“Say Kirk Stuff”: Sam Witwer Details Replacing William Shatner In Beloved Star Trek Short Film

Published Aug 20, 2026, 10:17 PM EDT

John Orquiola is a New & Classic TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 5,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises.

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Sam Witwer details his experience stepping into the uniform of William Shatner's Captain James T. Kirk in the beloved Star Trek short film, 765874 - Unification.

Produced by OTOY and The Roddenberry Archive and directed by Carlos Baena, 765874 - Unification premiered on November 18, 2024, to mark the 30th anniversary of Star Trek Generations. OTOY and VFX studios' revolutionary digital and physical prosthetics recreated iconic Star Trek characters, with live-action location photography, virtual production, and CG set extensions. At the heart of it was Sam Witwer, who physically embodied Captain Kirk of two generations.

Appearing on Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes' podcast, Dropping Names... And Other Things, Sam Witwer discussed stepping into William Shatner's shoes to play Captain Kirk in 765874 - Unification. Although it's not clear if Sam was joking when he told Frakes and Spiner, “I don’t think I’ve seen it, though,” Witwer reveals his hesitance at being cast in Shatner's iconic role and the technical process of playing Captain Kirk. See Sam's quote below:

Sam Witwer: “It wasn’t mocap. We shot it. And there weren’t markers. We made me up as we needed to, and then the digital prosthetics took it the rest of the way. But I had to have the right posture, set the right silhouette, have the right facial quirks and mannerisms…

We worked very, very hard on that. What was fun was that Jules Urbach and the folks at OTOY, who goes way back with Rod Roddenberry, they developed this extraordinary digital prosthetics technology. And my job was... [Jules said], “Listen, I’d like to use this technology to see if we can recreate Captain Kirk.” And I’m like, “Great! Who’s gonna play him?” He’s like, “You.” I’m like, “Not a chance… I couldn’t get there. I couldn’t get there because I couldn’t make the leap in my head.”

But then they made me put on… they actually have some of those screen-used uniforms, so they made me put on some of that stuff… We shot some tests. He said, “Say Kirk stuff.” As you know, I know a few things about science fiction, so I was able to [quote Kirk:], “Risk is our business!”

Watch Sam Witwer on Dropping Names with Brent and Jonny below:

Of course, Witwer received Mr. Shatner's approval and endorsement to play Captain Kirk, just as Paul Wesley did when he was cast as the young James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. William Shatner was an executive producer of Unification, and he worked with OTOY and Witwer to ensure the accuracy of Captain Kirk's mannerisms and facial expressions.

765874 - Unification filled a hole at the heart of Star Trek by allowing Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock (played by Lawrence Selleck) to reunite one last time as the Vulcan passed away in the Kelvin Timeline of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies. Unification takes Kirk across realities populated by significant figures, like Saavik (Robin Curtis), Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood), and Spock's son, Sorak (Mark Cinnery).

Sam Witwer is best known for his roles in other iconic sci-fi franchises, playing Crashdown in Battlestar Galactica, Davis Bloome in Smallville, Ben Lockwood in Supergirl, and for voicing numerous roles in Star Wars animated series and video games like Emperor Palpatine, Starkiller, and Darth Maul in Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord.

Although reluctant at first to become Captain Kirk in 765874 - Unification, Sam Witwer's meticulous recreation of William Shatner's facial and body expressions was phenomenal, as is OTOY's entire production from top-to-bottom. Although it may not be considered official Star Trek canon, 765874 - Unification delivered an emotional closure to Kirk, Spock, and their eternal friendship.

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01

The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series?

ANCC-1701-D BNX-01 CNCC-1701 DNCC-74656

✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager.

✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager.

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02

Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character?

AData BSpock CTuvok DSarek

✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series.

✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise.

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03

Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called?

AThe Temporal Accord BGeneral Order One CThe Omega Directive DThe Prime Directive

✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake.

✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols.

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04

“Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called?

AThe Borg BThe Dominion CThe Romulans DSpecies 8472

✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.”

✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.”

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05

Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him?

AWilliam Shatner BAvery Brooks CPatrick Stewart DScott Bakula

✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases.

✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard.

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06

Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called?

ATranswarp Drive BWarp Drive CSlipstream Drive DSpore Drive

✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans.

✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive.

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07

At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called?

AThe Prometheus Trial BThe Omega Simulation CThe Corbomite Maneuver DThe Kobayashi Maru

✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario.

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08

In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain?

AKhan Noonien Singh BGeneral Chang CQ DGul Dukat

✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life.

✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos.

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