It was recently announced that Thor actor Chris Hemsworth would be reprising his role as James T. Kirk's (Chris Pine) father in Star Trek 4 but the follow up to Star Trek Beyond will have to make do without Pavel Chekov. J.J. Abrams recently told the Toronto Sun that the film will not recast the role. "I would say there's no replacing him. I can't possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better." He added, "We knew going into this movie it would be a bit of a heartbreak just because of Leonard (Nimoy). We had no idea just how devastating events would become."
As for how the next Star Trek film will handle the absence of Chekov, Abrams stated that he has some ideas but he's not ready to discuss anything just yet. "I have thought about it, we’re working on it, and it’s too early to talk about it."
Anton was in a fatal accident last month when his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled back and crushed him against a masonry wall. While an investigation is ongoing, the vehicle currently has a manufacturer recall for gear shift failure. Anton was only 27-years-old.