Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth appeared together in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek reboot, playing Captain Kirk and his father George, yet the two actors never shared a scene. A fourth film was meant to finally put them on screen together, but it collapsed in 2018 and has not been revived. This guide explains what was planned, why it fell through, what is only rumor, and where things stand now.
The pairing matters to fans because it came so close to happening. Reports about the sequel, the writers’ later interviews, and the actors’ own comments leave a messy trail, and some websites blend confirmed facts with guesswork. Below, each claim is labeled as confirmed, reported, or still unclear so you can see what holds up.
Quick Facts
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shared film | Star Trek (2009), directed by J.J. Abrams |
| Roles | Pine as James T. Kirk; Hemsworth as George Kirk, Kirk’s father |
| Birth dates | Pine: August 26, 1980; Hemsworth: August 11, 1983 |
| Planned reunion | The first version of Star Trek 4, scrapped in 2018 |
| Current status | Paramount reportedly moved on from a Kelvin-timeline sequel in late 2025 |
How Are Pine and Hemsworth Connected Through Star Trek?
The connection is the 2009 reboot, where Chris Pine played the adult James T. Kirk and Chris Hemsworth played George Kirk. George dies in the opening battle just as his son is born, so the characters, and the actors, never appear together. That single detail explains why fans kept hoping for a proper father-and-son scene.
Neither man was a household name when the film arrived. Hemsworth has said that before its release he and Pine were both relative unknowns, and he has pointed to the movie’s impact on his career. Pine went on to play Kirk in Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013 and Star Trek Beyond in 2016, while Hemsworth’s profile grew through Marvel’s Thor films and Pine added Wonder Woman in 2017 to his résumé.
Because Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth are linked mainly through this one franchise, any talk of a reunion really means one thing: finally giving the Kirk family a shared moment on screen.
What Was the Scrapped Star Trek 4 Supposed to Be?
Shortly before Star Trek Beyond reached theaters in 2016, Paramount announced that a fourth film would bring Hemsworth back as George Kirk alongside Pine. The script was written by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, and the movie never reached production. According to the writers, the story used a time-travel idea that let father and son meet as equals.
What the Writers Later Described
In a 2022 Esquire interview, McKay and Payne said the central idea was that, through a cosmic quirk in the Star Trek universe, the two Kirks would be the same age. McKay compared the tone to “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in space.” In their telling, the Enterprise crew would search for the wreckage of the ship where George died, uncovering a mystery and a new villain along the way. George would be pulled out of that doomed moment without realizing that no time had passed, which means he would meet a grown son without knowing it.
The writers also said the script had a science-fiction idea at its core that they likened to 2001: A Space Odyssey. These details are valuable because they are the only public description of the story, but they have limits worth keeping in mind.
How Much of This Can Be Trusted
Everything above comes from the writers’ memory of an unproduced script that had been in development for roughly two and a half years, an experience McKay called a heartbreak when it ended. Neither Paramount nor the actors have released the screenplay, so the plot is best treated as the writers’ account and not an official synopsis. The “same age” device is also purely a story trick, since Hemsworth is the younger of the two in real life by almost three years.
Why Did Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth Walk Away From Star Trek 4?
The Hollywood Reporter reported in August 2018 that talks with Paramount and Skydance had broken down over pay, with both actors leaving the table. Hemsworth later offered a different explanation, saying in a Variety interview in 2019 that the script was the problem. The studio has not published its own account, so the full picture is only partly confirmed.
The pay version came from unnamed sources, who said the studios wanted to trim costs after the weaker box office of Beyond by asking the stars to accept less. Commentators at the time noted that both actors were also tied to large Marvel and DC projects, which gave them strong bargaining positions. That context is an observation by writers covering the story, not a confirmed detail of the negotiations.
Hemsworth’s comments arrived nearly a year later. He had said in 2017 that Abrams gave him an exciting pitch for the film, so his later remark suggested the finished script did not match that early enthusiasm. A fair reading is that money and script concerns could both have played a part, but nobody has publicly confirmed how much weight each carried. By early 2019 the project had reportedly been shelved, and Pine told interviewers he would be happy to return as Kirk while also saying he did not know what was happening with the sequel.
Could Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth Still Reunite in a Star Trek Film?
A reunion looks very unlikely as of late 2026. A Variety report in late 2025 said Paramount had moved on from a sequel to the Kelvin-timeline films, and no later announcement of a revival has surfaced in recent coverage. That report is not an official studio statement, yet it fits the tone of Pine’s own recent remarks.
In January 2026, Pine was at the Sundance Film Festival promoting his drama Carousel when Variety asked what he knew about Paramount’s new leadership and their plans for Star Trek. His reply was a light “You probably know more than I do,” and he went on to wish the franchise’s next caretakers luck and tell them to enjoy the work. Entertainment sites read this as a sign that he is not part of the conversation, though he has not formally announced that he is finished with the role.
Hemsworth’s name has not been attached to any newer Star Trek plan in recent reporting. Some other project could always bring the two together someday, but nothing of the kind has been announced.
Common Misconceptions About the Two Chrises
Most of the confusion comes from mixing up different Star Trek 4 attempts and from treating internet humor as fact. Sorting these out makes the story much clearer.
One frequent mistake is assuming every Star Trek 4 story describes the same movie. The Hemsworth version was the 2018 attempt built on the McKay and Payne script. Paramount later courted Quentin Tarantino and Noah Hawley for other takes, and in 2022 it announced a fourth Kelvin film with Matt Shakman attached, who later left to direct Fantastic Four for Marvel. According to reports, none of those screenplays made it past development.
Another misunderstanding is that Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth are rivals. The so-called Chris Wars came from a humorous ranking on The Ringer that compared Pine, Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Chris Pratt using invented categories such as hair value. It was comedy and not reporting, and the dispute that made the news was between the actors and the studio, not between the two men.
A third issue is net worth. Figures for both actors vary widely from site to site, and even The Ringer labeled its own estimates speculative. Hollywood pay is rarely disclosed, so any single number should be read as an estimate and never as a verified fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth friends in real life?
No public source reviewed describes a close friendship, and their documented link is professional. Pine did speak warmly about the idea of a reunion in a Huffington Post interview, according to reports of it, so there is no sign of bad feeling either.
Are the two actors related?
No. Pine was born in Los Angeles to actors Robert Pine and Gwynne Gilford, while Hemsworth is an Australian actor. The shared first name is a coincidence.
Who was set to direct the scrapped film?
S.J. Clarkson was reported as the director, which coverage at the time said would have made her the first woman to direct a Star Trek feature. After the project ended, Payne and McKay went on to run Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Is the next Star Trek movie connected to the Kelvin films?
Reports say it is not. Coverage in 2026 linked Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley to a fresh Star Trek film, and Pine himself starred in that fantasy movie. The story details have not been officially confirmed.
What has Chris Pine said about playing Kirk again?
Over the years he has voiced both enthusiasm and frustration. In 2022 he said the cast was excited but waiting on a script, and at another point he wondered how a new film would handle Kirk being “a lot older.”
Where can I watch the 2009 Star Trek?
As of early 2026 it was reported to be streaming on Paramount+. Availability changes by region and over time, so check current listings before you plan a viewing.
Final Thoughts
The story of Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth is less about a film that exists than about one that nearly did. The 2009 movie remains the place to see them both in the same story, and it is a reminder of how far two relatively unknown actors traveled in the years after. Whatever Star Trek does next, the idea of a grown son meeting his father across time will likely stay one of the franchise’s best unmade sequels.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information and entertainment. It draws on public interviews and entertainment-industry reports, some of which rely on unnamed sources and have not been confirmed by the studios or the people involved. Details about film projects, release plans, and availability can change, so readers should check official announcements for the latest information. This site is not affiliated with Paramount, Skydance, or either actor.
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I’m Muhammad Ubaid, founder of YBR Magazine. I research and write detailed guides on America’s National Parks — covering entry fees, permits, best times to visit, and planning tips — using official NPS sources and up-to-date information.
