New Star Trek series may boldly go where none have gone before by making Captain Kirk bisexual
William Shatner as Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, circa 1968. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty)
CBS could be about to make captain James T Kirk bisexual in the the upcoming series of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
The iconic Starfleet captain was portrayed as a notorious womaniser in the original series, but a huge change to the Star Trek canon could see his sexuality become more nuanced than that.
According to Star Trek insider Daniel Richtman, sources have suggested the network is “toying with the idea of making captain Kirk bi” in the next series, which will be a sequel to Discovery and a prequel to The Original Series.
CBS officially announced the next Trek instalment last month with a video of the cast explaining how excited they are to continue playing their characters.
Around the same time it was reported that Kirk would make an appearance, with rumours that the network had their eye on The Mandalorian’s Jake Cannavale for the role.
Originally played by William Shatner with an unexplained tendency to rip his shirt off in the midst of battle, captain Kirk’s promiscuity was a recurring and prominent theme in The Original Series.
The show’s creator Gene Roddenbery depicted him as the epitome of masculinity and frequently highlighted “his sexual exploits with gorgeous females of every size, shape and type”, while simultaneously being “married to” the Enterprise.
It’s not a character trait that’s aged particularly well, so the idea to make him bisexual could be intended as a way to bring Kirk firmly into the 21st century (so to speak).
The decision is likely to divide the fanbase as Kirk has never been portrayed or hinted to be anything other than straight in the whole Star Trek canon, including the recent JJ Abrams reboot.
He wouldn’t be the first character to have a sexuality rewrite, though: Star Trek Beyond saw Sulu portrayed as a married gay man with a daughter.
Actor Geoge Takei said he was thrilled with the news but also slightly disappointed, having urged director Justin Linn to “honour” Roddenberry and create a new LGBT+ character rather than make an existing one gay.
