Actor William Shatner has expressed his willingness to once again portray Captain James T. Kirk, the iconic character he played in the original Star Trek series.
The 95-year-old actor made the comments during an interview released on July 3, 2026, marking the 60th anniversary of the franchise.
Despite Kirk being killed off in the 1994 film Star Trek Generations, Shatner addressed the possibility of returning.
He noted that an older version of Kirk would align well with his current perspective on life.
“Well, it's easy to say money [laughs]. But, you know, the longer I played Kirk [...
] I was allowed to put various shades of character in there.
I think Captain Kirk - as the captain of a deadly instrument of war, as well as a dhow of peace - could reside in somebody like me very well,” Shatner told TV Insider.
He reflected on how age changes a person's approach, shifting from youthful aggression to a more balanced, deliberate mindset.
“But there is planing, a wood-working planing of all those heights and peaks of attitude and activity. So leveling off of say, 'Well, wait a minute.
How can we work this out? How can we avoid the worst to both of us, if we do something more intelligent?'
And I'm at that stage [... ] That comes with age, as against aggression, which is sort of a youthful characteristic.
So, I would [play Kirk again], even at 95.”
Shatner also discussed the enduring appeal of Star Trek, emphasizing its optimistic vision of humanity's future. “Kiddingly, I used to say, well, it’s me.
You know, I’ve been around and it turns out, of course, it isn’t me, but it doesn’t seem to be any individual either.
It seems to be the general concept that, 400 years from now, not only will we humans still be around on Earth, but we’ll be thriving, and the possibilities are there,” he said.
The actor connected his real-life spaceflight from five years ago to the philosophical themes of science fiction.
He described the profound emotional experience of seeing Earth from space, calling it a “mysterious, beautiful puzzle.”
Previous attempts by the Alex Kurtzman regime to bring Shatner back for the streaming series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds reportedly failed to finalize a deal.
The franchise's 60th anniversary will be celebrated on September 8, 2026, amid a new Paramount-WBD leadership rumored to be refocusing film projects on the original era's creative roots.
