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Mark Wahlberg passed on a couple of projects throughout his career, but there’s one that he regrets the most – the 2009Star Trekreboot helmed by J.J. Abrams. Not everyone gets the opportunity to join a massive franchise, let alone a huge pop culture phenomenon, so it’s understandable why the actor felt devastated by his decision.
He almost played Captain Kirk’s father, George Samuel Kirk, Sr., a role that eventually went to Chris Hemsworth. Although the character only had a small screen time in the movie, it would still be intriguing to see how Wahlberg would have portrayed him.
Mark Wahlberg recalled the time he almost starred inStar Trek
Mark Wahlbergis mostly recognized for starring in action movies, although he’s given science fiction a shot a few times in his career. There must have been a reason, which he revealed in his interview withTotal Film. Apparently, he was offered to star inJ.J. Abrams’Star Trek, but he declined the project because he couldn’t get it.
I tried to read the script, but I couldn’t understand the words or dialogue or anything, and I said, I couldn’t do this. Then I saw the movie. I went, ‘Holy sh*t, [Abrams] did a great job.’
Because of this, he vowed never to miss an opportunity to collaborate with the director in the future. He was so blown away by the film that he pledged to himself: “If he wanted me to do something that I didn’t understand, I’d probably give it a shot.”
The movie earned several accolades at the Academy Awards, including four nominations and winning the Best Makeup category, making it the firstStar Trekinstallment to bag an Oscar. While the rebooted film seemed like a promising revival of the beloved franchise, it only spawned two sequels so far: 2013’sStar Trek Into Darknessand 2016’sStar Trek Beyond.
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It’s plain to see why Wahlberg felt so dejected when he learned what a huge loss it was that he let his chance slip through his fingers. After all,Star Trek’s$2.2 billionworth of movies rivaled that of Lucasfilm’sStar Wars. He would have been part of the franchise’s historical feat.
Why J.J. Abrams stopped directingStar Trekmovies
J.J. Abrams left theStar Trekfranchise after helming two films, and despite being an avid Trekkie, he chose to move on andexplore theStar Warsworld. In a conversation withThe Huffington Post, he explained: “It was clear that having made two of these movies, that having another director come in to bring his or her point of view and voice to the proceedings was the right move.”
“That’s when I learned how good an actress I really am”: Even Before Joining Star Trek, One Show Proved Kate Mulgrew is a Damn Good Artist
He maintained his involvement in the franchise by serving as the producer on the third installment. Had Wahlberg joined the franchise, he would have only enjoyed it for a short time. Nonetheless, the possibility of playing the noble George Kirk would have been a huge achievement already.
Star Trekis currently available to watch on Paramount+.
Ariane Cruz
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3531
Ariane Cruz is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 3,000 articles published. Her love for pop culture and the creative arts fuels her passion to deliver engaging and informative stories. Her daily consumption of films, shows, and books keeps her energized for the day, along with her mission to serve as the bridge between fans and their favorite franchises.
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Chris HemsworthJ.J. AbramsMark WahlbergStar Trek
