A couple of weeks ago it was reported that Paramount was thinking of hiring Zack Stentz and Ashley Miller (Thor, X-Men: First Class) to write Star Trek 3. That surprised many, as it suggested Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who wrote the first two, were leaving the franchise behind.
However the news of the other writers might just have been a negotiating ploy on the part of Paramount, as THR reports that Orci and Kurtzman are in now in talks to write the screenplay for Star Trek 3, with J.J. Abrams in the process of signing up to remain aboard the franchise as a producer (although he won’t direct as he’ll be too busy with Star Wars Episode VII.
Star Trek Into Darkness co-writer Damon Lindelof is not going to be a part of this sequel (at least at this point), which Paramount is hoping to release in 2016, which would coincide with the 50th anniversary of the original Star Trek TV.
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana and most of the rest of the cast are expected to return, although there’s no news yet on who will be directing them. The latest rumours sayt Jon M. Chu (G.I. Joe Retaliation) is the studio’s top candidate, but we’ll have to wait and see who’ll end up helming.