NYCC 2023: With No Actors Around, Producers Spill The Beans On ‘Star Trek’ Projects
by Tom Smithyman
With the Hollywood actors’ strike preventing talent from promoting their upcoming projects, it was largely up to producers and showrunners to discuss Star Trek and its many current and upcoming shows at New York Comic Con.
During a panel session on Saturday, Trek czar Alex Kurtzman gave fans a quick update on all the shows in development, though most are in their early stages given the recently concluded writers’ strike. For example, writers for the new Starfleet Academy series just got back to work this week to continue development on the show.
The trick to creating the new series, Kurtzman said, was ensuring it has its own distinct identity. He was confident that the writers have found the secret sauce for the show, focused on young Starfleet cadets before they see the inside of a starship. It will feature fallible characters who make mistakes while discovering who they really are.
“I think that people waited nearly 60 years to see what’s inside the chocolate factory,” Kurtzman said, adding that the show will begin filming in 2024.
Kurtzman also confirmed that the Section 31 streaming movie is sill on, thanks to the efforts of star Michelle Yeoh. After winning an Academy Award for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once, Yeoh could easily have found a way out of her commitment to Star Trek. But she kept things moving forward, according to Kurtzman.
Mike McMahan, the creator and showrunner of the animated Trek series Lower Decks gave fans an exclusive showing of the show’s upcoming episode “Caves.”
This season saw the main characters get promoted from lowly ensigns to slightly elevated lieutenants, junior grade. In the process, they must deal with friendships that get tested with increasing responsibilities at work.
Strange New Worlds, which aired its second season this summer is now dealing with a delayed schedule thanks to the strikes. Kurtzman announced that Discovery, which airs its final season next year, has been completed.
“It’s an incredibly satisfying ending to a show that is near and dear to my heart,” he said.
Kurtzman also thanked fans for saving the franchise’s other animated series, Prodigy, after Paramount+ announced it would no longer run the show. Netflix will now debut the show’s sophomore season. That decision was informed by fan pressure to save the show, including tens of thousands of signatures to an online petition.
“Star Trek: Prodigy is back because you guys brought it back” Kurtzman said. “What you did has been happening since the original series. Star Trek belongs to two entities: Gene Rodenberry and the fans.”
