If there is another Kelvin movie, should it be set in present day?

[FederationHistorian]

There has long been a tradition for members of a Trek series to be set in the real-world present day when the show is being produced. TOS has an episode set in 1968, TVH was set in 1986, VOY had a two-part episode set in 1995, and ENT had an episode set in 2003. DS9 & TNG did not have those episodes, although DS9 had a two-part episode in 2024, and ST:FC was set in 2063.

While there has been an attempt to get a time travel story for Kirk & his crew to meet his father, I’m wondering if a different time travel story has been overlooked in the process. One that’s set in the present day 2020s.

Let’s say there was a plot where the crew have to chase after say, Harry Mudd, through a bunch of real-world locations (NYC/LA, London, Abu Dhabi, Tokyo) and bring him back to the 23rd century. Would you watch such a movie or would you pass on it?

 

[NCC-73515]

I'd watch it, but Mudd wouldn't be very interesting

 

[F. King Daniel]

In which Bones is an anti-masker and Covid turns out to be a Romulan plot?

I find myself wanting to get further and further away from real life these days.

 

[somebuddyX]

Sure, why not.
They should split the crew up again like Beyond and have them all running around in separate locations, each with their own Harry Mudd who has septupled himself. I want to see Chris Pine running around like a mad dog Tom Cruise style.
Call it Star Trek: Hindsight.
Hindsight is coming. 2020.

 

[FederationHistorian]

Well, it doesn’t have to be actually set in 2020. It can be whatever year the film comes out.

 

[The Wormhole]

This is a massive No for me.

 

[Dukhat]

I’m not sure what the purpose of that would be, unless they time travel. And I’m sick of time travel.

 

[Qonundrum]

So, about time travel...

People were mocking STIV in 1986 before it came out, citing "time travel, do they have a DeLorean?" (And in rarer cases, swap "DeLorean" with "TARDIS".)

STFC didn't even bother - it was just a flimsy, flat excuse to get the crew into the past where hijinx will ensue, yee-haw. (they used the deflector in order to follow the Borg, then destroy it, so they weren't getting home the moment the movie ended... but that's another story.) At least it wasn't 20th century Earth, so it could have been far worse.

90s Trek did so many ways to do time travel that it was a laughingstock. Even "Little Green Men" was losing me at the time, but thankfully it managed to pick back up at just the right moment.

Why can't the next movie just use 23rd century Earth as a focal point for the climax... again? TOS had a couple episodes saying "Well, humans did this hundreds of years ago but we're beyond that now" so a movie doing the same thing wouldn't be out of place...


But I digress. If they did use present day, maybe as a history lesson for one or two brief scenes. But not as the crux or location or climax for yet another whole movie or tv episode outing.

 

[NCC-73515]

TVH was even called Back to the Present in Germany XD

 

[Tenacity]

In which Bones is an anti-masker

Guy doesn't wear one while performing heart surgery, why would he wear one for covid?

 

[F. King Daniel]

The baddie in Into Darkness wasn't revenge-obsessed Khan, it was Admiral Marcus. He wasn't out for revenge, he was trying to incite war with the Klingons. But nobody wants to have that conversation.

 

[NCC-73515]

The baddie in Into Darkness wasn't revenge-obsessed Khan, it was Admiral Marcus. He wasn't out for revenge, he was trying to incite war with the Klingons. But nobody wants to have that conversation.

Marcus basically tried to use a drone attack and fake threat allegations to start a war just cause he wanted one. The intelligence service overstepped its boundaries and built a secret weapon at a black site. When about to be exposed, the unmarked ship tries to destroy the flagship to cover it all up. It really is much more of a fitting political thriller of the time than most people realize.

 

[Vger23]

Hard to say, because it's all in the execution...but as a general rule, I prefer "out there" to "back here..." which is why I even place TFF and TMP ahead of TVH.

All that said, as a card-carrying fan of the Kelvinverse films, I kind of think they should just let it die. The blood has run dry on this part of the franchise, and there is virtually no chance for any momentum at this point. Even I am not very interested, and I love those films.

 

[fireproof78]

Marcus basically tried to use a drone attack and fake threat allegations to start a war just cause he wanted one. The intelligence service overstepped its boundaries and built a secret weapon at a black site. When about to be exposed, the unmarked ship tries to destroy the flagship to cover it all up. It really is much more of a fitting political thriller of the time than most people realize.

Marcus wanted to start the war on his terms. He felt that war was inevitable and he was the only one qualified to lead Starfleet. It's a distinction, I feel, but an important one because Marcus was so paranoid that the Klingons would attack (probably fueled by the Narada attack) he ended up wanting the war.

 

[Oddish]

The Voyage Home was one of the best Trek movies in existence, because it was set in then present day Earth. So if they find a way to make it work, why not?

 

[Relayer1]

No, and even if they did make one, it shouldn't be set in the present.

 

[Smellmet]

Hard to say, because it's all in the execution...but as a general rule, I prefer "out there" to "back here..." which is why I even place TFF and TMP ahead of TVH.

All that said, as a card-carrying fan of the Kelvinverse films, I kind of think they should just let it die. The blood has run dry on this part of the franchise, and there is virtually no chance for any momentum at this point. Even I am not very interested, and I love those films.

As much as I'm dying for a fourth film, I'm inclined to agree, the ship has well and truly sailed now. The only way I could see it potentially working now for another one is a TMP-style get the gang back together type film maybe even further down the track.

'Just another Trek movie' like Beyond, didn't cut it in 2016 (though I do love all 3 movies personally) and won't cut it now. It needs a big hook, a USP.

Would an effective TVH remake in all but name work? Hard to say. I can't say I particularly fancy it. Depends on the story and execution.

 

[Firebird]

The world is a metaphorical dumpster fire right now, and the absolute last thing I need when I go to the movies is getting reminded about what the world is like. I go to movies to escape reality for a couple hours. If they wanna do an allegorical tale, that's fine, but let the present day be dealt with by other filmmakers & franchises.