William Shatner has thought about returning to Star Trek to play Captain James T. Kirk at 95 years old.
Star Trek turns 60 in 2026, just as William Shatner recently celebrated his 95th birthday. Star Trek would not be the enduring cultural phenomenon it is without Mr. Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and seven Star Trek movies before Kirk canonically died in 1994’s Star Trek Generations.
In an interview published by TV Insider, William Shatner spoke to TV Guide Magazine about his legendary career in Star Trek and his many other roles that turned Bill into a cultural icon. When asked if there was anything that could get him to return to Star Trek, Mr. Shatner mused about what it would mean to play Captain Kirk at 95. See Bill’s quote below:
William Shatner: “It’s easy to say money, but you know, the longer I played Kirk, I was allowed to put various shades of character in there. I think Captain Kirk — as the captain of the deadly instrument of war, as well as a ship of peace — could reside in somebody like me very well. I mean, I still have the aggression and the instinct for battle, and I’ve gotten myself into very dangerous things. But there is a planing, a smoothing of all those heights and peaks of attitude and activity that comes with age, as [opposed to] aggression, which is sort of a youthful characteristic. Even at 95, I think Captain Kirk would be a really good captain of a spaceship capable of war and peace.”
Besides “money,” it sounds like William Shatner would consider a potential return as Captain Kirk if it meant exploring the Star Trek legend at the current age of the actor who plays him. Mr. Shatner discussing how aging would mean “a smoothing” of Captain Kirk’s aggression is intriguing, positing that Jim’s dueling instinct for peaceful exploration and “leaping where angels fear to tread” would find a greater balance.
William Shatner donned Captain Kirk’s Starfleet uniform for the last time (in canon) in Star Trek Generations, though the icon of stage and screen later played Kirk in a Star Trek video game, voiced himself (behaving very much like Kirk) in Futurama, and he executive produced Sam Witwer’s performance as Kirk in the 2024 short film 765874 – Unification.
In 2005, William Shatner and writers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens pitched a guest spot on Star Trek: Enterprise. Their idea was for Mr. Shatner to play Tiberius Kirk, the Captain’s evil Mirror Universe alter ego, who would face off with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). Unfortunately, William Shatner on Star Trek: Enterprise didn’t happen.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds executive producers and co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers revealed that they tried to find a way for William Shatner to guest star in every season of the Paramount+ prequel. Their idea was to reconnect with Kirk in the alternate timeline from “The City on the Edge of Forever.” Unfortunately, Mr. Shatner in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds also couldn’t come together.
Although Captain Kirk has been canonically deceased for decades, Star Trek: Picard season 3 created a way around this by revealing that Kirk’s remains are in a secret Starfleet black site under the auspices of “Project Phoenix.” This would be a way to resurrect Captain Kirk, if a Star Trek project that could get William Shatner to sign on could be found.
However, barring a surprise in the final seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds or Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the starship may have sailed for William Shatner play Captain Kirk again at 95 years old. With no new TV series in production and potential reboot movies in the works, the future of Star Trek under Paramount Skydance is currently unclear.
Yet, as Star Trek has taught fans for 60 years, there are always possibilities.
Stardate 47988.1 · Crew Assessment The Final Frontier Trivia Challenge
🚀ShipsEnterprise!
⭐CrewMake it so
☠EnemiesResistance is…
⚡TechWarp speed!
📖LoreLive long…
01
The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series?
✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager.
✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager.
02
Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character?
✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise.
03
Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called?
✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake.
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols.
04
“Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called?
✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.”
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.”
05
Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him?
✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard.
06
Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called?
✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive.
07
At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called?
✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario.
08
In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain?
✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos.
Mission Complete Your Starfleet Record
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Are you an Admiral — or still a cadet on deck-scrubbing duty?
