Alex Kurtzman says Starfleet Academy is still on track

Alex Kurtzman was on the Star Trek panel at New York Comic Com and gave details about what we can expect with the new series, Starfleet Academy

Not long after Starfleet Academy was announced, both WGA and SAG-AFTRA went on strike, shutting down potential production on any series, let alone a new series. But now writers are back at work, and Kurtzman told the convention goers that “they are back at work and still on track.” [via Trekmovie]

Tawny Newsome, who is on the writing staff for the new series, was in the room also, and though she didn’t speak about what’s to come, Kurtzman acknowledged her, calling her a genius.

Starfleet Academy is still set to start production in early 2024.

And from what Kurtzman has revealed about the new series, it will focus a lot on comedy, which might be much like Lower Decks. With Newsome on the staff of writers, that shouldn’t come as a surprise since she’s been living with Star Trek comedy for four seasons.

Sadly, though, that might not be what Star Trek fans were looking for with the newest series, especially one set in the historic headquarters of the Academy. But Kurtzman made it clear that this series is one that “speaks to the generation now.”

"“Then the question becomes how do you hold on and rebuild all the hope? And I think that’s what our show is so much about. It’s really fun. It’s really funny. And it’s ultimately a show that speaks to the generation now.”"

Kurtzman also said that Paramount+ has supported “all these shows in the most extraordinary ways,” going on to say that there was no shortage of support for the Star Trek universe. Of course, he didn’t mention the cancellation of Star Trek: Prodigy, which recently found a new home on Netflix. That was a series that lost the support from Paramount+ without any explanation. The fact that a new Star Trek series is coming onto the streaming channel after a successful one was jettisoned doesn’t make a lot of Star Trek fans happy. And it could possibly affect the viewing numbers for Starfleet Academy.