CBS Hits Warp Drive with 'Star Trek' Universe, More Shows Planned

star trek: beyond logo
(Image credit: CBS)

"Star Trek: Discovery" showrunner Alex Kurtzman signed a five-year, $25 million deal to expand the CBS "Star Trek" franchise   for television, according to a report in Variety. This could include a sequel to "Star Trek: The Next Generation", the Hollywood Reporter adds.

Variety says there are four new shows in development, on top of Kurtzman's successful "Star Trek: Discovery", which has been picked up for a second season that will likely begin in 2019. (Kurtzman is now the sole producer on "Discovery", after Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg were fired, according to the Hollywood Reporter.)

Variety says these new shows include:

  • A series taking place at Starfleet Academy. The concept is created by Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz, who are known for "Gossip Girl" and "Runaways."
  • A limited series based on the "Wrath of Khan" story, which was portrayed multiple times in "Star Trek" history. Ricardo Montalbán portrayed Khan in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "Space Seed", and reprised the role in the 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." Benedict Cumberbatch also played the character in the 2013 film "Star Trek: Into Darkness." (io9 adds there have been reports for a while that "Wrath of Khan" director Nicholas Meyer was heading the project.
  • A limited series with confidential plot details.
  • An animated series whose plot details are also confidential.

One of the limited series could be a sequel to "Star Trek: The Next Generation", which ran between 1987 and 1994. The Hollywood Reporter says this could even include participation from the series star, Patrick Stewart (who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard.)

Besides "Discovery", Kurtzman is also known for his work on the movies "Star Trek" (2009) and "Star Trek Into Darkness" (2013).

Follow us @SpacedotcomFacebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Elizabeth Howell
Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace