Star Trek: Alex Kurtzman Wants to See Unification of Films and Television

Alex Kurtzman, head of Star Trek television, would like to unify continuity between Star Trek TV and films. The Star Trek universe continues to expand, with three series having launched under Kurtzman’s watch, three more in active development, and three movies percolating at Paramount Pictures. The Viacom and CBS merger of 2019 puts the rights to both Star Trek TV and movies under one roof. Still, the two entities have continued to work separately. Speaking to SFX Magazine, Kurtzman says he’d like to see both sides of the Star Trek franchise unified, believing it’s what’s best for the franchise’s future.

“I have no involvement in it right now,” Kurtzman says. “I don’t know where that’s going. Frankly, I have my hands very full. Having done two of those films, I loved them so much, and I really would love to see continuity and unification between the features and the TV side, because I think it’s what’s good for Star Trek, and that can be done any number of ways.”

Kurtzman co-wrote and executive produced Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, the first two films in the Kelvin Timeline continuity. Though marketed like a reboot, Star Trek revealed that the original Star Trek continuity remains intact. At the same time, the events of the Kelvin Timeline movies unfold in an alternate universe, with Leonard Nimoy’s Spock crossing over from the original timeline to the new one. As head of Star Trek television, Kurtzman produces shows in the original “prime timeline,” including Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Lower Decks.

A closer working relationship between the Star Trek franchise’s film and television sides could yield exciting results. A Star Trek: Discovery movie? A TV show set in the Kelvin Timeline? A crossover? That’s all speculation, but the possibilities are limitless now that the same corporate entity controls all the rights.

Star Trek film star Zachary Quinto suggested to ComicBook.com in June that the resurgence of Star Trek television may have lessened the demand for another Star Trek movie. However, he believes his co-stars would be ready and willing for another outing aboard the Enterprise.

“It’s already thriving in the television format with Discovery and Picard and the spinoffs,” Quinto said. “I can’t even keep track of how many new Star Trek stories are being told since our last film in 2016. All I know is that we, all of us, had an incredible experience making those films. If there is an appetite for more of those stories with us in them, I’m sure that we would all be thrilled to come back and do one more or whatever, but I’m not really attached to it anymore.

“I stepped away from any expectation or any real certainty that it’s ever going to happen again,” he continued. “I think that’s the only real way to move through the world, right? If it happens, that’d be great, but I’m not going to sit around waiting for it to happen. I have a ton of other stuff in my life, in my career. I have lifelong friendships from those films and working relationships and a lot of respect and fond memories, so if that’s what it ends up being and I can look back on my life and say that’s what it was, then that’s incredible, and if we get to do more, that’s also incredible. But as far as the stories go, they’ve been around for decades and generations, and I think that that will continue, whether or not we continue on with them.”

New Star Trek: Discovery episodes stream Thursdays on CBS All Access.