Star Trek 60th Casts ‘Pitt’ Star in the Captain Kirk Role

Paramount is turning 2026 into a yearlong birthday party for Star Trek. The sci-fi franchise first hit American TV screens on Sept. 8, 1966, and the studio has rolled out a full slate of anniversary tie-ins, from a Rose Parade float to the first official Star Trek LEGO set, fresh Webtoon comics, another sailing of Star Trek: The Cruise, and a 60th-anniversary Blu-ray release of Star Trek: The Original Series set to arrive Sept. 8. For many fans, though, the real celebration starts with Captain James T. Kirk. Only a handful of actors have ever been trusted with the role. William Shatner defined Kirk in 1966, and Paul Wesley now plays a younger version on Paramount+ drama Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. That tight control makes the next name in line stand out, since he currently spends his weeks running a fictional Pittsburgh emergency room on HBO Max hit The Pitt. Emmy winner Noah Wyle will step into the captain’s chair as Kirk for a live reading of the classic episode The Man Trap, staged by the Writers Guild Foundation as part of the franchise’s 60th anniversary push. It’s a one-night charity event, not a backdoor casting announcement, but it still sends a clear message about how H...