Star Trek: Discovery, a new series set to air on CBS All Access, has an official release date, and it is no longer January 2017. Star Trek: Discovery was supposed to premiere in the winter on CBS All Access, an over-the-top subscription streaming service – available for $5.99 per month.
CBS All Access also allows users to view the past and present episodes of CBS shows. However, in a statement issued by its creators – Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman – it was revealed that the highly anticipated series will now premiere on CBS in May 2017 before moving to All Access.
Executive producers Kurtzman and Fuller said they are delaying the premiere to deliver a great project. The statement said:
“Bringing ‘Star Trek’ back to television carries a responsibility and mission: to connect fans and newcomers alike to the series that has fed our imaginations since childhood.”
It went on to say:
“We aim to dream big and deliver, and that means making sure the demands of physical and post-production for a show that takes place entirely in space, and the need to meet an air date, don’t result in compromised quality. Before heading into production, we evaluated these realities with our partners at CBS and they agreed: ‘Star Trek’ deserves the very best, and these extra few months will help us achieve a vision we can all be proud of.”
The new Star Trek series is set 10 years before the events of the original Star Trek series and separate from the timeline of the movie franchise. Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts will serve as showrunners on the series.
The first trailer debuted by CBS in May promised:
“new heroes and new villains a new ship, new characters and new missions, while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation.”
As for the cast, we know very little other than the fact that the production wants to carry on the legacy of the previous series, including having a diverse cast, and taking inspiration from original designs by Ralph McQuarrie.
Back in 2013, Fuller said he would “love” to cast “Captain Angela Bassett and First Officer Rosario Dawson.” However, the two stars are very busy, so there is significant doubt that will happen.
Actor Tony Todd might appear in the series, but there is no confirmation. The first season Star Trek: Discovery will consist of 13 episodes.