Just yesterday, we reported that Paramount are pushing ahead with a fourth Star Trek movie, confirmed just days ahead of the third movie, Star Trek Beyond, hitting cinemas. Chris Hemsworth is said to be returning to play James Kirk’s father George, but one actor that won’t return, sadly, is Anton Yelchin, who passed away last month. The news of his passing was tragic, but it looks like his role of Chekov will not be recast in the fourth movie. Producer J.J. Abrams spoke with The Toronto Sun.
“We knew going into this movie it would be a bit of a heartbreak just because of Leonard [but] we had no idea just how devastating events would become. I would say there’s no replacing him. There’s no recasting. I can’t possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better.”
We think that this is absolutely the right decision. Yelchin will be sorely missed in the next film, but it would be heartbreaking to see him recast.
Anton Yelchin passed away at the age of just 27 in a tragic accident at his Los Angeles home. One of his last movie roles will be Chekov in Star Trek Beyond, which opens on Friday. You can read our review of the film over here.
