UPDATE: Star Trek 3 will indeed tie into the 50th anniversary of the long running franchise, with a release date set for July 8th 2016.
About three weeks ago, Roberto Orci vacated the director's chair of Star Trek 3, leaving Paramount searching for a helmer for a second time since Orci took the position after JJ Abrams left to direct Star Wars. Everybody from Edgar Wright to Moon director Duncan Jones was rumoured to be eyed as a potential replacement, with even Star Trek: The Next Generation's Jonathan Frakes throwing his name into the hat. Now, according to Deadline, a replacement has been found in the form of Fast & Furious veteran Justin Lin (who was on Paramount's shortlist), who moulded that franchise into the successful action property it is today.
It's certainly a very different choice for the Star Trek franchise, and there is no word yet on whether or not Lin will move forward the script written by Orci, Patrick McKay, and J.D. Payne, or work from a new draft. No release date for the film has been set, but with 2016 being the 50th anniversary of the Star Trek franchise, it wouldn't be a surprise for it to see the light of day sometime in that year.
