Star Trek Convention In Las Vegas - Day 3 (Photo : Getty Images)
Fifty years after "Star Trek" aired on TV, the show returns on air in January 2017 on CBS. "Star Trek: Enterprise" ended in May 2005. Since then, the sci-fi franchise has been missing from television.
i09.com reports that Alex Kurtzman, co-writer of the 2009 "Star Trek" movie and the sequel "Star Trek Into Darkness," will be the executive producer of the new "Star Trek" on TV through CBS Television Studios. The premiere episode would be seen on CBS, but the series would be shown exclusively on CBS video on-demand and streaming service, the CBS All Access, in the U.S. But outside the U.S., the series would be distributed for TV and multiple platforms.
CBS Digital Media Executive Vice President and General Manager Marc DeBevoise says the decision to air in on CBS All Access follows the "terrific growth" on the streaming service. He says airing the new "Star Trek" on CBS All Access gives the company the chance to accelerate the growth as well as boost the sci-fi's devoted and passionate fan base.
It would have new characters who would seek "imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966," according to the press release.
CBS All Access subscription costs $5.99 a month, but it excludes the National Football League coverage, the highest-rated show on CBS.
The new TV show is unrelated to the forthcoming "Star Trek Beyond" movie slated to show in theaters in summer 2016, distributed by Paramount Pictures.
