The death of Captain James T. Kirk is still one of the most shocking events in the Star Trek Universe. However, William Shatner has just revealed that the USS Enterprise captain was killed off for more money.
According to ComicBook.com, Shatner recently made an appearance at the IC Collectors Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. The TJ Hooker actor spoke up about Captain Kirk's death in Star Wars Generations, admitting that the producers decided to sacrifice the character to appease the box office gods.
"So the producer said, 'We're going to kill Kirk because we think that The Next Generation will make more money at the box office,' and I said 'Why? Why do you want to kill the Captain? [They said] 'Ah, the box office, expenses, the budget, and the box office.' And they said, 'Do you want to be a part of it?' And I said, 'Yes, I'll be a part of it.'"
In Generations, Kirk worked with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to prevent Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell) from destroying a planet. Kirk is mortally wounded and Picard assures him that his efforts made a difference. With that knowledge, Kirk dies and is buried in the planet.
Shatner may not have been happy with the decision to kill off Kirk but he is certainly proud of what the character has accomplished. In addition to that, he would consider reprising the role if Star Trek writers can justify Kirk's resurrection.
Shatner is currently promoting his latest book Live Long And. ..: What I Learned Along the Way, which was released on September 4.
Related: William Shatner Weighs In On Star Trek 4 Losing Chris Pine
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