Star Trek Short Film “765874 – Unification” Brings Back William Shatner’s Captain Kirk

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Once again, Captain Kirk is boldly going where no man has gone before… at least, not this well. The next leap forward in special effects technology is here via a Star Trek short film called “765874 – Unification.” This is the latest in a series of shorts produced by The Roddenberry Archive, using the services of digital imaging company OTOY, with “cooperation” from Paramount. The 765874 series brings back older characters with new actors who are digitally made up to look like the legends who made the characters famous. “765874 – Unification” came out on November 18, which is the 30^th anniversary of Star Trek Generations, the final appearance of William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, and it’s getting a lot of attention because it indeed brings back Shatner’s Kirk via the technology, with participation from William Shatner, and the results are stunning. You can see “765874 – Unification” below:

It’s a bit difficult to make sense of what’s going on in “765874 – Unification;” Dave Cullen’s video on the short film is a good Cliff’s Notes tool, as Cullen is a huge Star Trek fan and well-versed in the lore. Essentially, this seems to be Captain Kirk being resurrected after the events of Star Trek Generations via the Genesis, then being transported to the Kelvin timeline – the one in which the J.J. Abrams films take place – to be with a dying Spock (with the late Leonard Nimoy’s face) in his final moments. It’s a nice sentiment and a fitting final moment for these two characters. As he journeys through whatever time warp the black room is, Kirk sees himself at other points in his life: as the younger man from the Star Trek TV series and as the seasoned admiral from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, all with William Shatner’s face and mannerisms. I have no idea if this is now considered canon or if it’s just a lark, but the Star Trek fans I’ve observed seem to love “765874 – Unification.”

The long overdue proper farewell.
Excuse me, there is something in my eye.#StarTrek#Unification pic.twitter.com/KrJIcZLV6V

— Nerdrotic (@Nerdrotics) November 19, 2024

I tend to think the main point of “765874 – Unification” is to show off the digital technology used to bring back William Shatner’s Kirk, and I don’t blame them. This is stunning work, lightyears ahead of what Disney did with Mark Hamill to resurrect Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. I was impressed back then, but looking at Captain Kirk in “765874 – Unification,” the Luke effects feel like Stone Age stuff. It’s unclear if AI was used to capture Shatner’s look; I read an article on the short film, and it wasn’t mentioned. But whatever the case, this is the best example of this kind of technology I’ve ever seen. And to be objective, there are a few moments where it’s clear you’re not actually looking at William Shatner. But the overall effect is incredible, and it makes you wonder what the future holds for this kind of tech.

Wow. More Star Trek in ten minutes than we’ve had in the last ten years. https://t.co/o5wiELjysh

— The Critical Drinker (@TheCriticalDri2) November 20, 2024

And that’s where everyone’s mind must be going now. What other characters can they return to screens via OTOY’s technology? Is this something they can do with dead actors, or would that look inferior because they had William Shatner on hand to assist with this one? (That also leads to ethical questions; Shatner obviously gave his permission for this. Although, did Leonard Nimoy ever sign a paper or something? Regardless, that’s a whole big discussion.) However, the biggest question might be how feasible it would be for studios to use this method in movies. My understanding is that it’s very expensive; that was one of the reasons Disney and Lucasfilm were hesitant to use the younger Luke Skywalker too often. And with movie budgets rivaling the GDPs of most island nations nowadays, this could be too much of an added expense. Then again, The Roddenberry Archive has made four of these Star Trek short films using the technology, and they’re available online for free. That suggests either that there’s a more cost-effective way of doing this now or that there are big plans to use it in Star Trek’s future (or both). Obviously, we have to remember that it’s the modern era of film, so it’s unlikely that many movies will have good enough writing to back up this astounding technology. Still, it’s hard not to let the mind wander and to let the soul wonder.

Let us know what you think of the digital technology that brought back William Shatner’s Captain Kirk in “765874 – Unification” in the comments!

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