Son of STAR TREK Creator Thinks Paramount’s New Leadership Will Bring “Disruptive Change” and "Things Will Get Better"
The future of Star Trek may be heading into a new era, and according to the son of the franchise’s legendary creator, that change might be exactly what the series needs.
Following Paramount’s major corporate shake-up in 2025, the long-running sci-fi franchise now sits under a new leadership structure.
The studio merged with Skydance Media to form Paramount Skydance Corporation, with David Ellison stepping in as chairman and CEO. Naturally, some fans started wondering what that kind of shift might mean for one of the company’s most important properties.
Those questions popped up again during the 2026 Saturn Awards, where Star Trek: Strange New Worlds landed a nomination for Best Science Fiction Television Series.
While speaking on the red carpet, producers Trevor Roth and Rod Roddenberry shared their thoughts about what the new corporate direction could mean for the future of Star Trek.
Roth explained that the creative team hopes the incoming leadership truly understands what makes Star Trek unique compared to other sci-fi franchises. Sure, the series delivers starships, exploration, and action, but that has never been the whole point.
For decades, Star Trek has been a platform for stories that entertain while also digging into real-world issues, social questions, and the human condition. Roth suggested that balance is essential to the franchise’s identity and something the creative team hopes the new executives recognize.
From what they have seen so far, Roth said the early signs are encouraging. The leadership appears to respect what the franchise represents and the kind of storytelling that has defined it since the days of Gene Roddenberry.
Rod Roddenberry, son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, shared a similarly hopeful perspective about the studio’s new direction. While he made it clear he is not criticizing the previous leadership, he believes fresh voices at the top can sometimes bring the kind of momentum a long-running franchise benefits from.
Roddenberry said: “I’m a big fan of change, maybe not change just for the sake of change, but, dare I say, sometimes disruptive change for the better. I do think with the new regime, things will get better.”
The franchise has gone through multiple creative eras over the years, from the original 1960s series to The Next Generation, and more recently the wave of modern streaming shows.
Right now, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds remains one of the strongest entries in the current lineup, with many fans praising its return to episodic storytelling and classic exploration themes. But, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has been getting an overload of backlash for a variety of reasons.
If Roddenberry’s instincts are right, the Skydance merger and Ellison’s leadership could help steer the franchise into a stronger chapter. For a universe that has always been about looking forward to a better future, the timing almost feels fitting.
If the people closely tied to the legacy of believe this new era could elevate Star Trek, fans have a good reason to be excited for whats coming.