Star Trek
actor Simon Pegg reveals at Awesome Con that he has pitched Nick Frost as one iconic character from the franchise’s history. The first Kelvin timeline movie was released in 2009, introducing new versions of classic characters, with Chris Pine taking on the role of James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto taking on Spock, and Pegg stepping into the role of Montgomery Scott, aka “Scotty.” After two sequels, there’s now hopes that a Star Trek 4 will happen with this same cast, though the film seemingly remains stuck in development after first being announced in 2016.
During a recent panel Awesome Con moderated by ScreenRant‘s Joe Deckelmeier, Pegg, who attended the event with his Cornetto Trilogy costar, Frost, shares an update on Star Trek 4. The Scotty actor shares his hopes that another installment will eventually come to fruition, but, unfortunately, he doesn’t have any concrete news to share about the film’s status:
That would be fun. I’d like us to do another movie. I would be happy to get back with those guys and do another movie, whatever the story is. I love my Enterprise crewmates; they’re the sweetest people. I was so proud of Zoe winning an Oscar this year.
It’s going to be a hard one for us, because we lost Anton [Yelchin], who was a very beloved member of our group. But whatever that story is, I’ll be there for it. I have no news to give you in that regard, just that it’s not impossible. So, fingers crossed.
When asked who he would like Frost to play in a future Star Trek project, Frost chimes in, saying enthusiastically, “Harry Mudd!“ Pegg is seemingly aware of his frequent collaborator’s desire to play this memorable character, revealing that he has pitched the idea:
Believe me, I’ve pitched it multiple times.
What This Means For Star Trek 4
Harry Mudd’s Franchise History Explained
Star Trek’s Harcourt Fenton “Harry” Mudd has appeared several times across various iterations of the show. The character was first played by Roger C. Carmel in The Original Series, and he was most recently played by Rainn Wilson in Star Trek: Discovery. The character has consistently been something of a wildcard in the franchise, and he has a long history as a con artist and a smuggler. His criminal ᴀssociations resulted in him ʙuттing heads with Kirk during his first appearances on The Original Series.
Mudd hasn’t yet appeared in any of the Kelvin Timeline Star Trek movies, but Pegg has clearly floated the idea previously. While a fourth film is clearly facing some creative hurdles behind the scenes, most of the core Star Trek movie cast members have expressed interest in returning, which bodes well for the project. If Frost were to join as Mudd, it would mark the latest in a long line of collaborations between him and Pegg, who previously starred together in Spaced (1999 – 2001), Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (2004), H๏τ Fuzz (2007), and The World’s End (2013).
Our Take On Nick Frost As Harry Mudd In Star Trek
He Could Be A Fun Addition To The Franchise
If Frost were to play Mudd, it would be most exciting to see him on screen opposite Pegg as Scotty, especially given the pair’s long history of collaboration. If Star Trek 4 doesn’t end up coming to fruition, however, the franchise is living on through various TV shows. Wilson may have the character covered in Discovery, but a future take on the sci-fi property could open the door for another small-screen take on the character by Frost.
Frost recently joined another iconic sci-fi franchise with his role as SM 33 in the cast of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Many of Frost’s best roles have various degrees of comedy to them, and it would be interesting to see his particular brand of humor brought to life in the world of Star Trek. The franchise tends to be quite serious, but Mudd is one of a number of wacky characters that brings a certain amount of chaotic energy. It remains to be seen whether another Kelvin Timeline Star Trek movie will ever happen, but it sounds like audiences could be seeing Frost as Mudd if it does.