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Star Trek's Alex Kurtzman receives sincere apology from Project Hail Mary author

The Project Hail Mary author wasted no time clearing the air.
Steven Thrash
Steven Thrash

Redshirts Always Die

Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace in PROJECT HAIL MARY, from Amazon MGM Studios. Photo credit: Jonathan Olley © 2026 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Project Hail Mary author wasted no time clearing the air.

Project Hail Mary author Andy Weir openly criticized the current state of Star Trek and the franchise's producer Alex Kurtzman during a recent podcast appearance. However, in a open letter addressed to Kurtzman, Weir wrote a sincere apology, with a comedic meme, on his Facebook page shortly. The social media post reads as follows:

“Hey, Alex. Andy Weir here. I'm posting to apologize about stuff I said on the Critical Drinker's podcast. I feel like my quotes were taken out of context as salacious sound bytes [bites]. I hope you saw the other parts where I said how much I like you as a person and what a nice guy you are. Also, how I like SNW [Strange New Worlds] and LD [Lower Decks]. I was trying to be funny, but in retrospect it comes off as disrespectful and mean. So I'm sorry for that.”

If Star Trek fans actually listened to Weir’s appearance on the Critical Drinker, the Project Hail Mary author made it clear that he is a Trekkie. Plus, in context, his comments about NuTrek (the Kurtzman Era), the current state of the franchise, and Kurtzman himself, weren’t blatant in nature. Weir continued writing in his apology:

“I was also trying to be self-deprecating when I said, ‘But they didn't like my pitch so f**k 'em!" but out of context it can read like I actually meant it. I'm a blunt person - always have been. And it's been 10 years since the media cared what I had to say about anything so I kind of forgot to watch my words when I have a film in theaters. In a couple months I'll be back in my cave writing novels, and no one will care again. Anyway, if you want to talk about it in real time - even if it's just to rip me a new one - I'm happy to hop on the phone or Zoom.”

Weir deserves credit for taking responsibility for what he said on the Critical Drinker podcast, which is something many so-called fans of Star Trek could learn a lesson from.

I’m constantly inundated with disrespectful and cruel comments directed toward the state of the franchise on the Redshirts Always Die social media pages from haters wanting the Kurtzman Era to end. However, in Kurtzman's defense, he contributed a lot of good work over his tenure.

Remember, Kurtzman not only produced J.J. Abrams’ must-see Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness but all five seasons of Strange New Worlds and the animated Prodigy, too.

And regardless of how some fans feel about Discovery, Michael Burnham remains one of the best new characters created in recent memory. Plus, who didn't enjoy Q (John de Lancie) returning for the entire second season of Picard?

Now, share your thoughts and comments about the Kurtzman Era with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.

Live long and prosper, Trekkies!

Steven Thrash

Steven Thrash

Steven Thrash serves as the Site Expert for Redshirts Always Die, and he has spent 20 years working as a professional journalist and editor. Steven is also the author of the VAMPIRES SUCK! series, and he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communications focusing on film studies, journalism, and theatre. He later received his MFA in creative writing. Steven's stories have been published by Entertainment Weekly, Screen Rant, Looper, MovieWeb, the Daily Meal, Rue Morgue, Dread Central, and Diabolique Magazine. The TCM Classic Film Festival, San Diego Comic-Con, and the Cannes Film Festival are Steven's favorite events to cover. It is also worth noting that whether it's Dracula, Lestat de Lioncourt, or David Powers, Steven is obsessed with creatures of the night, and he's seen Tom Holland's Fright Night more times than most Star Wars fans have watched The Empire Strikes Back. In addition to boldly going where no one has gone before for FanSided, the author’s wheelhouse includes movies, television, streaming, and sports.