Star Trek actor Karl Urban says he would love to hop aboard the Starship Enterprise for Star Trek 4, but has no idea if another entry in the science fiction film series will even be made. The series' last entry Star Trek Beyond earned good reviews both from critics and hardcore Trek fans when it was released in 2016, but general audiences were underwhelmed by the film and its $353 million worldwide box office tally proved disappointing to Paramount Pictures.

After four progressively-less-successful films featuring the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Trek movie franchise went into a state of suspended animation, only to be reawakened by J.J. Abrams with his 2009 reboot. Abrams went back to the original cast of characters from the 1960s TV show and long-running feature film series, updating the universe with a young cast, top-of-the-line special effects, and loads of lens flare. When that other science fiction franchise came calling, Abrams handed off the Trek series to Justin Lin, who streamlined things and amped up the action for Star Trek Beyond. Unfortunately, while fans consider his treatment more faithful, Lin's tweaking of the formula (with assistance from screenwriter and legit Trek fan Simon Pegg) did not result in the blockbuster the studio was hoping for and now the Trek franchise appears to once again be in limbo.

Actor Karl Urban, who plays Dr. McCoy in the reboot films, told Screen Rant in an exclusive interview that he has no idea if Paramount will be bringing Star Trek back out of its current state of suspension, but says he would love to be in Star Trek 4 if it ever comes about.

Yeah, look, I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything. Obviously, I would love the opportunity to make another Star Trek film. We always have so much fun when we get together. That cast is… they’re like family. That being said, if Star Trek Beyond was the last one we got to make, then I’m proud of the film and I’m happy to end it there.

Karl Urban McCoy Star Trek

Last summer before the release of Star Trek Beyond, J.J. Abrams indicated that a fourth Star Trek film at least was a possibility, and even gave hints about the movie's potential storyline. According to Abrams, Star Trek 4 would be a movie about fathers and sons, with Chris Hemsworth returning to play Captain Kirk's father George. Hemsworth himself has praised Abrams' ideas for the story, calling the director's pitch "amazing."

Urban himself has offered story suggestions for Star Trek 4, saying he'd love for the film to introduce McCoy's family. Star Trek Beyond screenwriter Simon Pegg indicated in a tweet last December that he and writing parter Doug Jung were working on a Star Trek 4 script, and in July of this year Spock actor Zachary Quinto said that a script was still being written but that he had no idea if another movie was going to be made. Like Karl Urban, Uhura actress Zoe Saldana has said she would love to return for another Star Trek, though she's going to be pretty busy for awhile working with James Cameron on his 50 Avatar sequels.

Add it all up and it appears there is still interest in continuing the Star Trek movie franchise, at least from the actors involved in the series. Whether there's real interest in Star Trek 4 from audiences or Paramount is another question. In the meantime, Trek fans can get their fix by diving into the very cinematic and intense Star Trek: Discovery on CBS All Access.

MORE: Karl Urban Knows ‘Nothing’ About Star Trek 4