‘Star Trek 3’ set for July 2016 release
LOS ANGELES — Paramount Pictures will release “Star Trek 3” on July 8, 2016 — marking the 50-year anniversary of the television launch of the landmark science-fiction series.
“Star Trek 3” is the first title to be dated for July 8, 2016. Steven Spielberg’s “The BFG” and Warner Bros.’ live-action “Tarzan” open a week earlier.
The TV series debuted on Sept. 8, 1966, on NBC and aired for three seasons.
Tuesday’s dating announcement came a day after Justin Lin signed on to direct the third installment in Paramount’s rebooted “Star Trek” franchise. The hiring of Lin came two weeks after Roberto Orci backed away from the directing gig.
Orci had been hired for the helming job earlier this year after J.J. Abrams had to exit the sequel due to his commitment to direct Disney’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Abrams directed the first two “Star Trek” reboots in 2009 and 2013.
David Ellison’s Skydance Prods. and Abrams’ Bad Robot are producing. Orci and Abrams are the producers. Patrick McKay and John D. Payne worked on the most recent draft of the script.
Lin directed the third, fourth, fifth and sixth installments of the “Fast and Furious” franchise.
Last year’s “Star Trek Into Darkness” grossed $467 million worldwide, including $229 million domestically.
