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William Shatner says he would consider 㽶ƵֱStar Trek㽶Ƶֱ return

93-year-old says there would have to be a genuine reason for Captain Kirk to come back
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At 93, William Shatner would entertain boldly going where no man has gone before — again. Shatner arrives for the world premiere of 㽶ƵֱYou Can Call Me Bill㽶Ƶֱ during the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, in Austin, Texas, Thursday, March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Invision, Jack Plunkett

At 93, William Shatner would entertain boldly going where no man has gone before 㽶Ƶֱ again.

The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in 㽶ƵֱStar Trek,㽶Ƶֱ says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs an intriguing idea,㽶Ƶֱ Shatner says on a video call while promoting his new documentary 㽶ƵֱYou Can Call Me Bill,㽶Ƶֱ which drops digitally and on video-on-demand Tuesday.

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs almost impossible but it was a great role and so well-written and if there were a reason to be there not just to make a cameo appearance, but if there were a genuine reason for the character appearing, I might consider it.㽶Ƶֱ

Shatner㽶Ƶֱs last appearance in the franchise was in the 1994 film 㽶ƵֱStar Trek Generations,㽶Ƶֱ where Captain Kirk is killed off. He suggests he could play a younger version of the Starship Enterprise captain as he㽶Ƶֱs recently signed on to be the spokesperson for Otoy, a company specializing in technology that 㽶Ƶֱtakes years off of your face, so that in a film you can look 10, 20, 30, 50 years younger than you are.㽶Ƶֱ

He muses on a scenario where Kirk is resurrected.

㽶ƵֱA company that wants to freeze my body and my brain for the future might be a way of going about it,㽶Ƶֱ he says in a recent call from Los Angeles.

㽶Ƶֱ㽶ƵֱWe㽶Ƶֱve got Captain Kirk㽶Ƶֱs brain frozen here.㽶Ƶֱ There㽶Ƶֱs a scenario. 㽶ƵֱLet㽶Ƶֱs see if we can bring back a little bit of this, a little salt, a little pepper. Oh, look at that. Here comes Captain Kirk!㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱYou Can Call Me Bill,㽶Ƶֱ directed by Alexandre O. Phillippe, offers a look back at Shatner㽶Ƶֱs body of work 㽶Ƶֱ from his 㽶ƵֱStar Trek㽶Ƶֱ TV show and films to TV series including 㽶ƵֱBoston Legal㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱT.J. Hooker㽶Ƶֱ 㽶Ƶֱ and follows his trip to outer space aboard Jeff Bezos㽶Ƶֱ Blue Origin shuttle in 2021. It also features the actor㽶Ƶֱs musings on life, death and nature.

㽶ƵֱOver the years, people have come to me and said, 㽶ƵֱLet㽶Ƶֱs make a biographical film,㽶Ƶֱ Shatner says.

㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱd say, 㽶ƵֱOh no, I don㽶Ƶֱt want to do that.㽶Ƶֱ A biographical film sort of signifies the end. Cut! And then you die.㽶Ƶֱ

But Shatner says he was sold on the idea when the doc㽶Ƶֱs producers Legion M approached him with the idea of crowdfunding the film.

The self-described 㽶Ƶֱfan-owned㽶Ƶֱ company allows fans to own a financial share in the film and any profits it generates. 㽶ƵֱYou Can Call Me Bill㽶Ƶֱ raised US$750,000 in four days.

The actor also wanted to 㽶Ƶֱleave some part of a truth㽶Ƶֱ about him for his children and grandchildren after he dies.

Shatner says he learned a great deal about himself while making the film but on the other hand, 㽶ƵֱI don㽶Ƶֱt know what 㽶Ƶֱknow thyself㽶Ƶֱ means.㽶Ƶֱ

Even at 93, he says he doesn㽶Ƶֱt believe he has much wisdom to offer.

㽶ƵֱThat㽶Ƶֱs a mystique that has no basis in truth: as you get older, you get wiser. If you㽶Ƶֱre dumb as a young man, you㽶Ƶֱre dumb as an old man. You㽶Ƶֱre a dumb old man is what you are. It doesn㽶Ƶֱt necessarily mean time foists wisdom on you. What it does put upon you is how quickly life is over. That㽶Ƶֱs for certain.㽶Ƶֱ

Well aware of his fleeting mortality, Shatner is making the most of the time he has left. He㽶Ƶֱs releasing a children㽶Ƶֱs album, 㽶ƵֱWhere Will The Animals Sleep? Songs For Kids & Other Living Things㽶Ƶֱ later this month and will join a cruise to Antarctica with astronaut Scott Kelly and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in December.

He㽶Ƶֱs also joined several 㽶Ƶֱcompanies of the future,㽶Ƶֱ as a spokesperson for some and in the background for others, including one that develops 㽶Ƶֱtechnology like the medical device on 㽶ƵֱStar Trek,㽶Ƶֱ so it㽶Ƶֱs the size of a pack of cards and can tell you whether you have a disease or not,㽶Ƶֱ and one 㽶Ƶֱthat will take your DNA, make an artificial gem out of it and give you two: one that you keep and one that goes into a box that will be released on the moon.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱLife is so short, you㽶Ƶֱve got to do something now. Go to that place, know that person, read that book now!㽶Ƶֱ he says.

㽶ƵֱThat㽶Ƶֱs what I think old age (teaches you). But then, by the time you learn that, you㽶Ƶֱre dying. You don㽶Ƶֱt have any time. That㽶Ƶֱs right. You㽶Ƶֱre dead.㽶Ƶֱ

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Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press