It looks like Star Trek Beyond is heading toward production at warp speed, and this Trekkie can’t wait! It’s no secret that the new Trek movies have certainly been divisive within the Trek fandom. I fell in love with classic Star Trek after watching J.J. Abrams’ reboot in 2009, so the new installments will always have a special place in my heart.

Production for the new movie is slated to begin this month with director Justin Lin (a self-proclaimed Trekkie!) at the helm. In an interview with Deadline, Lin spoke about taking the beloved characters to bold new places just in time for the franchise’s 50th anniversary.

What can fans expect from Lin’s Star Trek Beyond? With his experience directing several of the Fast and Furious movies, the action sequences are sure to be top-notch. Unlike Star Trek Into Darkness, Lin has made a point to say that this foray into the Trek-verse won’t borrow from any original episodes. “It’s all new and fresh,” Lin said. “The Klingons, Romulans and other species are great, but it’s time to go further. It has been fun to focus on creating whole new worlds and species.”

I can’t speak for everyone, but this fangirl can’t wait to see what the galaxy holds for our heroes. Could this mean we will encounter a completely original villain? Does this rule out dealings with the Mirror Universe…

the wily Harry Mudd…

or someone else we’ve met before? Star Trek Into Darkness’ newly-created Nibirans were a nice addition to the film, but I would love to give more screen time to an entirely new species.

Even if you weren’t a fan of the rebooted Star Trek films, it’s undeniably exciting to see the U.S.S. Enterprise zooming in all its glory across the big screen, offering a glimpse of a greatly inspiring franchise to a new generation. Whether through movies or another television series, let us hope that some version of Star Trek will continue to live long and prosper onscreen for years to come.