Movies - TV
William Shatner’s Star Trek II Idea Would Have Changed Franchise History
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
1982’s "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is beloved by fans, but many don’t know that series creator Gene Roddenberry and William Shatner both had very different ideas for the film.
According to William Shatner's memoir "Star Trek Movie Memories," Roddenberry had written a story wherein Klingons go back in time to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Meanwhile, Kirk and Co. would have to travel back in time and ensure it happened. The pitch was allegedly so wild that Roddenberry was removed from the project.
In a 2017 interview with IGN, Shatner confirmed that early ideas for "Star Trek II" were not going to be an extension of the TV series, but Paramount insisted on the change.
Shatner noted that the "make a sequel to one of the original episodes" approach that Paramount took didn't initially sit well with him, and he wanted a brand-new storyline.
Shatner suggested the plotline of what would eventually become "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," in which the crew of the enterprise confronts God.