Summary

• Chris Pine's portrayal of Captain Kirk in the Star Trek reboot films paved the way for other actors to take on the role.
• Pine's Kirk embodies a rawer, edgier version of the character, drawing inspiration from the first-season Kirk played by William Shatner.
• Each actor brings unique qualities and interpretations to the role of Captain Kirk, allowing for continued development and renewal of the character.

Star Trek screenwriter and producer Ronald D. Moore applauds Chris Pine's "kickass" performance as Captain James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies. On his interpretation of Captain Kirk, Pine explains that he watched William Shatner's performances in Star Trek: The Original Series to learn the show’s aesthetic, character relationships, and previously established facets, ultimately focusing on developing his portrayal of Kirk in the script. Set in an alternate Kelvin timeline, Pine’s Kirk embodies a rawer, less predictable embodiment of Shatner’s later, more recognized Captain Kirk.

Discussing the rebooted character in the Star Trek oral history, "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years" by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Ronald D. Moore praises Pine's performance as the legendary Starfleet Captain, comparing him with William Shatner's earlier, season 1 iteration in Star Trek: The Original Series. First aired in 1966, Shatner’s Captain Kirk was initially “edgier” and less seasoned than in later series and subsequent movies. Moore observes that Pine’s reboot-movie character picks up this similar quality. Read Moore’s quote below:

What I really liked about Chris Pine and that take on the character is that it harkened back to the first-season Kirk, who was a little bit more kickass; a little bit more of a temper, a little bit more of a wildcard, and was a little bit closer to Robert Conrad. I liked that Kirk. The Kirk who is parodied is the third-season Kirk. He’s more histrionic and broader. But the early and younger Kirk was a little edgier, a little more dangerous. A little bit more willing to throw a punch and kiss a girl. That was the take in the movie, and I liked that.

Chris Pine's James T. Kirk Paved The Way For Paul Wesley's Kirk On Strange New Worlds

Pine Played Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond.

The success of Chris Pine's Captain James T. Kirk in J. J. Abrams' Kelvin-verse movies proved that somebody other than William Shatner could carry the distinctive role. Cast as a younger version of the character, initially pre-Starfleet, Pine's Kirk followed a different path to Shatner's Kirk despite their many similarities. Pine's reimagined character success paved the way for Paul Wesley as Lieutenant James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the Prime-universe character (originally played by William Shatner) before his captaincy and USS Enterprise command. With each actor bringing unique qualities and interpretations to the role, the character of Captain James T. Kirk is developed and renewed.

United in their portrayals by Captain Kirk's own qualities of loyalty, commitment, morality, and love, there's a clear scope for even greater depth and development in the future. For over forty years, William Shatner alone was Captain James T. Kirk, etching the character into universal legend. With Paul Wesley's enthusiastic and open-minded Lieutenant, Kirk harkens back to Shatner's portrayal but morphed with a 'still learning' vibe - he's not quite Captain Kirk, yet. Chris Pine's "kickass" Kirk in Star Trek 2009 leans a little darker and more chaotic through trial and trauma. Pine's Kirk is younger, more vulnerable, intellectually active, closer embodying Shatner's own earliest Kirk.

Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are available to stream on Paramount+.

Source: The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross