STAR TREK's TV Future Explained by Alex Kurtzman Amid Paramount Skydance Changes
There’s something very Star Trek about facing uncertainty and pushing forward anyway, and right now the franchise finds itself in exactly that kind of moment.
With two Star Trek shows coming to an end, fans are left wondering what’s next for the iconic sci-fi universe. But according to franchise architect Alex Kurtzman, the story is far from over… it’s just in a state of transition.
Over the past year, the TV side of Star Trek has taken a few hits. Star Trek: Discovery has wrapped up, Star Trek: Lower Decks is done, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is already mapped out to conclude with its fifth season.
Then came the not so surprising news that Starfleet Academy will end after season two. That’s a lot of warp cores going offline in a short amount of time, and it’s left the franchise without any new shows actively moving forward.
So what’s going on?
Kurtzman recently opened up in an interview with TrekMovie, confirming that conversations about the future are happening, but they’re still in early stages. He said:
"Yes, I've had conversations with [Paramount Skydance] about the future of 'Star Trek.' Yes, we've gotten nothing but support. Yes, there have been specific shows that have been discussed. And we'll see.
“I'm truly at the beginning of the conversation with them now. And so I hesitate to say anything to you, because I don't have anything to report yet. But I can report that the conversations are happening."
That cautious tone makes sense given the bigger picture. The ongoing shakeups involving Paramount Skydance, and even the added complexity of Skydance acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery have created a massive corporate juggling act. It isn’t just Star Trek feeling the effects. The entire studio landscape is shifting.
Kurtzman didn’t sugarcoat that reality either, saying:
"What I can tell you, honestly, is that it's not just what does Skydance want with 'Star Trek' TV. Skydance also just bought Warner Brothers. And so you have an unbelievable amount [laughs] — like, it's almost inconceivable amount of organizational things to decide, right?
“They are in the middle of — it's not just drinking from one firehose, there's probably ten thousand hoses. And so everything is just happening slower as a result of this massive time of transition. And that is not exclusive to 'Star Trek.'
“That's across the board. And at the same time, they're moving as quickly as they can and should, because they want to be thoughtful and methodical."
That explains why things are stalled. The creative team is dealing the people in charge, who are sorting through a mountain of decisions before committing to the next phase.
There have been ongoing reports about a continuation of Strange New Worlds in the form of a “Year One” concept, and there’s also the new feature film tied to the creative team behind Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Right now, the future of Star Trek is in a holding pattern, and just waiting for the next course correction. The path forward may not be clear yet, but the mission definitely isn’t over.