Los Angeles, Nov 20 (IANS): "Fargo" and "Legion" creator Noah Hawley has been tapped to write and direct the next instalment of the "Star Trek" franchise.

Sources told variety.com that Hawley has been roped into the project.

Though plot details are being kept under wraps, sources tell variety.com the next "Star Trek" is expected to see Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban and Zoe Saldana returning to man the U.S.S. Enterprise.

This will serve as the fourth movie in the cinematic series, and is separate from another "Star Trek" movie that Paramount is developing with Quentin Tarantino producing and Mark L. Smith writing.

The studio had tried to launch the fourth film last year, with S.J. Clarkson directing and Chris Hemsworth joining the cast to reprise the role of Pine's father.

That film was shelved when deals could not be reached, but the studio is hoping that this attempt will be more successful, with a different plot than the one Hemsworth turned down.

Hawley made his feature film directorial debut on "Lucy in the Sky", which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and stars Natalie Portman and Jon Hamm.