The tail end of 2015 brought word that CBS was developing a new Star Trek TV series to be shepherded by Hannibal’s Bryan Fuller for release some time next year. Few details have been released about the project, aside from the involvement of executive producer Alex Kurtzman (who co-wrote and produced the J.J. Abrams’ film reboot) and director Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan). However, today brings new rumors forth that reveal the series’ potential place within the larger franchise.
If you’re one of the fans who denounce Abrams’ first two films, then you’ll be happy to know that Birth. Movies. Death. reports the new Star Trek won’t take place in that canon. Instead, it’s rumored to find continuity within the original program. Specifically, the site states that this Star Trek for the next generation will be an anthology series a la American Horror Story and the first season will be set before the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation (Patrick Stewart’s iteration) and after The Undiscovered Country (with William Shatner’s Captain Kirk). From there, the entire canon is potentially available for any future seasons.
CBS released this bare-bones description of the series within its first press release:
The brand-new “Star Trek” will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966.
Elsewhere, the big-screen universe of Star Trek continues on as actors Chris Pine (Captain Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Karl Urban (Bones), Anton Yelchin (Chekov), and John Cho (Sulu) return for Star Trek Beyond. Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella are two of the newcomers joining the cast, while Justin Lin (Fast & Furious 6) takes over the helm from Abrams, who went off to Star Wars country. Thanks to nitty gritty details of CBS’ deal, the new series can’t premiere until six months after Star Trek Beyond opens on July 22, 2016.
