If the producers of Strange New Worlds get their way, Star Trek could boldly go where no fan wants it to: rebooting and effectively replacing the original series.
Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers—already controversial figures in the Kurtzman-led Paramount era—are now teasing what sounds like a remake of Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS). While rumors suggest a full reboot may happen once the Skydance merger goes through, Goldsman and Myers appear to be all-in on a new take that could overwrite the iconic show created by Gene Roddenberry and starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.
At a recent panel for the Strange New Worlds Season 3 premiere during the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, the producers addressed the announcement that the series will end with a shortened six-episode fifth season, conveniently lining up with the end of Kurtzman’s contract and Skydance’s expected takeover.
Akiva Goldsman Says Strange New Worlds Was Always Meant to Lead Into TOS
Goldsman, who also worked on Discovery, Short Treks, and Picard, explained how Strange New Worlds has been gradually leading into TOS (via TrekMovie):
“We made a promise to ourselves that we would arc the show into [Star Trek: The Original Series]. And so we sort of thought, ‘Well, five-year mission—okay, can we do five years?’ And we are really doing almost five—well, four and a little more than half [season 5 is set for six episodes instead of the usual ten]. And we needed to be able to tell that story… Those are questions we knew we needed to answer and promised to answer. So that’s our five-year plan.”
With Strange New Worlds already featuring younger versions of TOS characters like Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Scotty, Chapel, and M’Benga, Goldsman hinted they might go even further:
“And then we run into TOS. [Switching to conspiratorial tone] But they’re not dying. And we have those sets…”
That line — “we have those sets” — all but spells it out. Goldsman is clearly implying that a continuation or reboot of the original Star Trek is on the table, likely as a cost-saving move. If they don’t have to build new sets, they can churn out a reimagined TOS at a fraction of the cost.
Fans Reject TOS Reboot But Skydance Could Change Everything
Naturally, fan reaction hasn’t been kind. As with much of Kurtzman-era Trek, longtime viewers aren’t interested in seeing their favorite characters and stories rewritten or further butchered.
The good news? With Skydance taking over, there’s hope for a more faithful, respectful take on Star Trek — something closer to what fans actually want. With Transformers already on pause following its failures, Star Trek may follow suit. Strange New Worlds will get to wrap up, and Starfleet Academy still has two seasons in the pipeline, but after that? It’s looking more and more likely that Kurtzman and crew will be out.
Maybe then we can finally get something post-Picard — instead of yet another remake.
