Star Trek Beyond will feature the first openly gay character in the franchise's history.
Hikaru Sulu, portrayed by John Cho, is quietly outed in the Simon Pegg-penned blockbuster, out later this month. Geek news site io9 reports it's treated as "no big deal".
But the man who portrayed him in the original series - George Takei - isn't so happy. Takei is gay, and spent most of his life in the closet, not coming out publicly until 2005.
He knew a gay character was planned for Star Trek Beyond, but didn't realise it would be Sulu.
"I'm delighted that there's a gay character," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "Unfortunately, it's a twisting of Gene's creation, to which he put in so much thought. I think it's really unfortunate."
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was famously progressive in his views, particularly for the 1960s.
"He was a strong supporter of LGBT equality," says Takei, 79. "But he said he has been pushing the envelope and walking a very tight rope - and if he pushed too hard, the show would not be on the air."
Roddenberry did push the envelope, with Star Trek featuring the first-ever interracial kiss to screen on primetime television, between Captain Kirk and Lt Uhura.
George Takei in Star Trek
Takei says Sulu has been "straight" for 50 years, and it seems strange to out him now.
"This movie is going to be coming out on the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, the 50th anniversary of paying tribute to Gene Roddenberry, the man whose vision it was carried us through half a century. Honour him and create a new character, I urged them."
Star Trek Beyond is out on July 21.
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