One of the smartest things Marvel did when faced with Edgar Wright's departure from “Ant-Man” was enlist Paul Rudd to not only remain attached to star as Scott Lang in the film, but also to take a crack at the screenplay. When I was on the set of the film, it was apparent that Rudd and Adam McKay and Peyton Reed had a tight working relationship that allowed them to very quickly rebuild things a different way. By having Rudd become that involved with the script, there's a pretty good chance he's going to want to stay attached to star, and if anything, he'll become even more passionate than he was when his good friend Edgar was still attached.
Now Paramount's using that same (very smart) playbook, it looks like, with word breaking that Simon Pegg is going to co-write the screenplay for “Star Trek 3.” No word in Deadline's piece about who Pegg might be co-writing with. I know that Edgar Wright recently wrote “Baby Driver” by himself, and as a result, it doesn't read like any of the Cornetto films. Not exactly. You can still hear Edgar's voice, but it's not tempered by anyone else's sensibilities.
I think Pegg is an incredibly bright guy when it comes to story, and having him step in to help shape the direction of the “Star Trek” franchise seems like a step in the right direction. Pegg understands the genuinely mythic power these things have over fans, and he's been a fan on the outside looking in. He's been heartbroken by films coughthephantommenacecough and he's had to really question his own faith at times. Right now, he's an important part of two of the only real franchises Paramount actually outright owns, so I would listen to him on this and “Mission: Impossible.” If anyone cares about these series, he does.
The problem is that since Roberto Orci vacated the director's chair on this film, there have been some heated discussions about what to do with the series. I hear not everyone is united on moving forward with the movies, and I'm curious if there will come a point when a TV version is more economically attractive than the feature model, or if Paramount ever tries to juggle both at the same time again.
Depending on when Pegg is supposed to have his work turned in, this film may still be on track for a summer 2016 release. Who knows? Pegg could well be taking what already exists and building onto it. Maybe he liked the direction the script was headed but sees a way for it to work that Orci didn't.
Here's hoping he cracks it. I'd love to see more “Star Trek” while the cast is still willing and able. I think Justin Lin is a fine choice as director