Advanced technology brought a younger-looking William Shatner back to the franchise in the Roddenbery Archive's "Unification." Actor Sam Witwer was the stand in for Shatner's body, and digital de-aging created the Captain James T. Kirk we'd seen back in the movies. And that's something Shatner isn't opposed to. In fact, he told Collider's Aidan Kelley at the 2025 Saturn Awards where he picked up a Lifetime Achievement Award he "wanted to be a part of it." To be clear, he wasn't saying he wanted to return to the franchise at the present time as he clarified immediately with "So, although I don't want to do it again, being part of this advanced technology is wondrous."
So what does this mean for Star Trek? Captain Kirk could be ageless. A new series starring Shatner could be possible, or he could pop into various series through time travel or a hologram, looking much like he did before the last time we saw him in the universe before Unification.
The actor told Variety last year that he would consider returing as Captain Kirk using the de-aging process if it was a "great role." Though now it seems that he doesn't want to act in future Star Trek iterations, given advanced technology, Captain Kirk can be not only part of the past but part of the future as well.
He could meet up with crew members from his past, offer advice to cadets studying at Starfleet Academy, or appear in a simulation for testing. We could learn more about his time after he went into the Nexus or see him recording some personal logs that are then found by other captains. There are so many possibilities Paramount could take advantage of. And bringing Shatner back to the forefront of Star Trek will definitely be a draw for fans who've been wanting to see him back as Captain Kirk for the past twenty plus years. With this technology, Shatner's Captain Kirk doesn't have to disappear from the franchise. That's a win for all of us!