Every Step A New Star Trek Series Has To Follow, According To A Producer

Since 2017, Paramount+ has debuted "Star Trek: Discovery," "Short Treks," "Star Trek: Picard," "Star Trek: Lower Decks," "Star Trek: Prodigy," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." If one counts "Very Short Treks" as its own entity, then Paramount has released seven Trek shows in seven years. That's a lot. As of this writing, however, all but one of those shows has been canceled, indicating that the franchise grew too rapidly and now has to spend a few years contracting and reconnoitering before any new shows can debut. Anyone hoping for the much-ballyhooed "Star Trek: Legacy" to be made into an actual TV series will likely be disappointed. Also, apologies to those who were hoping that "Section 31" would be a whole series. That show was reduced to a single TV movie, due in the early months of 2025. 

The current executive producer of the "Star Trek" franchise is Alex Kurtzman, and he oversaw the boom and ostensible bust of the property's last seven years. Kurtzman had a hand in producing all, and writing most of the above shows, and he seems to constantly field ideas from other enthused creators for new Treks that Paramount might be interested in airing. 

There have been so many "Star Trek" shows recently that Kutzman has an established process for accepting pitches, a process he described in a recent interview with Collider. Kurtzman revealed that he is actually not the final arbiter of all things "Star Trek," having to regularly deal with higher-ups at Paramount, as well as David Stapf, the head of the studio. Paramount will not move on a new "Star Trek" show until it has been rigorously vetted and discussed. It seems there are — as one might expect — many layers of approval involved.

Once a series idea makes it was to Kurtzman, he brings it to the studio head, and then, once agreed upon, they take it onward up the ladder. As Kurtzman described the process: 

"It's a communal conversation. Meaning I talk to the head of the studio, David Stapf, who's been incredibly supportive from the beginning, from Discovery's launch. And then we go, and we talk to the Paramount+ folks, and we tell them 'Here's what we're thinking. In order to get to this show, we're going to need to start planning really two years ahead, which means you have to start putting things in development.' It's actually a small group of people. And then once you figure out what show everybody wants to make, then it becomes a question of what it costs to make it."

That cost seems to be a big sticking point for new "Star Trek" shows. All of them seem to be incredibly expensive, and having six or seven shows running simultaneously likely drained Paramount+ of its coffers. Paramount, like many major studios, has been in a lot of financial trouble in recent years, leading to a merger with Skydance back in July. Trekkies were living the life of Riley for a few years, spoiled by a glut of "Star Trek" not seen since the franchise's 1990s glory days. It seems now, though, that Kurtzman and Paramount have set up a system designed to enforce extreme caution. 

As of this writing, "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" will return for a third and likely a fourth season, while a new series, "Starfleet Academy," is currently in development. "Lower Decks" star Tawny Newsome is developing a live-action "Star Trek" sitcom, and at least two theatrical features are being floated. Time will tell if any of those projects come to fruition.