‘The Punisher’ Star Thomas Jane Cast as “Bones” for ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’

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Okay, so this is pretty cool news for a Trek fan like me! Thomas Jane, who I remember as The Punisher, is joining the cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for the season finale. Even better, Kai Murakami is going to be playing Sulu! Apparently, Season 4 is coming in 2026, but Season 5 will be the last one. What’s interesting is that Strange New Worlds has been careful not to tie itself too tightly to the original series, but bringing in actors to play these classic characters – like Jane as McCoy and Murakami as Sulu – is a smart way to connect the prequel to the adventures we all know and love.

The casting news was first reported by Variety. DeForest Kelley was the original Bones, playing the character in Star Trek throughout the 1990s. Karl Urban then took on the role in the 2009 Star Trek reboot. Now, Jane will be the third actor to portray Bones in live-action. A similar situation applies to Sulu, who was initially played by George Takei in the Original Series, then by John Cho in the rebooted films, with Murakami becoming the third actor to take on the role.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premiered in 2022 as the eleventh television series in the Star Trek franchise, originally created by Gene Roddenberry. The show grew out of the character Christopher Pike, played by Anson Mount in Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery. Although some viewers might see it as a spin-off, Pike is a significant character for longtime Star Trek fans. He actually starred as the captain in the original, unaired Star Trek pilot (played by Jeffrey Hunter), before William Shatner’s Captain Kirk took center stage and launched the iconic series we know today.

The Future of ‘Star Trek’


Paramount Pictures

Star Trek is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, largely due to the streaming service Paramount+. While the franchise has been a television and film staple for decades, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movies are often credited with reigniting fan interest. Following that film series, Star Trek: Discovery premiered in 2017, bringing Star Trek back to television after a 12-year gap.

Following Discovery, Star Trek fans have enjoyed a wealth of new content, including the live-action series Picard and Strange New Worlds, as well as the animated shows Prodigy and Lower Decks. Over the last ten years, Paramount+ has offered fans five different Star Trek TV series with new episodes. Earlier this year, the movie Star Trek: Section 31 was also released, debuting directly on the streaming service.

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It’s been a while since a Star Trek movie hit theaters – the last one was Star Trek Beyond in 2016. Several directors and writers, including Quentin Tarantino and Noah Hawley (known for Alien: Earth), have tried to get a new film off the ground. Now, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are the latest to be working on a new Star Trek movie.

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2025-12-25 03:35