William Shatner 'returns' as Captain Kirk in emotional new Star Trek short film, and it might be one of the best examples of de-aging we've seen yet
Nov. 19, 2024A new short film has arrived to commemorate the anniversary of Star Trek Generations
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A short film has been released to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Star Trek Generations, and it sees William Shatner ‘return’ as Captain Kirk.
The ten-minute film, titled Unification, was by the Roddenberry Archive and their technology partner OTOY in collaboration with Paramount (H/TTrek Movie). The pic was created using a combination of live-action footage and computer-generated imagery, and is described as a “mind-bending Star Trek experience celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Trek Generations.” You can watch the short film below.
A de-aged Captain Kirk appears in the film, with Shatner having worked with OTOY to “fine-tune the technical and creative direction required to bring his interpretation of Kirk back to live action.” Shatner described the process itself during a screening of the film during the Star Trek tour in Ticonderoga, New York on November 17, saying, that it “takes years off of your face, so that in a film you can look 10, 20, 30, 50 years younger than you are.”
Star Trek Generations hit United States theaters on November 18, 1994, and grossed $118 million against a $35 million budget. Directed by David Carson, the cast includes Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burton, Brent Spiner, James Doohan, Malcolm McDowell, and of course, Shatner.
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Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent’s Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.
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