Simon Pegg Downplays Quentin Tarantino's R-Rated 'Star Trek' Movie

You never know where you stand with reports in Hollywood occasionally. Sometimes, the trades make a mountain out of molehills, other times, actors and filmmakers have to try and back peddle a little when news hits the world prematurely. Take Quentin Tarantino‘s mooted “Star Trek” project, an allegedly R-Rated one that. Tarantino is not shy nor afraid about opening his mouth and talking about whatever random idea might hit his brain that day. The director flaps his gums so much we’ve had to make a Lost, Unmade & Possible Future Films Of Quentin Tarantino list to account for all the random projects he’s said over the years he might make.  And yes, he’s been talking about “Star Trek” for years.

The backstory of this one is interesting. In short, Tarantino talked up a “what if” scenario of directing a “Star Trek” film back in 2015 (not the first time he had discussed it), it randomly went viral last year, TMZ starting picking up on it and then the next thing you know, it’s become something of a reality. Tarantino made a pitch to “Star Trek” director/producer J.J. Abrams and then the writer of “The Revenant” was hired to flesh out that story (which already sounds fishy since Tarantino always directs his own material, if this happens, don’t be entirely surprised if he ultimately only ever has a exec producing and story-by credit). So the project is moving forward, right?

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Well, when interviewed by Hey U Guys at the recent 2018 Empire Awards, “Star Trek” star Simon Pegg, talking about his role in “Ready Player One” and this summer’s new “Mission: Impossible” movie, seemed to downplay that R-Rated “Star Trek” movie.

“I don’t think [Quentin Tarantino has] written an R rated Star Trek script,” Pegg stated. “I think what happened is he went to J.J. [Abrams] with an idea that he’s had for awhile. I remember he told us about it a long time ago. I think he told me and Edgar [Wright] about it a long time ago. He just put it to J.J. and I think J.J.’s just considering putting it into a writing room. We got an email just saying ‘Guess what? Guess who came into the office the other day?’ So I don’t know much about it other than it’s in the mix, so we’ll see.”

Does Pegg no know ‘Revenant’ writer Mark L. Smith was hired to write the screenplay? Was that report overstated? Should Trekkies be worried (or happy for that matter?). Will Tarantino actually ever boldly go into a genre he’s never tackled before? Time will tell.  Watch the interview clip below. [via ScreenCrush]