Key Takeaways:
– Eddie Murphy, the multi-talented actor, was nearly cast in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
– Initially, a role was designed for him as an astrophysicist collaborating with the U.S.S. Enterprise crew.
– The deal collapsed due to Murphy’s desire to play a traditional “Trek” character, not a modern one.
– Star Trek IV was still a huge hit, as was Murphy’s alternative movie “The Golden Child.”
In the heart of Hollywood, where sequels are a business strategy, Paramount Picture’s nearly added comedic genius Eddie Murphy to the cast of one of their biggest franchises, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Yet, the cosmic connection between Murphy and the Star Trek universe ultimately failed to launch.
Eddie Murphy is known for his Star Trek fandom. He has referenced the franchise in his iconic stand-up routine Eddie Murphy: Delirious and in his movie Boomerang. During a scene, his character uses an episode from Star Trek (Arena) to charm Halle Berry’s persona. Hence, it would seem like a cosmic link up for him to feature in a Star Trek movie.
A Look into the Past
Around the peak of Eddie Murphy’s fame in 1986, Paramount Pictures was considering casting him in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. The movie plot is about a time-travel adventure to 1986 San Francisco by the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Their mission is to find a humpback whale, the key to saving Earth from a devastating probe attack in the 23rd century.
The iconic duo, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) cross paths with Dr. Gillian Taylor, a cetologist played by Catherine Hicks from 7th Heaven fame. She becomes a love interest for Kirk, a romantic angle initially not intended. Intriguingly, this lead role was originally designed for Eddie Murphy.
A Twisted Tale of Star Trek and Eddie Murphy
In the initial script, Murphy was to play an astrophysicist who collaborates with the crew to save the day. The story took a turn when Murphy displayed his interest to feature as a bona fide Star Trek character rather than a contemporary person from the planet Earth. When on Jimmy Kimmel’s show, he explained he was to be the Earth contact but he wanted, “to beam up and be on the ship,” and play a more central Trek part.
Playing Murphy’s character “talkin’ jive to Spock…” would undoubtedly have been a hilarious sight. Nonetheless, Murphy’s decision to opt-out eventually proved fruitful for all. He ended up making The Golden Child, which was the eighth highest-grossing movie of the year. Star Trek IV, not lagging behind, garnered a whopping $109 million, ranking fifth on the year-end list.
Does it make you wonder what could have been Eddie Murphy’s performance in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home? Could he play the astrophysicist, or should he have donned the role of a true-blue Trek member? The question leaves us with a fascinating ‘what-if’ scenario in the annals of Hollywood history.
Share your thoughts in the comments section! How do you think Eddie Murphy would have added to the rich tapestry of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?
