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Bryan Fuller Will Helm the New Star Trek TV Revival

Photo: Todd Williamson/Getty Images

Set phasers to stun: Hannibal and Pushing Daisies producer Bryan Fuller is coming onboard the new Star Trek TV revival as a co-creator, executive producer, and — most important — showrunner. Fuller, whose entertainment-industry career began with him writing for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager, will work with the already-announced Alex Kurtzman to co-create the new Trek incarnation, launching early next year on digital streaming network CBS All Access. He’ll then take the bridge as day-to-day producer of the show, ensuring a Star Trek vet is in charge of the latest chapter of the half-century-old franchise — something CBS Studios chief David Stapf says was essential to the revival. “Bryan is not only an extremely gifted writer, but a genuine fan of Star Trek,” Stapf said. “Having someone at the helm with his gravitas who also understands and appreciates the significance of the franchise and the worldwide fan base was essential to us.”

The news of Fuller’s involvement in the new Trek brings full circle years of speculation about the producer helping to lead the show’s return to TV. Fuller has mentioned his desire to return to the Gene Roddenberry–created universe for at least four years, but was always quick to note that a TV show would have to wait until J.J. Abrams’s feature film reboot of the franchise had a chance to take root. Fuller even mentioned his idea of setting the show on a non-Enterprise ship (he’s mentioned the Reliant) and his wish of casting Angela Bassett as the captain of his new Trek. (Insiders say the Bassett casting doesn’t appear to be happening, though nothing’s been set.) In a statement confirming his new role, Fuller repeated how much Trek has meant to him. “My very first experience of Star Trek is my oldest brother turning off all the lights in the house and flying his model of a D7 Class Klingon Battle Cruiser through the darkened halls,” Fuller said. “Before seeing a frame of the television series, the Star Trek universe lit my imagination on fire. It is without exaggeration a dream come true to be crafting a brand new iteration … with fellow franchise alum Alex Kurtzman.”

Fuller began his TV writing career doing freelance scripts for Deep Space Nine and eventually became a co-producer of Voyager. In addition to the critically beloved Hannibal, he also created the well-reviewed Wonderfalls, Dead Like Me, and Pushing Daisies. He’s currently also working on an adaptation of American Gods for Starz. There’s been buzz about Fuller doing a reboot of Amazing Stories for NBC as well, though if that project happens, it seems likely Fuller won’t be as hands-on as he will be with Trek. No word yet on casting or a production start date for the as-yet-untitled new Trek. The pilot for the new series will air on the CBS broadcast network before flying over to a permanent home on CBS All Access. CBS chief Leslie Moonves last week told Reuters the new Trek would serve as the digital streamer’s version of House of Cards — i.e., the show he hopes will be a tipping point for subscriber growth.

Bryan Fuller to Helm New Star Trek TV Revival