The writer and TV producer who launched his career with the sci-fi franchise is back in the control room of the new CBS series.
- Feb 10, 2016
AceShowbiz - Bryan Fuller is taking control of the new "Star Trek" series. CBS has appointed the "Hannibal" creator as showrunner for the reboot of the sci-fi classic. He will serve as executive producer along with Alex Kurtzman.
Growing up as a fan of the popular franchise, Fuller began his career writing for "Star Trek: Voyager" (1997-2001) and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1997). He said, "My very first experience of 'Star Trek' is my oldest brother turning off all the lights in the house and flying his model of a D7 Class Klingon Battle Cruiser through the darkened halls. Before seeing a frame of the television series, the 'Star Trek' universe lit my imagination on fire. It is without exaggeration a dream come true to be crafting a brand-new iteration of 'Star Trek' with fellow franchise alum Alex Kurtzman and boldly going where no 'Star Trek' series has gone before."
Kurtzman, meanwhile, is a writer and producer on 2009's "Star Trek" and 2013's "Star Trek Into Darkness". "Bringing 'Star Trek' back to television means returning it to its roots, and for years those roots flourished under Bryan's devoted care," he said. "His encyclopedic knowledge of Trek canon is surpassed only by his love for Gene Roddenberry's optimistic future, a vision that continues to guide us as we explore strange new worlds."
David Stapf, president of CBS Television Studios, additionally stated, "When we began discussions about the series returning to television, we immediately knew that Bryan Fuller would be the ideal person to work alongside Alex Kurtzman to create a fresh and authentic take on this classic and timeless series. Bryan is not only an extremely gifted writer, but a genuine fan of 'Star Trek'. Having someone at the helm with his gravitas who also understands and appreciates the significance of the franchise and the worldwide fan base was essential to us."
Fans are glad upon hearing the news. Jamie Scoins, who is a fan of Fuller's previous shows, tweeted, "Loved Pushing Daisies and @NBCHannibal. Miss both shows dearly, but I'm delighted @BryanFuller is helming a new @StarTrek series. Perfect!" Another Twitter user, @sgtbuckyy, wrote, "I'm so pumped for Bryan Fuller as the Star Trek show runner. Someone who is a good writer AND actually *likes* Star Trek?!"
Actor Kumail Nanjiani also tweeted, "So @BryanFuller is super smart and super good and super a-fan-of-Star-Trek and I super can't-wait to see his version."
Back in 2008, Fuller had shared his idea for the possible revival. "I would love to return to the spirit of the old series with the colors and attitude," he said at the time. "One where you could go back to the spirit and color of the original 'Star Trek', because somehow, it got cold over the years."
The new "Star Trek" series is slated to premiere in early 2017 with a preview broadcast on CBS. The premiere and all subsequent first-run episodes will then be available exclusively on CBS All Access.
