“Star Trek” is returning to take on a new frontier of entertainment.
CBS announced Monday that a new incarnation of the iconic sci-fi franchise is slated to premiere in January 2017 on the network’s paid streaming platform, CBS All Access. Although the pilot will air on CBS, the still-untitled show will mark the first time a “Star Trek” story will air exclusively on the paid online service.
“Every day, an episode of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise is seen in almost every country in the world,” Armando Nuñez, CEO of CBS Global Distribution Group said in a statement. “We can’t wait to introduce ‘Star Trek’s’ next voyage on television to its vast global fan base.”
Details about the show will be revealed later. However Alex Kurtzman, who wrote the 2009 “Star Trek” reboot film and its 2013 sequel, “Star Trek into Darkness,” is the series’ executive producer. He isn’t involved with the latest movie in the franchise, “Star Trek Beyond,” which hits theaters in the summer.
“Star Trek” first premiered in September 1966, and although it had a strong fan base, lasted only three seasons. Strong ratings in syndication and a growing following of fans throughout the world prompted Paramount to relaunch the show as a series of movies starting in 1979 followed by a spinoff TV show, “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” eight years later.
Other spinoffs continued on the small screen until 2005, when “Star Trek: Enterprise” ended its four-season run following a heavy criticism from fans.
