Karl Urban talks Star Trek 3 and Star Wars

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“I don't see the worlds of Star Trek and Star Wars joining”

Karl Urban has spoken out with his thoughts on Star Trek 3 , as well as ruling himself out of appearing in J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII .

The New Zealand actor, who plays Bones in Trek, told IGN that he wanted to see ‘originality’ and ‘space exploration’ in the next installment:

“What I really believe we should do now is strive for originality. Because in Star Trek Into Darkness we took one of the most revered and loved adversaries of the Enterprise and put him in there, and did a story that had all of these wonderful nods to films from the past, and episodes from the past.

“I really think that what we should do from here, in my personal opinion, is strive to be original. Strive to be something different and new. You know, let's not forget that Star Trek as envisioned was about space exploration. And it would be really wonderful to harness the spirit of that and apply it to the next film, so that we do something different than a revenge-based picture.”

And when IGN asked him if he was interested in a role in the Star Wars revival, Urban responded with a definitive no, explaining:

“I grew up watching it… I just love that universe, but that being said, I have no desire to be part of it. I don't see the worlds of Star Trek and Star Wars joining. I've made a commitment to Star Trek and I'm going to keep it. It wouldn't feel right to me. Being in Star Trek , to suddenly be in Star Wars wouldn't feel right to me."

When the J.J. crossover was brought up, Urban responded: “"J.J. is behind the camera. There's a difference when you're putting a face and a personality in front of the camera, and I wouldn't want to do that do an audience. I, as an audience member, wouldn't want to see an actor from Star Trek in Star Wars . I just wouldn't. When I go into a Star Wars movie I want to be completely enveloped. I don't want to be taken out of the picture by going, 'Oh my God, there's Scotty, what's he doing in Star Wars ?'"

Matt Maytum
Matt Maytum

Matt Maytum is the former Editor of Total Film magazine. Over the past decade, Matt has worked in various roles for TF online and in print, including at GamesRadar+. Bucket-list-ticking career highlights have included reporting from the set of Tenet and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as covering Comic-Con, TIFF and the Sundance Film Festival.