Rhys Darby, known for his comedic roles and recent turn as the powerful alien Trelane in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, has expressed interest in joining another major franchise: James Bond. Darby believes his prior role as a character with near-omnipotent abilities positions him perfectly to take on the mantle of Q, the quartermaster responsible for supplying James Bond with advanced gadgets.
Darby's Trelane, who debuted in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 and returned for season 4, is a juvenile alien with godlike powers. This character mirrors Trelane's original portrayal in the 1967 Star Trek episode “The Squire of Gothos,” where he toyed with the Enterprise crew. In a recent episode, Trelane orchestrated a reality-bending soap opera for the Enterprise crew as an educational project, forcing them to confront their internal struggles. Darby noted that in this iteration, Trelane is less of a mischievous trickster and more of an observer trying to understand humanity.
"He's not quite as mischievous as he was," Darby told Polygon. "He's actually doing something for his education. He's a little bit more mature. He gets to face Captain Pike and chat with him about how he sees humanity. He's taking it in a bit more. He still feels that they're just like ants, but they're ants that have got funny little brains and emotions that might help and might get in the way sometimes."
Darby also sees a parallel between his Star Trek character and the Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation, whose exam proctor in the episode "Encounter at Farpoint" bore a striking resemblance to Trelane's. This connection, combined with the Bond casting idea, suggests a playful self-awareness regarding his affinity for playing powerful, reality-warping characters. "No one says no to the Marvel Universe that seems to be continuing forever," Darby added. "James Bond’s coming back so I think I’d make a good Q. I’m already a Q. It’s meant to be."
Beyond his interest in James Bond, Darby provided an update on the potential werewolf spinoff from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's vampire mockumentary, What We Do in the Shadows. He confirmed that Clement and Waititi are back in the writing stages for the project, tentatively titled We’re Wolves. Darby, who played the werewolf pack leader Anton in the original 2014 film, expressed optimism for its eventual realization, stating he expects an update before Christmas. The spinoff is expected to focus on his character and his group of friends dealing with their transformations and evading law enforcement in a small New Zealand town.
Darby also touched upon his role as Nigel Billingsley, the NPC guide in the Jumanji video game series, and the upcoming Jumanji: Open World. The film's release date was shifted to December 25 to avoid direct competition with major blockbusters like Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three. Darby remains optimistic about the theatrical landscape, believing there is ample room for diverse films, especially those that offer quality entertainment to audiences returning to cinemas.