William Shatner originated Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series, and recent events in Star Trek mean Shatner will always hold one record as Kirk. Shatner portrayed Kirk in three seasons of the 1960s Star Trek, voiced Kirk in Star Trek: The Animated Series, and starred in seven Star Trek movies.
J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek movie reboot proved doubters wrong by recasting Captain Kirk with Chris Pine. Playing Kirk at 25 in an alternate timeline, Pine evoked Shatner while adding a youthful dynamism to the Captain of the Enterprise. Pine’s Kirk headlined two more movies, Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast Paul Wesley as Lieutenant James T. Kirk in 2022. Wesley’s James is the younger version of William Shatner’s Kirk in Star Trek‘s Prime Timeline. Wesley also portrayed alternate reality versions of Captain Kirk, but his version of Jim is in his late-20s and is First Officer of the USS Farragut.
William Shatner Is The Only Star Trek Actor To Play An Older Captain Kirk
Paramount Skydance announced a new Star Trek movie that will be a fresh start for the theatrical franchise, and canceled the hoped-for Star Trek 4 that would have brought Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk back to the Starship Enterprise. Meanwhile, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will end with season 5, which is now filming.
The end of Chris Pine and Paul Wesley’s runs as James T. Kirk means William Shatner will be the only Star Trek actor to portray Kirk in middle age and older. Kirk was in his mid-30s in Star Trek: The Original Series, and Jim famously turned 50 in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Captain Kirk was in his 60s when he died in Star Trek Generations.
Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk turned 30 in Star Trek Beyond, which took place in 2263, five years after he became Captain of the Enterprise in Star Trek (2009). In his final appearance, Pine’s Kirk is about 2-3 years younger than William Shatner’s Captain was when Star Trek: The Original Series began.
Neither Chris Pine nor Paul Wesley’s Kirks will be seen past their 30s, unlike William Shatner’s.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 takes place in 2261, meaning Paul Wesley’s Lt. Commander Kirk is 28 years old. Strange New Worlds seasons 4 and 5 will span the remaining four years until Kirk becomes Captain of the Enterprise in 2265. Neither Chris Pine nor Paul Wesley’s Kirks will be seen past their 30s, unlike William Shatner’s.
Chris Pine Not Playing An Older Kirk In Star Trek 4 Is A Huge Loss
One of the biggest disappointments of Star Trek 4′s cancelation is that it means Chris Pine will not get to play Captain Kirk in his 40s. Logically, Star Trek 4 would have reintroduced J.J. Abrams’ USS Enterprise cast a decade after Star Trek Beyond. Kirk and his crew’s ages would have reflected the actors portraying them.
In Star Trek Beyond, Captain Kirk was wiser and less tempestuous than he was in the prior two Star Trek movies J.J. Abrams directed. It was Pine’s best performance as Captain Kirk and the closest in spirit to William Shatner’s portrayal. Tragically, no Star Trek 4 means Pine can’t continue to evolve his Kirk’s maturity.
William Shatner’s Captain Kirk (or Admiral Kirk in the first four Star Trek movies) grew more interesting as he aged. Kirk faced death for the first time, gained and lost his son, and learned to move past his hatred of the Klingons. Appropriately, Shatner’s Kirk had the most complete life arc of any other Kirk portrayal.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the duo behind the upcoming new Star Trek movie.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves hints at what Chris Pine’s older Captain Kirk could have been like in Star Trek 4. Pine played Edgin Darvis, a thief and scoundrel who risks everything to be reunited with his daughter. Pine’s performance as Edgin is the closest fans will now get to Chris’ more adult Captain Kirk.
Paul Wesley’s Kirk Won’t Age Even if His Star Trek Spinoff Happens
After Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ends with season 5, executive producers and co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers hope to create a spinoff starring Paul Wesley. Their pitch, dubbed Star Trek: Year One, would be all-new adventures depicting Kirk’s first year as Captain of the Enterprise.
Even if Star Trek: Year One happens, Paul Wesley won’t get to play a more mature Captain Kirk. In Star Trek: Year One, Kirk would be about 33, leading up to the start of William Shatner’s Captain Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series.
In 2024, William Shatner returned to play an older and younger Captain Kirk along with Sam Witwer in the Star Trek short film 765874 – Unification.
Like Chris Pine, Paul Wesley’s run as James T. Kirk is limited to portraying the Starfleet legend in his late 20s and early 30s. What Chris Pine or Paul Wesley’s versions of Captain Kirk in middle age would be like will remain one of Star Trek’s “What If?” mysteries.
Paul Wesley is 43 and plays James T. Kirk as 15 years younger in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Meanwhile, Chris Pine is 45. Sadly, both ‘younger’ Kirk actors will be denied the chance William Shatner had after Star Trek: The Original Series to play Captain Kirk at the same age they are now.
- Release Date
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1966 – 1969-00-00
- Showrunner
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Gene Roddenberry
