STAR TREK TV Series Gets HANNIBAL's Bryan Fuller As Co-Creator And Showrunner
And with that, this show just got interesting. After 15 years, Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Dead Like Me) will return to a franchise he loves dearly as showrunner and co-creator of CBS's new Star Trek series.
Before he brought us the likes of Hannibal, Bryan Fuller cut his teeth as a writer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Voyager - and now he's returning to boldly steer the new CBS Trek series where no man has gone before. At least, we hope so.
Fuller was also recently announced as showrunner for the Starz adaptation of Neil Gaiman's American Gods, so he's set to be a pretty busy guy. Here's is the official press release from CBS:
STUDIO CITY, CALIF. – Feb. 9, 2016 – Bryan Fuller, who launched his career writing for “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: Voyager,” will return to the television franchise as co-creator and executive producer of the new CBS “Star Trek” series.
As previously announced, the new series, produced by CBS Television Studios, will launch with a special preview broadcast on the CBS Television Network in early 2017. The premiere episode and all subsequent first-run episodes will then be available exclusively in the United States on CBS All Access, the Network’s digital subscription video on demand and live streaming service. The new “Star Trek” series marks the first original series developed for CBS All Access. The next chapter of the “Star Trek” franchise will also be distributed concurrently for television and multiple platforms around the world by CBS Studios International.
“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,” said executive producer Bryan Fuller. “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.”
“Bringing ‘Star Trek’ back to television means returning it to its roots, and for years those roots flourished under Bryan’s devoted care,” said executive producer Alex Kurtzman. “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.”
“For the past 50 years, ‘Star Trek’ has been a groundbreaking franchise that not only changed the landscape of television, but made a significant impact on pop culture,” said David Stapf, President, CBS Television Studios. “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.”
No details on which crew/ship/story the show will focus on, but Fuller has previously said that if he ever got the chance to return to the franchise that he'd take things back to the original Star Trek in terms of spirit and style.
The new series will launch in early 2017 with a preview airing on CBS, and then will shift exclusively to CBS All Access.