Will J.J. Abrams direct Star Trek 3? The question has been up in the air since Disney announced he’s helming Star Wars: Episode VII, and as of this week he’s still not ready to commit.

A profile on Abrams published in The New York Times on Friday indicates that Paramount will likely not want to wait long to get rolling on Star Trek 3, which means they’ll have to find a new director because Abrams will be tied up with Star Wars: Episode VII.

Said The Times:

He was noncommittal about directing a third “Star Trek,” except to say that Bad Robot would produce it. He said it was unlikely that Paramount would wait another four years for such a film, in which case his “Star Wars” schedule would likely conflict with it.

Abrams’ absence from Star Trek 3 is significant because he helmed 2009’s Star Trek reboot as well as this month’s sequel Into Darkness. The director is credited with breathing life back into the franchise.

Disney is aiming to release Star Wars: Episode VII in the summer of 2015, but Abrams has said in recent months that he wasn’t ready to set that date in stone. The mouse house’s plan is to release a Star Wars movie every summer beginning with Episode VII. Episodes VIII and IX will be sandwiched in between Star Wars standalone movies following particular characters.

Is it crucial for J.J. Abrams to direct Star Trek 3? Reviews of Star Trek Into Darkness have been a little more negative (so far) than the ones for the original film, so a new director for the final installment may be welcomed by moviegoers.

Thanks, /Film.