J.J. Abrams has stated that he has no intention of recasting Anton Yelchin's Pavel Chekov in the upcoming Star Trek films, following the actor's passing.
In a recent interview with Postmedia Network, director and producer of the new 'Star Trek' series of films, J.J. Abrams, was asked what his intentions are with the character of helmsman Pavel Chekov, who was portrayed by the late Anton Yelchin. Yelchin was tragically killed in an unfortunate incident last month, an event which left his fans and co-stars heartbroken.
The newest installment to the series, 'Star Trek: Beyond', releases this weekend, but the movie was one of the few he was able to complete before his passing. With the confirmation that there would, in fact, be more movies on the way, Abrams was met with a dilemma as to whether or not he should recast Yelchin, or just let his memory live on in his past portrayals. Abrams had this to say:
“We knew going into this movie it would be a bit of a heartbreak just because of Leonard [Nimoy]. We had no idea just how devastating events would become. I would say there’s no replacing [Anton Yelchin]. There’s no recasting. I can’t possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better."
In regards to how the next movie would tackle Yelchin's absence, he made it clear that it was too early to tell and there is no confirmation if Chekov will be given a specific send-off.
Star Trek: Beyond releases July 22nd!
