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J.J. Abrams teases the return of his original cast in new Star Trek film

Maureen Lee Lenker is a senior writer at Entertainment Weekly with over seven years of experience in the entertainment industry. An award-winning journalist, she's written for Turner Classic Movies, Ms. Magazine , The Hollywood Reporter , and more. She's worked at EW for six years covering film, TV, theater, music, and books. The author of EW's quarterly romance review column, "Hot Stuff," Maureen holds Master's degrees from both the University of Southern California and the University of Oxford. Her debut novel, It Happened One Fight , is now available. Follow her for all things related to classic Hollywood, musicals, the romance genre, and Bruce Springsteen.

Star Trek is ready to boldly go where they've gone three times before.

On Tuesday, J.J. Abrams announced plans for a fourth Star Trek film at the Paramount Investors Day presentation. The film will be directed by Matt Shakman ( WandaVision ) with Abrams producing, and the aim is to bring back many of Abrams' original stars from his 2009 reboot of the long-running franchise.

"We are thrilled to say that we are hard at work on a new Star Trek film that will be shooting by the end of the year that will be featuring our original cast and some new characters that I think are going to be really fun and exciting and help take Star Trek into areas that you've just never seen before," Abrams said. "We're thrilled about this film, we have a bunch of other stories that we're talking about that we think will be really exciting, so can't wait for you to see what we're cooking up. But until then, live long and prosper."

However, EW has learned that the studio has yet to enter negotiations with that original cast at this juncture. The cast features a litany of high profile names, including Chris Pine as Captain Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, John Cho as Sulu, Karl Urban as Bones, and Simon Pegg as Scotty. Anton Yelchin , who featured as Chekhov in Abrams' previous three entries , died in 2016 before the previous film in the franchise, Star Trek Beyond , hit theaters.

The new film will feature a screenplay by Josh Friedman ( Avatar 2 ) and Cameron Squires ( WandaVision ) based on a earlier draft by Lindsey Beer ( Sierra Burgess Is a Loser ) and Geneva Robertson-Dworet ( Captain Marvel ).

With his 2009 film, Abrams reset the Star Trek timeline, originally established in Gene Roddenberry's 1960s groundbreaking sci-fi television series. He followed it up with 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness, but the last time the characters' were seen on the big screen was in 2016's Star Trek Beyond, which Abrams produced with Justin Lin directing.

Plans to bring them back — including a 2018 announced sequel set to team Pine with Kirk's late father as portrayed by Chris Hemsworth in the 2009 film — have stuttered along the way. For a time, Quentin Tarantino was even circling a project .

Of late, Star Trek fans have turned back to television for new content on series Picard and Star Trek Discovery.

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Related content:

• See Whoopi Goldberg reprise her beloved Star Trek role as Guinan on Picard
• Sonequa Martin-Green takes the chair as captain in Star Trek: Discovery season 4 trailer
• Star Trek Beyond: Where does Star Trek go?

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Home > Jj Abrams Star Trek Movies In Order

Jj Abrams Star Trek Movies In Order

• UPDATED: December 1, 2023

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JJ Abrams Star Trek Movies in Order: A Journey through the Final Frontier

When it comes to science fiction movies, few franchises have captured the imagination of audiences quite like Star Trek. With its rich lore, captivating characters, and thought-provoking themes, Star Trek has become a cultural phenomenon that has spanned over five decades. And in 2009, director JJ Abrams took the helm to breathe new life into the beloved series with his rebooted Star Trek movies. In this article, we will take a journey through the final frontier and explore JJ Abrams’ Star Trek movies in order .

1. Star Trek (2009): The first installment of JJ Abrams’ Star Trek trilogy takes us back to the origins of the iconic crew of the USS Enterprise. This film serves as a reboot of the original series and introduces audiences to a younger version of Captain James T. Kirk (played by Chris Pine) and his loyal crew. With stunning visuals, thrilling action sequences, and a fresh take on familiar characters, Star Trek (2009) successfully reignited the franchise’s popularity.

2. Star Trek Into Darkness (2013): The second film in JJ Abrams’ trilogy delves deeper into the relationships between the crew members while introducing a formidable new villain, Khan Noonien Singh (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). As Captain Kirk faces personal and professional challenges, he must navigate a web of deception and make difficult choices that will test his leadership skills. Star Trek Into Darkness is an action-packed installment that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.

3. Star Trek Beyond (2016): In the final chapter of JJ Abrams’ Star Trek trilogy, director Justin Lin takes over the reins to deliver an exhilarating space adventure. The crew finds themselves stranded on an uncharted planet after their ship is attacked by a ruthless alien warlord named Krall (played by Idris Elba). As they fight for survival and reunite with new allies, the crew must discover the true nature of Krall’s intentions and find a way to save the Federation. Star Trek Beyond is a fitting conclusion to Abrams’ trilogy, offering a perfect blend of action, humor, and heart.

While JJ Abrams’ Star Trek movies have faced some criticism from die-hard fans for deviating from the original series’ tone and style, they undeniably brought new life to the franchise and introduced it to a whole new generation of viewers. With their stellar cast, breathtaking visuals, and thrilling storytelling, these films successfully captured the essence of what makes Star Trek so beloved.

In addition to Abrams’ trilogy, he also served as a producer on subsequent Star Trek projects like Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard, further expanding the universe he helped revive. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, JJ Abrams’ Star Trek movies are an exciting journey through space that should not be missed. So grab some popcorn, set your phasers to stun, and prepare for an adventure that will take you where no one has gone before.

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Star Trek's JJ Abrams: 'I've come to love it by working on it'

When JJ Abrams was handed the task of revitalising the Star Trek franchise in 2006, the portents were not good. His first directing job, Mission: Impossible III , had not been finished, he had a string of script commissions behind him of variable quality – including Michael Bay's infamous asteroid-masher Armageddon . He had small-screen chops for sure, earned via successful series Alias and Lost, but many a TV guy has stumbled when attempting to deliver proper cinema. Now, seven years later, Abrams is king of the Hollywood heap: sitting on billions of dollars in box office, a second Star Trek film poised for release, and a deal up his sleeve to produce and direct the next set of Star Wars films . This is serious; how on earth did it happen?

Abrams, 46, ensconced in palatial splendour in the penthouse suite of a fancy central London hotel, turns out to be a likably fresh-faced individual, and professes himself only slightly baffled as to how well things have gone. "You know," he says, "there was no strategy about my career; no idea to create a resume of work that said anything in particular. All I went on, really, was my gut feeling about projects. Would it be a challenge, would it be fun, would it be an entertainment that I could believe I could do justice to?"

An offer to produce, not direct, the Star Trek reboot, he says, came during the madness of MI3's postproduction – "my reaction was, that's a cool challenge" – and when the opportunity came along to direct it as well, he grabbed it. "A space adventure? With crazy spectacle? When the hell was I going to get that chance again!" A not dissimilar rationale appeared to be at work when the Star Wars offer came in earlier this year: "I was so busy working on Into Darkness it was easy to say it was not possible. But the reality of it began to sink in, and when I met with Kathy Kennedy [the Lucasfilm president and Star Wars executive producer], my gut said this is not something to reject. I can't say it was a rational thing: it will turn out to be an incredibly smart or an incredibly foolish decision."

In fact, the more Abrams talks, the more you realise his entire career – in its movie-making aspects at least – has been an extraordinary exercise in wish-fulfilment, dating back to his childhood. Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1970s he really did make Super 8 movies with his friends, like a junior Steven Spielberg; 30 years later, he got to make Super 8, a film about a kid making Super 8 movies with his friends, produced by Steven Spielberg. (The Spielberg connection is even stranger; when the youthful Abrams was profiled in the LA Times in 1982 after a festival showing of his work , Spielberg's office called and asked him to edit down the director's own childhood Super 8 films. Who made the call? Spielberg's then assistant, Kathy Kennedy.) The first Star Wars movie knocked his socks off when he saw it in 1977. He was 11. "I just got sucked in; it was inspiring and mind-blowing; it spoke to me in a way that was undeniable" – and now he's in charge of its future direction ("in a million years, I never thought I would get the chance to work on a Star Wars movie"). When Tom Cruise gave him his first shot at directing, on MI3, he says he was "blindsided": "Not only was I being given the chance to direct a movie, it was a movie that included so many of the things I loved: espionage and action and comedy and scope and scale." One of the swarm of projects he's got in development is a new Planet of the Apes movie , to be directed by his chum Matt Reeves – "When I was a kid, Planet of the Apes was an obsession, it was all I would ever draw at lunch in school."

Though Abrams grew up around the periphery of the entertainment industry – and sold his first treatment, for the Jim Belushi comedy Taking Care of Business, while still in college – he says he learned to inject a personal element to his work while spending a decade as a screenwriting hack in the 90s. "I was part of that machine of screenwriters that goes from project to project, but over the years had found myself doing things that weren't so meaningful." He credits his wife, PR executive Katie McGrath, for "reminding me to work on things I actually care about; sounds obvious, but sometimes you need someone to pull you round". TV gave Abrams his outlet: well before Lost, the 1998 college-based series Felicity was, the way he tells it, "the beginning of working on things that made me feel something again." The 2011 feature Super 8, though, surely remains his Truffaut moment; movingly, Abrams mentions his mother was diagnosed with cancer during the film's production – "it was a very weird thing to be working on something about a boy dealing with the loss of his mother while that was going on for real".

In fact, the one out-of-step item in this cavalcade of whimsy and wish-fulfilment is Star Trek itself. Abrams, rather infamously, came out as a non-Trekkie before the 2009 film was released, and earned himself plenty of nasty looks and outright suspicion from the notoriously committed Star Trek fan base. (Sample any chatroom or comment thread and you'll see what I mean.) You sense that, on some level, he's been frantically back-pedalling ever since, though the stream of critical hosannas and $386m worldwide box office for what was the 11th Star Trek feature film deflected a large chunk of the scorn.

The otherwise incredibly affable Abrams comes close to a touch of asperity when mulling over the experience. "Here's the thing: it definitely put some fans off, and annoyed them. I think they think it's me saying, 'I'm better than you.' But I'm not saying that at all. I am saying that I do not think I was as smart and sophisticated as my friends who loved the show. So I didn't get it, it doesn't mean I'm judging anyone. I have come to love it working on it, but it would be disingenuous of me to say I was a Trek fan. I would rather be honest, and hopefully those fans who see what we've done will say: 'I'm glad the movies have been made and, if anyone cares at all, he's come to love the thing I loved for so long. Better late than never.'

"There are fans though who, whatever I do, it won't work for them, because it's not exactly what they know and love. I get it – I wish that they would love the movie, but we can't make it for everyone. So for anyone who didn't like the first one – well, they don't have to see this one." Golly; so riled is Abrams that he has committed a Hollywood solecism – you never tell anyone not to come. But the Hollywood operator quickly kicks back in. "But of course I hope they like it; thousands of people have worked on the movie, a lot of people hours are invested in entertaining you, and they have done an extraordinary job."

It's to Abrams' credit, however, that he managed to thoroughly spring-clean Star Trek – "we definitely tried to give Trek a little more skip in its step" – and even gave a series not renowned for its stylistic flair an ultra-contemporary polish. Extended chase sequences, epic space battles, and into-the-camera lighting all played a part in shining it up. Star Wars itself is a not too hidden influence; perhaps a consolation for the Trekkies' oft-expressed outrage at Abrams' "change of sides".

Abrams, though, doesn't seem the kind to dwell on strife. Though he's often played the nerd card in the past, he's not one from the, shall we say, Kevin Smith end of things, the intellectualised, adult version; his is all about re-excavating his childhood passions. In that regard he really is much more a Spielbergian figure than, say, a Nolan-esque one – raiding his own playground obsessions rather than constructing epic superhero-inspired mythologies.

It can't hurt, either, that he's kept the faith with a group of friends who, in some cases, go back to his Super 8 days: Cloverfield director Reeves, cinematographer Larry Fong, production partner Bryan Burk. Another key figure, writer/producer Damon Lindelof, got involved when he met Abrams in 2004, pitching for a job on Alias . This cadre has become an increasingly influential one – a new "Lost" generation, if you will – all having used the springboard of the TV series to move in to bigger and better movie-industry gigs. In retrospect, it is becoming apparent that Lost – with its multilayered narratives and high-end surrealism – is actually a bit of an aberration in the Abrams oeuvre. He is a film-maker headed unswervingly for primetime, and one who has – so far – been able to reshape the mainstream in his own image. "There are moments," says Abrams, "of utter disbelief that I get to do any of this." If nothing else, he is a natural.

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J.J. Abrams

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Abrams used his production company, Bad Robot Productions , to develop his Star Trek films in collaboration with their distributor, Paramount Pictures , and co-financing production company Skydance Productions . His production partners on the films were Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk . The films were written by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci , who have written for Abrams several times in the past.

In 2010, the Producers Guild of America nominated Abrams and Damon Lindelof for the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures for Star Trek . [1] In addition, Abrams won Best Director at the 2009 Spike Scream Awards . In 2010 Abrams has been nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Director for his work on Star Trek . The film received five more nominations. [2]

• 3 Awards and honors
• 4 Involvement with Star Trek
• 6 External links

Personal [ ]

Abrams is the son of Gerald W. Abrams and Carol Abrams, both television and film producers. Abrams Sr. was a friend of writer/director Nicholas Meyer . [3] After being raised in Los Angeles, California, Abrams attended Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, from which he graduated in 1988.

Abrams married Katie McGrath in 1996. The couple have had three children together: Henry, born 1998; Gracie, born 1999; and August, born 2006. Abrams and McGrath are partners of The Mission Continues charity co-founded by Eric Greitens , which benefits post-9/11 veterans.

Abrams' first foray into films was Nightbeast (1982), for which he was a composer and sound effects editor. The first film he wrote was 1990's Taking Care of Business , which featured Star Trek: The Next Generation performers Gates McFadden and John de Lancie in supporting roles. He next co-wrote 1992's Forever Young which co-starred J.D. Cullum , Eric Pierpoint , Richard Ryder , and Nicolas Surovy .

Abrams in 2006

Abrams acquired his claim to fame and a huge fan base as the creator of the popular television shows Felicity and Alias . He also served as executive producer on both of these series. Star Trek writers Orci and Kurtzman worked with Abrams on Alias . Abrams and fellow Star Trek producer Damon Lindelof later became two of the creators and executive producers of Lost , which starred Terry O'Quinn , Daniel Dae Kim , and Sam Anderson .

He has also written for a number of popular big screen features, including Armageddon (1998, co-starring Jeff Austin , Brian Brophy , Jim Fitzpatrick , Googy Gress , Anthony Guidera , Jason Isaacs , John Mahon , J. Patrick McCormack , Marshall R. Teague , and Lawrence Tierney ) and 2001's Joy Ride with Jim Beaver , the latter of which he produced through his newly formed Bad Robot Productions. Other films he wrote include Gone Fishin' (featuring Louise Fletcher ).

Abrams directed and co-wrote (with Kurtzman and Orci) 2006's Mission: Impossible III for Paramount Pictures. Following the release of this film, Abrams signed a five-year contract with Paramount, of which the next Trek films are part. He has also signed a six-year contract with Warner Bros.; both contracts together are worth more than $55 million. [4] Tracy Middendorf and Simon Pegg were among the actors Abrams cast in Mission: Impossible III ; he later cast Pegg as Scotty in Star Trek . [5]

In addition to Star Trek , Abrams produced the hit film Cloverfield with Trek executive producer Bryan Burk. This film, in which a giant creature attacks New York City, was released in January 2008. In that film were Margot Farley , Scott Lawrence , Pasha Lychnikoff , and Kelvin Yu . All of those actors were then cast by Abrams for Star Trek or Into Darkness . It has also been reported that Abrams is attached to direct an adaptation of Stephen King book series The Dark Tower . [6]

In October 2007, it was announced that a pilot for a one-hour comic drama developed by Abrams has been purchased by ABC. The show, called Boundaries (which he executive produced with Bryan Burk and Jill Soloway ), was the first sale made by Abrams as part of his television deal with Warner Bros. [7] Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Abrams had made his first network series sale for Warner Bros., a science fiction/horror series called Fringe , which was subsequently purchased by Fox. Abrams received executive producer credit on the show, along with Star Trek executive producers Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci. [8] Fringe premiered on the Fox network in September 2008 and ended in 2013 after five seasons and a recurring role by Leonard Nimoy .

Abrams has created a spy series entitled Undercovers , which has been picked up by NBC for a fall 2010 premiere. [9] His next film project was Super 8 , which he wrote and direct. He also produced Super 8 with acclaimed filmmaker Steven Spielberg , co-starring Jack Axelrod , Jason Brooks , Michael Giacchino , Bruce Greenwood , Tim Griffin , Greg Grunberg and Marco Sanchez . [10] In addition, Abrams returned to the Mission: Impossible franchise as a producer on the fourth film Ghost Protocol with Simon Pegg. In September 2011, it was revealed Abrams had officially agreed to direct the Star Trek sequel. [11]

Following the cancellation of Abrams' television series Undercovers in 2011, Alcatraz in 2012, and Fringe in 2013, he worked as executive producer on the action series Person of Interest (2011-2014) and the adventure series Revolution (2012-2014, starring Billy Burke ).

Abrams later directed and produced Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), the science fiction film Portal (2016), producer on Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015), and the science fiction film Half-Life . Other projects as executive producer include the fantasy series Believe (2014) and Westworld and as producer the thriller The Cellar (2016) and 11.22.63 .

Awards and honors [ ]

Abrams was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for his work on the pilot of Alias . Additionally, he and the producers of Alias shared a Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Television from the Producers Guild of America Golden Laurel Awards.

Abrams and the other producers of Lost (including Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk) received one of television's highest honors when their show won the 2004 Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. Abrams and the producers of Lost also won the 2005 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Dramatic Series and were nominated for a second WGA Award. In addition, they shared a Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic from the Producers Guild of America Golden Laurel Awards, received a second nomination from the PGA, and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts TV Award nomination.

His direction of Lost 's pilot episode won Abrams an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama. He also earned a Directors Guild of America Award nomination for directing the pilot. Abrams shared an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series with co-creators Lindelof and Jeffrey Lieber for the pilot episode of Lost . In addition, he and composer Michael Giacchino shared two American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Awards in the category of Top TV Series for their work on Lost .

Entertainment Weekly has named Abrams the 29th Smartest Person in Hollywood. [12]

On 5 November 2012 it was announced that Abrams will be honored with the 2013 Norman Lear Achievement Award by the Producers Guild of America. The award ceremony was held on 26 January 2013. [13]

Involvement with Star Trek [ ]

Abrams is a fan of both Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation and refers to the franchise as "smart television".

Even though he has not followed the other Trek spin-offs as closely, Abrams stated prior to its release that his film will be faithful to established Trek canon . [14] (X)

When Abrams signed on to produce Star Trek in April 2006, he was also given the option to direct the picture. Abrams, however, declined to accept the director's position until the script was complete and he was sure he was the man for the job. Abrams worked with Kurtzman and Orci on the story throughout 2006 and early 2007 and finally signed on to direct on 23 February 2007. Abrams was convinced to direct the film by his wife, who felt the film had strong female characters, and by acclaimed director Steven Spielberg, who was impressed by the script. [15] Of his imminent involvement with Star Trek , Abrams stated:

Appearing at San Diego's Comic-Con International with the writers and producers of Star Trek on 26 July 2007, Abrams admitted that, although he loves Star Trek , he was more interested in Star Wars while growing up and his favorite television series was The Twilight Zone. He also stated that, after reading the script for the new Trek film, he would have been jealous if anyone else directed it. He then gave the first official casting news for the new Star Trek film, announcing that Zachary Quinto had been cast to play young Spock and that Leonard Nimoy would be coming out of retirement to portray the older Spock , which was met with much enthusiasm.

When describing his and his team's involvement with Star Trek at Comic-Con, Abrams stated:

In addition to Orci, Kurtzman, Lindelof and Burk, many other people working on Star Trek have worked with Abrams in the past. These include cinematographer Dan Mindel , production designer Scott Chambliss , composer Michael Giacchino , editor Maryann Brandon , casting director April Webster , executive producer and unit production manager Stratton Leopold , previz supervisor David Dozoretz , and actors John Cho , Rachel Nichols , Simon Pegg, and Zoë Saldana .

Star Trek started shooting on 7 November 2007 , and wrapped on 8 April 2008 . In addition to directing and producing Star Trek , Abrams also wrote and performed two pieces of music heard in the film: " Awasoruk Jam ", which was played in the Shipyard Bar ("Awasoruk" is Kurosawa spelled backwards), and " Josh Greenstein ", played in the scene with Kirk and Gaila and named after the head of Paramount's marketing department. He was credited as " Cyrano Jones " for both songs. He also voiced the Iowa Cop , portrayed by stuntman Jeremy Fitzgerald , who stops a young James T. Kirk after he crashes the Corvette. ( Star Trek DVD commentary)

A sequel was announced as being in development on 30 March 2009 , with Abrams returning to produce. [17] Abrams chose to direct the 2011 film Super 8 : following its release, it was announced he would direct the Star Trek sequel, which began filming in January 2012. [18] He was nominated for a 2014 Saturn Award as Best Director. [19] For Star Trek Into Darkness , Abrams co-wrote the songs " The Growl " and " The Rage That's In Us All ".

It has been reported that Abrams and Bad Robot will continue producing the Star Trek films after he chose to direct Star Wars: Episode VII in January 2013. [20]

See also [ ]

• Memory Alpha:Ask J.J. Abrams/Answers

External links [ ]

• J.J. Abrams at Wikipedia
• J.J. Abrams at the Internet Movie Database
• J.J. Abrams at Lostpedia
• J.J. Abrams at Wookiepedia, the Star Wars wiki
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Calypso (episode)

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A new “ Star Trek ” film is in the works at Paramount with “Andor’s” Toby Haynes on board to direct and Seth Grahame-Smith penning the script, Variety has confirmed.

While plot details are being kept under wraps, the upcoming feature will be an origin story that is set decades before 2009’s “Star Trek,” as well as an expansion of the “Star Trek” universe. J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot is producing.

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During a Paramount Global investors day presentation in February of 2022, Abrams announced that a new “Star Trek” movie would begin shooting by the end of that year with the Pine-led crew. Pine and his co-stars reportedly had no idea Paramount was moving forward with another “Star Trek” film, which was eventually removed from the studio’s film slate in September of that year.

Haynes recently directed six episodes of the “Star Wars” series “Andor,” starring Diego Luna as the titular role. He also helmed the “Star Trek”-inspired episode of “Black Mirror,” titled “USS Callister.” Haynes is repped by WME and attorney Peter Nelson.

Grahame-Smith is best known as the author of the best-selling novels “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” He also wrote and produced 2017’s “The Lego Batman Movie.” Grahame-Smith is repped by WME and attorneys PJ Shapiro and Wendy Kirk.

Deadline was first to report the “Star Trek” news.

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Star Trek prequel movie from JJ Abrams in the works

Doctor Who 's Toby Haynes will direct.

The filmmaker's company Bad Robot is producing an origin story set decades before Abrams' 2009 Star Trek film, which rebooted the franchise for the big screen in an alternate continuity.

According to Deadline , Andor and Doctor Who veteran Toby Haynes will be directing this prequel from a script by The Lego Batman Movie 's Seth Grahame-Smith.

Haynes started his career as an in-demand director in British TV, with his impressive CV also including episodes of the Star Wars series Andor as well as Sherlock and Utopia .

Related: Star Trek confirms new Starfleet spinoff show from Discovery boss

Plot details are being kept under wraps at this stage, and there is no official release date, but the publication reports that Abrams is also still working on Star Trek 4 .

Last autumn, screenwriter Lindsey Anderson Beer confirmed that the sequel with Chris Pine and the crew of the previous three Star Trek films remains on track .

"It's still on the tracks. I love that project, and it was another one that I had to hop off of to direct [ Pet Sematary: Bloodlines ], and that was a hard thing to do. But I love everybody involved with that project," Beer told Collider .

The project had previously been delayed following the departure of director Matt Shakman , who has since joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the long-awaited Fantastic Four film.

Related: Star Trek spin-off saved from cancellation

The Pine-era crew of the USS Enterprise were last on the big screen in 2016 with Star Trek Beyond , which introduced Idris Elba as the main villain and featured a final appearance from the late Anton Yelchin as Chekov following his tragic death .

Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1-4 are streaming on Paramount+ . A fifth and final season has been confirmed and is expected to premiere in early 2024.

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Justin has been with Digital Spy since 2010, and in that time, has covered countless major news events for DS from the US. 

He has worked previously as both a reporter and sub editor for the brand, prior to taking on the position of Night News Editor in 2016. 

Over more than a decade, he has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. As a US contributor to Digital Spy, Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo.

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Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery’s incredible scott bakula enterprise twist explained.

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Star trek: discovery’s “calypso” short trek & finale epilogue reveal explained, doctor kovich’s 5 star trek easter eggs in discovery’s finale.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery's Series Finale - "Life, Itself"

• Doctor Kovich's true identity as Agent Daniels connects Star Trek: Discovery to Enterprise in a jaw-dropping twist.
• Kovich's office is filled with Star Trek memorabilia, hinting at his long life and deep ties to the Federation across centuries.
• Discovery's creative team decided early in season 4 that Kovich is Daniels, planting subtle clues leading up to the big reveal in season 5.

Star Trek: Discovery 's series finale dropped a bombshell twist, revealing the true identity of Doctor Kovich (David Cronenberg) that ties the series back to Star Trek: Enterprise and Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). Written by Kyle Jarrow and Michelle Paradise, and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, Star Trek: Discovery 's series finale, "Life, Itself", saw Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) find and decide the fate of the ancient technology used by the Progenitors to create life, itself. Afterward, Burnham reported to Doctor Kovich and asked who he really is. The bespectacled mystery man obliged with his jaw-dropping real name and rank.

Doctor Kovich was introduced in Star Trek: Discovery season 3 as an official from the 32nd century United Federation of Planets. Kovich personally interviewed the crew of the USS Discovery, who were time travelers from the 23rd century. Kovich took a particular interest in Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh), who is from the Mirror Universe, and Kovich also revealed information about Star Trek 's Temporal Wars, which crossed not just timelines but other realities, like the alternate Kelvin timeline of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies. In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Kovich oversaw Captain Burnham's top-secret Red Directive mission to acquire the Progenitors' technology. These were all clues as to who Doctor Kovich really is.

As Burnham seeks the universe's greatest treasure in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, she'll need help from a host of new and returning characters.

Discovery’s Doctor Kovich Is Daniels - Star Trek: Enterprise’s Time Traveler Explained

"agent daniels, uss enterprise... and other places.".

As Captain Burnham assumed, "Doctor Kovich" is a Red Directive codename. Kovich introduced himself as "Agent Daniels, USS Enterprise... and other places." This canonically establishes Kovich as the older version Daniels (Matt Winston) from S tar Trek: Enterprise . Daniels was a temporal agent from the 31st century who recruited Captain Jonathan Archer due to his importance to Federation history. Daniels was apparently killed by a Suliban named Silik (John Fleck), but the time traveler returned to solicit Archer and the NX-01 Enterprise's help in fighting Star Trek 's Temporal Cold Wa r, making 8 appearances in Star Trek: Enterprise 's 4 seasons.

Star Trek: Enterprise 's Temporal Cold War was a story by executive producer Brannon Braga, who found it difficult to write.

Agent Daniels identifying himself from the USS Enterprise could mean he sentimentally still considers himself a member of Captain Archer's crew, as he posed as one of the original NX-01 Enterprise's personnel. It could also mean Daniels served on a later iteration of the USS Enterprise . But Kovich revealed as Daniels is a jaw-dropper that also makes sense, since it explains his secrecy, his vast knowledge of Star Trek 's timelines, and Kovich's vested interest in preserving the Federation from existential threats. As a fellow time traveler himself, Daniels' interest in the USS Discovery and Captain Burnham, who both impresses and aggravates him, also ingeniously tracks.

Daniels’ Star Trek Easter Eggs In Discovery’s Finale Explained

Doctor kovich has a lot of starfleet memorabilia..

Star Trek: Discovery' s series finale, "Life, Itself" , saw Captain Burnham visit Doctor Kovich's office at Federation HQ for the first time, and his walls were filled with Star Trek Easter eggs . Among the historic artifacts Kovich collected and displayed are the VISOR formerly worn by Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) on Star Trek: The Next Generation , a vintage bottle of Chateau Picard wine, and a baseball that was once the prized possession of Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Kovich's memorabilia denote a life well-lived across a thousand years of travel.

Star Trek: Discovery 's creative team decided in season 4 that Doctor Kovich's true identity is Daniels from Enterprise .

Amusingly, Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Michelle Paradise told Screen Rant that David Cronenberg didn't know who Daniels from Star Trek: Enterprise was. But once Cronenberg understood the reference, he thought it was "really, really cool." Star Trek: Discovery began planting the seeds for Kovich's reveal as Daniels early in season 5, showing the Federation official's preference for writing with paper and pen , which is unusual for a man living in the 32nd century. Star Trek: Discovery revealing Doctor Kovich as Agent Daniels from Star Trek: Enterprise also satisfyingly ties the two farthest points of the Star Trek timeline together, uniting the thousand-year history of the Federation in the form of Daniels, who has seen it all.

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Chris Pine’s Best Moment As Star Trek’s Captain Kirk Isn’t the One You Think

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The Big Picture

• Chris Pine's portrayal of James T. Kirk in Star Trek showcases a journey from selfishness to selflessness, reflecting growth and heroism.
• The film reboots the iconic sci-fi franchise with action-packed sequences and a new timeline that sets up the origins of Kirk and Spock's friendship. Pine's best moment as Captain Kirk is in the final sequence of the film where he and Spock work together to infiltrate the Narada .
• Pine brings sensitivity to Kirk's character, fulfilling his father's legacy and showcasing a vulnerability that highlights his heroic transition.

There really should not be a debate over who is Hollywood’s “Best Chris,” as Chris Pine has easily proven himself as an actor of real depth . Between his steely role in the neo-Western Hell or High Water and his charismatic romanticism as Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman films, Pine has shown that he’s capable of standing out within talented ensembles. However, the challenges he faced when stepping into the role of James T. Kirk in the reboot of the Star Trek franchise were immeasurable. While William Shatner’s performance has been cited as the gold standard of overacting, Pine brought a surprising sensitivity and nuance to his role as the younger Captain Kirk.

The mythology of Star Trek is quite dense, but director J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot serves as a great entry point for newcomers to the franchise. By taking place within an alternate universe known as the “Kelvin Timeline,” the new trilogy was able to forge a new direction and show the events leading up to the iconic episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series . Longtime fans may have struggled accepting a new actor in Shatner’s iconic role, but Pine gave Kirk a complete character arc during the action-packed conclusion of 2009’s Star Trek when he and Spock worked together to infiltrate the Narada.

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.

Chris Pine's Best Moment as Kirk Comes in 'Star Trek's Final Act

While the original Star Trek series took place in an established universe, the reboot film examines how Kirk rose from a humble background to become one of the bravest and most accomplished captains in the history of Starfleet . Bravery is always in his wheelhouse, but Kirk starts off the film as a selfish jerk who only uses Starfleet to advance his own ego. Kirk essentially decides to enlist in Starfleet Academy in order to win a bet with Captain Christopher Pike ( Bruce Greenwood ). Following this, he seems more interested in starting feuds with Spock ( Zachary Quinto ) and flirting with Lieutenant Uhura ( Zoe Saldaña ) than he is fulfilling the Prime Directive. However, a pivotal conversation with Spock Prime ( Leonard Nimoy ) indicates to Kirk that he has a greater legacy to fulfill.

Pine shows in Star Trek's conclusion that Kirk has grown more responsible. His mission is a critical one; the ruthless Romulan, Captain Nero ( Eric Bana ), has already destroyed the planet Vulcan, and is intent on leading an attack on Earth. While Pine has always done a great job at showing that Kirk has a keen sense of humor, his complexion grows far more grave when he informs his crew about the impending mission. Kirk realizes that everything he came from, including his family and friends on Earth, is at stake. It’s the first instance in the film where he develops a knack for heroism that is entirely selfless, and not out of a desperate attempt to prove himself worthy to the other characters.

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While the final sequence includes the type of kinetic action that is common in Abrams’ films , Star Trek shows how Pine’s Kirk has learned from his eclectic experiences . Kirk has spent a majority of the film sneaking around Starfleet facilities in order to solidify his place within the crew of the Enterprise ; it's fitting that his finest hour involves infiltrating an advanced spacecraft in a daring and heroic mission that doesn’t follow official protocols. Kirk’s final brawl with the ruthless Romulan villain Ayel ( Clifton Collins Jr. ) shows how his checkered past ends up benefiting him. Although he started the film getting into a bar brawl with haughty Starfleet officers, Kirk finally puts his nasty hand-to-hand combat skills to good use.

'Star Trek' Shows the Origin of Kirk’s Friendship With Spock

One of the most interesting revisions that 2009’s Star Trek makes to the core mythology of the franchise is positioning Kirk and Spock as rivals. Although the two eventually grow into close friends throughout the original series , Spock’s insistence on sticking to procedures initially rubs Kirk the wrong way. The ending of Star Trek teases the eventual bond that will develop between Kirk and Spock, as they are forced to work together in order to sneak aboard the Narada . Pine is more cheerful in his interactions, indicating that Kirk has taken Spock Prime’s words about their respective destinies to heart. As unlikely as it seems to him initially, he’s grown to accept the idea that he and Spock could be friends.

Although he makes a few jokes at his new ally’s expense, Pine shows that Kirk has come to acknowledge Spock’s feelings . Kirk has been so infuriated with Spock’s attitude that he has overlooked the fact that Vulcan has been destroyed; Spock lost much of his family and cultural heritage. Kirk is well-aware that Spock is half-human , and that Earth is the only planet he has left to call home. There’s a sensitivity to how Pine characterizes Kirk’s attitude; he recognizes the pain that Spock feels upon losing a parent, as it’s one that he knows all-too well.

Kirk Fulfills His Father’s Legacy at the End of 'Star Trek'

Star Trek begins with a harrowing opening sequence featuring Chris Hemsworth as Kirk’s father, George , who sacrifices himself in order to save the crew of the Kelvin from a Romulan attack. Pine gives Kirk the chance to mirror his father’s heroic action , as he goes into the mission with an acknowledgment that he could easily perish. Although the Romulans were responsible for his father’s death, Pine doesn’t turn Kirk into a vengeful character; rather, his heroic endeavors indicate that Kirk has learned to take pride in his family name.

2009’s Star Trek was a surprise hit at the box office , and spawned two direct sequels that faced Kirk off against even more ruthless villains . Pine turned Kirk into an empathetic hero whose vulnerability was an attribute; it was in Star Trek ’s finest hours that he made the steady transition into the hero fans knew he would become.

Star Trek is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

• Movie Features

Real-life 'Star Trek' planet was actually just an illusion caused by a 'jittery' star

New research shows that sometimes life imitates art, even in astronomy.

A planet beyond the solar system that has been compared to Spock's homeworld Vulcan in the Star Trek franchise may have been nothing more than an illusion caused by a jittery star. 

The extrasolar planet or " exoplanet " (a term for a planet outside of our solar system) was proposed to orbit a star called 40 Eridani A or "Keid," which is part of a triple star system located around 16.3 light-years from Earth. In Star Trek, this star is also home to the planet Vulcan. First announced in 2018 , the planet caused quite a stir thanks to its similarities with Spock's fictional home planet.

A team of scientists led by astronomer Abigail Burrows of Dartmouth College now thinks that the "wobble" of this planet's parent star isn't the result of an orbiting world tugging on it at all. Burrows and colleagues discovered using a NASA instrument called NEID located at Kitt Peak National Observatory that the origin of this wobble is actually "pulses and jitters" of Keid itself.

Related: NASA space telescope finds Earth-size exoplanet that's 'not a bad place' to hunt for life

The fictional version of Vulcan was first introduced during Gene Roddenberry's seminal original series run of Star Trek , mentioned in the 1965 unaired pilot episode "The Cage." In the 2009 J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek reboot , Vulcan was destroyed by a time-traveling enemy of Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the Enterprise crew. 

By wiping out the real-life Vulcan, officially designated HD 26965 b, this new research shows that sometimes life imitates art.

Sorry Keid, you're on your own...

There are several ways to detect exoplanets orbiting distant stars, but the two most successful techniques are the transit method and the radial velocity method . Both of these techniques consider the effect an orbiting planet has on its star.

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The transit method, employed to great success by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) , measures the tiny dips in light a planet causes as it crosses the face of its parent star. 

While the transit method is by far the more fruitful of these two exoplanet detection methods , the radial velocity method is useful for spotting exoplanets that don't pass between the face of their star and our vantage point in the solar system. 

The radial velocity method uses tiny shifts in the light of a star as an orbiting planet gravitationally tugs on it. As a star is pulled away from Earth, the wavelength of the light it emits is stretched, causing it to move to the "red end" of the electromagnetic spectrum, a phenomenon called " redshift ." The converse happens when the star is pulled toward Earth, the wavelengths of light compress, and the light is "blue-shifted" toward the "blue end" of the electromagnetic spectrum.

This is analogous to the Doppler effect, which impacts sound waves on Earth. When an ambulance races toward us, the soundwaves from its siren are compressed, making them sound higher-pitched. When the ambulance races away, the sound waves are more spaced out, and the siren becomes lower-pitched. 

The radial velocity method is best for detecting especially massive planets , as these exert a larger gravitational pull on their stars and thus generate a more pronounced shift in the starlight from that stellar body. However, it is less robust for detecting planets with masses lower than that of Jupiter, the solar system's most massive planet.

When HD 26965 b was first potentially detected using the radial velocity method, its mass was estimated to be about 8 times greater than that of Earth but less than that of Neptune, making it a so-called "super-Earth" planet. The faux-Vulcan was suspected to orbit its parent star at around 22% of the distance between Earth and the sun , completing a year in around 42 Earth days.

Yet even the scientists who discovered this planet warned that it could be a misdetection caused by Keid's inherent jitteriness. By 2023, researchers had cast major doubts on the existence of this exoplanet. These new high-precision radial velocity measurements, which were not yet available in 2018, are the final nail in the coffin of the Vulcan-like HD 26965 b.

The disappointing news for Star Trek fans was delivered by NEID, the name of which rhymes with "fluid." NEID is an instrument that uses radial velocity to measure the motion of nearby stars with extreme precision. 

NEID separated out the suspected planetary signal into its constituent wavelengths representing light emitted from various layers in the structure of Keid's surface or photosphere . This allowed the team to detect significant differences in the individual wavelengths compared to the total combined signal.

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The upshot is that the signal implied the existence of HD 26965 b is actually the result of something flickering at the surface of Keid approximately every 42 Earth days. This effect could also be created when hot and cold plasma rises and falls through Keid's convection zone and interacts with surface features like dark sunspot patches or bright, active regions called " plages ."

While this discovery isn't great news for Keid and its planetary prospects, or for fans of Star Trek, it is a positive step for exoplanet-hunting scientists. 

That's because the finely tuned radial velocity measurements of NEID promise that planetary signals can be more accurately separated and distinguished from the natural jitters of stars in the future. 

The team's research is published in The Astronomical Journal. 

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: [email protected].

Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University. Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst.

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Friday the 13th, Star Trek & Felicitys Erich Anderson Dies at the Age of 67

• Erich Anderson dies at the age of 67 after "a brutal struggle with cancer."
• Anderson is best known by genre fans for his portrayal of Rob Dier in director Joseph Zito's Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984).
• Anderson was a prolific television and film actor who appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Felicity, NYPD Blue, Thirtysomething and dozens upon dozens of projects over his illustrious 40-year career.

67-year-old Friday the 13th, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Felicity and NYPD Blue actor Erich Anderson has died of cancer. Anderson’s wife, actress Saxton Trainor, revealed her husband passed away via social media on June 1. While Anderson is undoubtedly best remembered by fans of the horror genre as the heroic character Rob Dier in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), the thespian compiled an impressive film and television resume over his 40-year career. Trainor wrote in her Instagram post:

My husband Erich died this morning. I am sharing my brother-in-law Michael OMalleys words as I am too bereft now to write anything.

O’Malley wrote:

My brother-in-law Erich Anderson passed this morning after a brutal struggle with cancer. He had a long successful career as an actor he was on that old show 30 something; he was Felicitys father on Felicity; he was killed in a basement in a Friday the 13th movie: he was on Star Trek and dozens of other shows. He was a smart and funny guy, a fantastic cook; he wrote three great novels which you can find on Amazon. Ill miss him, but his ordeal is over.

Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter

Release Date April 13, 1984

Director Joseph Zito

Cast Clyde Hayes, Peter Barton, Kimberly Beck, Erich Anderson, Crispin Glover, Corey Feldman

Genres Thriller, Horror

Tagline Three Times Before You Have Felt The Terror, Known The Madness, Lived The Horror. But This Is The One You've Been Screaming For.

Franchise Friday The 13th

Erich Anderson's Prolific & Immeasurable Legacy

Credited as E. Erich Anderson, the actor made his feature film debut in the fourth installment of the Friday the 13th film series back in 1984. A year earlier, Anderson made his first appearance on television in the short-lived drama, For Love and Honor . Over the years, Anderson became a prolific player, particularly on TV, as he showed up on a number of high-profile series, including Dallas, Quantum Leap, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Melrose Place, Matlock, Monk and Murder, She Wrote among so many more.

Anderson’s most prolific television work came courtesy of recurring appearances on Bay City Blues, Thirtysomething, NYPD Blue and as Dr. Edward Porter — Felicity’s (Keri Russell) dad — on The WB and co-creator J.J. Abrams' Felicity. Anderson also showed up multiple times on Close to Home, Major Crimes and Bosch . And Anderson most recently participated in the Audible original podcast series, The Big Lie.

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Following Anderson's movie role in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, the actor took part in a number of other widely recognized film titles, including the Chuck Norris-led Missing in Action, The Witches of Eastwick (1992 TV flick), Unfaithful and The Neighbor .

When Anderson appeared at the 2023 Frightmare in the Falls Canadian horror convention, as a part of the panel with some of his Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter co-stars, Anderson began the conversation by paying tribute to the late Ted White, who portrayed Jason Voorhees in The Final Chapter . Anderson said, courtesy of Convention Junkies :

I loved playing and hanging out with him. I played cards with him, [and] he took me for any money that was in my pocket [laughter]. And no remorse. Just like, Youre learning a lesson, son.

For those not aware of Anderson’s immeasurable and engaging participation on the convention circuit and his love for the Friday franchise and legacy, he was an extremely thoughtful, humorous and well-spoken ambassador for The Final Chapter’s enduring legacy, which Anderson played an important and not-to-be-forgotten part in.

Rest in peace, Erich Anderson our thoughts go out to Saxton Trainor and the Anderson family.

Star Trek (Trilogy)

1. Star Trek

2. Star Trek Into Darkness

3. Star Trek Beyond

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'Star Trek: Discovery' ends as an underappreciated TV pioneer

Eric Deggans

Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham. Michael Gibson/Paramount+ hide caption

First, an admission: Though this column will offer a lot of discussion and defense of Star Trek: Discovery as a pivotal show, it won’t spend much time talking up the series’ current, final season or its finale episode, “Life, Itself,” dropping Thursday on Paramount+.

That’s because, for this critic, the last few seasons of Discovery have been a bit bogged down by the stuff that has always made it a tough sell as a Trek series: overly ambitious, serialized storylines that aren’t compelling; new characters and environments that don’t impress; plot twists which can be maddening in their lack of logic; big storytelling swings which can be confusing and predictable at once.

'Star Trek: Picard' soars by embracing the legacy of 'The Next Generation'

The show’s finale features the culmination of a sprawling scavenger hunt which found the crew of the starship Discovery bounding all over the place, searching for clues leading to a powerful technology pioneered by an alien race which created humanoid life throughout the galaxy. Their goal was to grab the technology before another race, ruthless and aggressive, could beat them to it, laying waste to everything.

It's no spoiler to reveal that Discovery ’s heroes avoid that nightmarish scenario, wrapping its fifth and final season with a conclusion centered on Sonequa Martin-Green’s ever-resourceful Capt. Michael Burnham and fond resolutions for a multitude of supporting characters (there’s even a space wedding!)

Still, this good-enough ending belies Discovery ’s status as a pioneering show which helped Paramount+ build a new vision for Star Trek in modern television – breaking ground that more creatively successful series like Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds would follow years later.

And it all began with a singular character: Michael Burnham.

A take on Star Trek for modern TV

Discovery debuted in 2017 on CBS All Access — the streaming service which would become Paramount+ — facing a serious challenge.

As the first new Trek series in a dozen years, it had to chart a path which offered a new vision of the franchise without going too far — carving out a new corner in the universe of Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock not long after the release of Star Trek Beyond , the third feature film produced by J. J. Abrams featuring rebooted versions of those classic characters.

Producers set Discovery ’s story 10 years before the days of Kirk and Spock (originally depicted on NBC for three seasons starting way back in 1966). The new series wouldn’t be centered on a starship captain, but its second in command: Burnham, a Black woman who also happened to be the hitherto unknown adopted daughter of Vulcan ambassador Sarek, Spock’s father (she would get promoted to captain of Discovery much later).

A Black human woman who was raised among the emotionally controlling, super-intellectual Vulcans? Who Trek fans had never heard of over nearly 60 years? Before I actually saw any episodes, my own feelings ranged from cautiously intrigued to cynically pessimistic.

But then I saw the first episode, which had an amazing early scene: Martin-Green as Burnham and Michelle Yeoh as Discovery Capt. Philippa Georgiou walking across an alien planet – two women of color marking the first step forward for Star Trek on a new platform.

People once sidelined in typical science fiction stories were now centerstage — a thrilling, historic moment.

Michelle Yeoh as Captain Philippa Georgiou and Sonequa Martin-Green as First Officer Michael Burnham in the very first episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Jan Thijs/CBS hide caption

And it got better from there. Back in the day, Trek writers often felt hamstrung by creator Gene Roddenberry’s insistence that, in the future depicted by the show, humans were beyond social ills like greed, prejudice, sexism, war, money and personal friction. The writers chafed, wondering: How in the world do you build compelling stories on a starship where interpersonal human conflict doesn’t exist?

But Discovery found a workaround, putting Burnham in a position where logic led her to mutiny against her captain, attempting a strategy which ultimately failed — leaving humans in open combat with the legendarily warlike Klingons. Discovery also featured a long storyline which played out over an entire season, unlike many earlier Trek shows which tried to offer a new adventure every week.

'First, Last And Always, I Am A Fan': Michael Chabon Steers Latest 'Star Trek'

The show’s first season had plenty of action, with Harry Potter alum Jason Isaacs emerging as a compelling and unique starship captain (saying more would be a spoiler; log onto Paramount+ and check out the first season). Fans saw a new vision for Trek technology, leveraging sleek, visceral special effects and action sequences worthy of a big budget movie, with design elements cribbed from several of the franchise’s films.

Later in its run, Discovery would debut Ethan Peck as Spock and Anson Mount as Christopher Pike, classic Trek characters who eventually got their own acclaimed series in Strange New Worlds . So far, five other Trek series have emerged on Paramount+ from ideas initially incubated on Discovery – including a critically acclaimed season of Picard which reunited the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Not bad for a series one TV critic eventually called among “the worst in the [ Trek ] franchise’s history.”

Discovery’s unappreciated legacy

Unfortunately, Discovery has taken some turns which didn’t work out quite so well. At the end of Discovery ’s second season, the starship jumped ahead in time nine centuries – perhaps to remove it from Strange New World ’s timeline? – placing it in an environment only distantly connected to classic Trek .

And while Discovery initially seemed cautious about referencing classic Trek in its stories, later series like Strange New Worlds and Picard learned the value of diving into the near-60-year-old franchise’s legacy – regularly tapping the show’s longtime appeal, rather than twisting into knots to avoid it.

There are likely fans of Discovery who would disagree with this analysis. But I think it helps explain why the series has never quite gotten its due in the world of Star Trek , initially shaded by skeptical fans and later overshadowed by more beloved products.

Now is the perfect time to pay tribute to a show which actually accomplished quite a lot – helping prove that Roddenberry’s brainchild still has a lot of narrative juice left in the 21st Century.