Star Trek fans should set phasers to stunning as a brand new spin-off featuring some much loved characters will be hitting TV screens in the near future.
CBS – the American TV network which owns the Star Trek franchise – announced on Friday that a new series focusing on the pre-Captain Kirk days of the USS Enterprise is being made.
And fans of Star Trek: Discovery will have already met some of the cast in the form of Marvel star Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Disney actor Ethan Peck as legendary Science Officer Spock, and X-Men beauty Rebecca Romijn as First Officer, Number One.
The new show is set to be called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and will see the Enterprise crew exploring the galaxy and discovering, naturally, strange new worlds.
“Fans fell in love with Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck’s portrayals of these iconic characters when they were first introduced on Star Trek Discovery last season,” EVP and CBS All Access’ Head of Programming Julie McNamara told Deadline.
“This new series will be a perfect complement to the franchise, bringing a whole new perspective and series of adventures to Star Trek,” they added.
The spin-off will be a treat for fans who have campaigned for a Anson Mount fronted spin-off since he, and Ethan and Rebecca, featured on season two of Star Trek: Discovery last year.
Sharing his delight at the news of the new show, Anson said: “I have never received more love from a fanbase than I have from the Star Trek family.”
He continued: "It means even more for us to announce to be able to announce this show right now at a time when so much of the planet is hurting."
He added: "And we are going to get to work on a classic Star Trek show that deals with optimism and the future."
Ethan said to fans: “Without you this wouldn’t be happening, so thank you so much.”
While Rebecca gushed: "I can’t wait to put on that gold Starfleet uniform.”
The official synopsis for the show states: "The series will follow Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the decade before Captain Kirk boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise, as they explore new worlds around the galaxy."
Created by the late Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s, Star Trek was originally meant to feature Captain Christopher Pike in charge of the starship Enterprise - with a pilot episode featuring Jeffery Hunter in the title role before the series was re-written and re-filmed to feature Canadian actor William Shatner as Kirk.
Bruce Greenwood played Pike in the 2009 and 2013 films Star Trek and Star Trek: In To Darkness, while Anson took over the role in 2019.
The late Leonard Nimmoy played Spock in the original Star Trek series and eight movies, while Zachary Quinto took on the role for 2009’s Star Trek, 2013’s In To Darkness and 2016’s Star Trek: Beyond, with Ethan taking over the role in 2019.
And the late Majel Barrett originally played Number One in 1966 with Rebecca taking on the role last year.
An air date has not yet been set for the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, however season three of Star Trek: Discovery is set to air later this year, season two of recent hit Star Trek: Picard is due for a 2021 release, while an animated series aimed at adults titled Star Trek: Lower Decks is set to air later this year.
While further spin-off include a Michelle Yeoh series based around starfleet’s shadowy secret service Section 31, and a children’s animated series for Nickelodeon.
Star Trek: Discovery airs on Netflix in the UK, and Star Trek: Picard can be found in the UK via Amazon Prime.
