The film’s team was present at the San Diego Comic-Con and after it took to the stage, Abrams said “something was missing”, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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A fourth Star Trek film was given the green light on Monday, although Abrams said he has yet to figure out how to explain the absence of the Russian-accented Chekov.
The 27 year old actor died last month in a freak vehicle accident.
Just a quick update following the announcement of another Star Trek film on Tuesday. “I can’t possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better”.
On stage the Star Trek alums were joined by newcomers Idris Elba, Sofia Boutella and director Justin Lin, all of whom also honoured the late 27-year-old actor. “I have thought about it, we’re working on it, and it’s too early to talk about it”, he said. Chris Pine, who plays Captain James Tiberius Kirk, is set to return, with the plot focusing on his relationship with his father.
JJ Abrams, the film’s producer, has stated that Yelchin’s character, Pavel Chekov, will not be recast in the franchise out of respect for the young thespian. His character is described as “a man [James] never had a chance to meet, but whose legacy has haunted him since the day he was born”.
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The most logical step would be to transfer Chekov to another Starfleet vessel, which would easily allow the character to transfer back to the Enterprise in the original series, as some fans place the rebooted franchise earlier on the Star Trek timeline.
