the Star Trek universe is one of those.

Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek writer and director – what is QT's role?

JJ Abrams directed 2009's Star Trek reboot and its 2013 sequel Star Trek Into Darkness. He also produced the follow-up, last year's Star Trek Beyond.

So it's great to hear that Tarantino has already shared his proposal with Paramount and Abrams, with JJ potentially joining him as a producer. Abrams would also work on a script, meaning it would be the first collaborative script Tarantino had helped create.

Tommaso Boddi/WireImage Getty Images

Another of those working alongside him on the script is likely to be The Revenant screenwriter Mark L Smith.

As for whether Tarantino will direct this Star Trek project – Simon Pegg doesn't think so.

"I don't think he's got time," Pegg has said. "I don't think Quentin is going to direct it, because he's got in his California movie [Once Upon A Time In Hollywood] to do and then I think [he's] only doing one more film after that."

Related: Star Trek 4: Cast, release date, trailer, plot, spoilers and everything you need to know

Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek cast – will old faces return?

You can't really celebrate Star Trek without giving a nod to one of its most famous captains, can you?

Even though we can't easily imagine William Shatner reprising the role of Captain James Tiberius Kirk in a Tarantino universe, there's still a very real chance it could happen.

Responding to a fan on Twitter, Shatner said he'd be happy to join the upcoming movie as long as the script was "good".

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Depends on the script but if it was good then absolutely. Why not? https://t.co/qaf9Bolg21 — William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) January 24, 2018

Shatner's not the only Star Trek alumni who's considering a turn in Tarantino's take on the cult series, as Sir Patrick Stewart has also expressed an interest.

"One of my dreams is to work with Tarantino. I admire his work so much, and to be in a Tarantino film would give me so much satisfaction."

Since that admission, Stewart has actually signed on to play Picard once more. Could this return also see him join the Tarantino production? Here's hoping.

CBS via Getty Images

As if those casting options weren't exciting enough, are the stars also aligning for Leonardo DiCaprio to pull on a Starfleet uniform?

The Revenant finally bagged Leo a long-awaited Oscar and as previously mentioned, that film's writer is involved with the project.

DiCaprio's also not shy of working with Tarantino having starred in both Django Unchained and the upcoming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, so it's not a leap to wonder if the pair might venture into outer space together.

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Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek plot – what is QT's vision?

It turns out Tarantino has been nursing an idea for a Star Trek movie for quite some time.

"I remember he told me and Edgar [Wright] about it a long time ago. We got an email [from JJ Abrams] just saying, 'Guess who came into the office the other day!'" says Simon Pegg. "He just put it to JJ, and JJ is considering putting it into a writing room.

"I love Quentin's work and I think he's a great director and a great story writer, so whatever fruit that may bear, I'd be interested to take a bite out of it," Pegg added.

While Pegg didn't reveal the idea Tarantino had shared with him, a previous admission from the director might provide some insight.

"I think one of the best episodes of Star Trek ever written was for Next Generation. And I like Next Generation," Tarantino said, talking about 'Yesterday's Enterprise'.

Paramount

That episode featured Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean Luc Picard, Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan and Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar and saw an Enterprise from the past break through a time rift, altering the course of history.

"There was that episode ['Yesterday's Enterprise'], which is the one where... it was actually written by a fan, frankly, who had been working on the show, and they said, 'Well, you should write an episode'. And he wrote this episode that was fantastic."

Paramount

One thing Tarantino's Star Trek won't be is Pulp Fiction in space, according to Simon Pegg.

"Everyone sort of assumes it's gonna be like Pulp Fiction in space, but I think his devotion to Trek and his understanding of it... It won't be ordinary, it'll have him all over it, but it won't be anything a Star Trek fan will have to worry about," he said.

"He has an acute understanding of the story and he'd never do anything to tear it down."

Related: The future of the Star Trek franchise explained: WTF is going on with the TV shows and movies?

Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek release date – we want this now!

The second it was confirmed that QT was making a Star Trek movie, we were on board. The fact we've already waited this long for it to appear is a travesty!

Unfortunately, having not yet moved beyond Paramount paying lip service to the idea, there's no release date in sight.

Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek trailer – beam this up now!

It'll be a long time before we see even a teaser for this project, whether you're currently in the Kelvin timeline or hanging out in a Mirror Universe.

At this point we'd take a fan trailer that merges clips from Tarantino movies with scenes from Star Trek. Come on internet, don't fail us now!

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