A prequel to the 2009 movie Star Trek is in the works.

Toby Haynes, who directed episodes of Andor and Black Mirror, has signed on to direct the new project from a script by Seth Grahame-Smith, according to Deadline.

While plot details are being kept under wraps, the movie will reportedly take place decades before J.J. Abrams’ 2009 movie starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldaña and John Cho. The project, which is being produced by Abrams’ Bad Robot company, will also expand the Star Trek universe.

The 2009 film served as a reboot of the sci-fi franchise and spawned the sequels Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013 and Star Trek Beyond in 2016.

A fourth film in the main rebooted franchise is reportedly still in active development despite being removed from Paramount’s release schedule.

During a Paramount investor presentation in February 2022, Abrams announced that a fourth movie was in the works with the main cast set to return to film it later that year. However, director Matt Shakman left the project to helm Marvel’s Fantastic Four reboot and it was subsequently removed from the release calendar.

Pine, who was taken by surprise by the announcement, told Esquire last year that it was “frustrating” not knowing what was happening with the franchise and wondered if it was “cursed”.

“After the last one came out and didn’t do the $1 billion that everybody wanted it to do, and then Anton passed away, I don’t know, it just seemed… (It) feels like it’s cursed,” he said, referring to the death of his co-star Anton Yelchin in 2016.

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