Chris Pine has the right idea for Star Trek 4

Star Trek 4 has been "in the works" for several years now, but there's been little movement forward other than the occasional hiring of a new scriptwriter and/or director. Yet Paramount+ was able to film and complete Section 31 in a year or so. Granted, it won't have all the bells and whistles that a feature-length theatrical release will have, but the episodes of series like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Discovery have had some fairly amazing special effects. And that is with the cost of each episode at approximately $8 million...at least for Discovery. Of course, Star Trek 4 has to factor in star salaries, which will make the cost considerably higher, but that doesn't mean the effects have to be considerably larger.

And bigger isn't always better anyway. Even Chris Pine, who portrayed Captain Kirk in all three of J.J. Abrams' Kelvin Timeline movies, thinks, according to Popverse [via Trekmovie] that a much smaller film should be made.

"I think we just make a much smaller film that’s more story-driven, more character-based, there’s less shit exploding, and maybe do it that way.”"

- Chris Pine

Not every movie has to be a major release, and since it's been eight years since the last movie in the Star Trek franchise hit the big screens, fans would, most likely, accept a scaled-down version of Star Trek 4 as the final chapter in the series.

Some of the best Star Trek episodes have few special effects and are without starship battles, weapons firing, and multiple explosions. Think "The Inner Light" from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "The Sound of Her Voice," or "Doctor's Orders" from Star Trek: Enterprise. They were character-driven episodes that were engrossing and have often been listed as the best of Trek.

So why can't Star Trek 4 take the same route? If it's to be the last movie with this crew [and group of actors], why not make it one where there is more time spent with the crew actually being together? It might not make everyone happy, but it will definitely make those of us who have been waiting for the fourth movie happy!