It’s fair to say that, since 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, the big and small screen incarnations of the venerable sci-fi franchise have certainly diverged in terms of output. While the films have been seemingly stuck in dry dock as different options are announced, only to fail to appear, the TV universe has exploded in all sorts of interesting directions. Part of the Paramount+ success appears to be having Alex Kurtzman as a producing/writing guiding light, and it seems that Paramount’s studio division is aiming to have someone take over the film side in a similar capacity. That someone? Simon Kinberg.

The writer/director/producer, who has been behind a variety of successful projects including The Martian, Apple TV+’s Invasion and several X-Men movies, is now, according to Puck, in talks to join the Trek franchise to produce the film that appears to be closest to fruition: an origin story that has Andor‘s Toby Haynes in director’s chair and Seth Grahame-Smith scripting. It’s reportedly about the birth of Starfleet following humanity’s first contact with alien life.

And if it works out, Kinberg would bring his producing experience to the Trek universe, helping to shepherd future movies, which are likely to include another outing for Chris Pine and co.

In related news, talking of Trek, the TV galaxy has added a new star – Holly Hunter is playing the chancellor in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which will follow a new class of students learning the ropes when it comes to transporters, aliens and more.