Star Trek: Discovery stars Doug Jones and David Ajala discuss some of the complicated relationships and romances that develop during Season 5. The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery kicked off earlier this month, reminding viewers why now is a good time to be a Star Trek fan. The next theatrically-released Star Trek movie is set to begin filming this fall, with a 2025 release date, and there are other Star Trek projects on the horizon to look forward to. But a topic that Star Trek: Discovery fans will be curious about is the romances between the show's cast.

ComicBook.com spoke to Doug Jones and David Ajala ahead of the debut of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, where we got to ask them about the romances and relationships their characters face. Commander Saru actor Doug Jones replied, "It is a challenge, yes. A romance has a challenge to it, especially when you're so career-driven as both Saru and President T'Rina, who plays my love interest, both are. We're both at a certain level of responsibility, and how do we carry forward with those responsibilities and those careers, while also finding each other in a romantic way for the first time for both of us. I don't think either of these people have ever had a romance in their lifetimes before. This is both new and awkward for them. They're kind of like teenagers, but they're also trying to hold their dignity together while doing so. That's the challenge."

Star Trek: Discovery stars open up on romances in Season 5

Jones also talked about how Saru is up for a promotion, and has to factor in his feelings for T'Rina while also thinking about whether to take the promotion. For her part, T'Rina has said not to let their feelings for each other be a determining factor in his decision.

"I think that's a really important point Doug mentioned," Cleveland Booker actor David Ajala chimed in. "It's explored in a similar but different way with Michael Burnham. There's this episode in Season 5 where Michael Burnham has to arrive at a place and do some real soul-searching work to understand her purpose. Because she's lived a life that's very binary, where it's career-oriented and there's no room for being weak or to be seen not knowing the answers, and then she goes to a period in her life where she has to unpack these things and understand all these things can exist equally and together."

He added, "For me, that's a very powerful thing I'm looking forward to everyone seeing. And Book plays an important part in that specific episode, with Michael soul-searching."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 is now streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is wrapping up after its fifth season, which is set to release on Paramount+ sometime later this year. If one of the show's leads get his way, however, the show will happen to live on through another streamer or network. Shortly after news surfaced of Paramount+'s intentions to cancel the series, Jack Quaid shared a heartfelt message on Instagram in which he revealed he hoped the show could find a home elsewhere.

"I'm so sad to announce that Paramount Plus won't be moving forward with more seasons of Lower Decks. I can't begin to tell you what an honor it's been to be a part of this show and the Star Trek universe at large. I am unbelievably grateful for 5 awesome seasons with this wonderful family," Quaid said in his post.

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He added, "I want to thank each and every person who put so much of their hard work and talent into every episode. You are AMAZING. The good news is that everyone who makes Lower Decks LOVES making Lower Decks. I could play Boimler for 17 more seasons. No joke. I'm serious. I love that purple-haired nerd. Hopefully we find a new home, but until then please look forward to an amazing season five (airing this fall).

There's been no indication yet that Lower Decks is actually being shopped around, and series creators Alex Kurtzman and Mike McMahan didn't touch on the subject on a statement shared to the official Star Trek website.

"While five seasons of any series these days seems like a miracle, it's no exaggeration to say that every second we've spent making this show has been a dream come true. Our incredible cast, crew and artists have given you everything they have because they love the characters they play, they love the world we've built, and more than anything we all love love love Star Trek," the statement reads. "We're excited for the world to see our hilarious fifth season which we're working on right now, and the good news is that all previous episodes will remain on Paramount+ so there is still so much to look forward to as we celebrate the Cerritos crew with a big send-off. ... We remain hopeful that even beyond season five, Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, Rutherford and the whole Cerritos crew will live on with new adventures."

The first four seasons of Lower Decks are now streaming on Paramount+ while Season Five has yet to set a release date.

In this episode, the ComicBook Nation Crew reviews the new Fallout series from Amazon Video as well as the new episode of X-Men '97 and all the craziness from CinemaCon. That includes the new footage from Deadpool and Wolverine, Sonic 3, Inside Out 2, Gladiator 2, & Captain America: Brave New World! We also break down the big reveals (like that Transformers and GI Joe crossover) and even some comics with Ultimate X-Men, so get ready for a big show!

Civil War Review

Here's what host Kofi Outlaw said in his Civil War (2024) review:

With Civil War Garland takes on his most ambitious story yet, writing and directing a vision of what it would look like if America's Culture War explodes into an all-out Civil War - and not in some distant dystopian future, but right here, and right now.

By the end of the film, that sentiment persists, as we're left to wonder if a nation so violently divided could ever be healed again - even with significant symbolic action or "victory," on one side. More terrifying yet is the notion that all this horror and carnage is bubbling just below the surface of our current society, waiting to make this film all too real.

Civil War will not be an easy film to engage with, but it is an important one to consider.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Fallout TV Series Review

Here's what ComicBook gaming editor Tanner Dedmon said in his Fallout TV series review:

Even where the Fallout show slips on occasion with an unneeded kiss or a questionable encounter, time and time again, I kept marveling at how authentic the world felt. The original story told in Fallout is paramount to this trait since it lets us focus on the characters, world, and narrative rather than getting hung up on shot-for-shot remakes of key moments. Fallout is technically canon, according to Bethesda's Todd Howard, so it'll be under the microscope for nitpicking and "well actually" moments, but even when the show takes leaps to expand on the world, it always feels deserved.

Rating: 4.5/5

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Paramount+ has renewed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds for Season 4 and confirmed that Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 will be the last season of the animated comedy. Star Trek Strange New Worlds, the live-action Star Trek: Discovery spinoff that serves as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, is now filming its third season in Toronto to debut on Paramount+ in 2025. In a statement, co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers and executive producer Alex Kurtzman said, "On behalf of the cast and crew of 'Strange New Worlds' we are thrilled and grateful to continue our voyages together. We can't wait for you to join us and the crew of the Enterprise on another season of exploration and adventure."

Star Trek: Lower Decks' fifth and final season will debut on Paramount+ in the fall. Kurtzman, an executive producer on the series, and creator Mike McMahan released the following statement: "We wanted to let you know that this fall will be the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. While five seasons of any series these days seems like a miracle, it's no exaggeration to say that every second we've spent making this show has been a dream come true. Our incredible cast, crew and artists have given you everything they have because they love the characters they play, they love the world we've built, and more than anything we all love love love Star Trek. We're excited for the world to see our hilarious fifth season which we're working on right now, and the good news is that all previous episodes will remain on Paramount+ so there is still so much to look forward to as we celebrate the Cerritos crew with a big send-off.

"Finally, thank you for always being so creative and joyful, for filling convention halls and chanting LOWER DECKS!" We remain hopeful that even beyond season five, Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, Rutherford and the whole Cerritos crew will live on with new adventures."

This news comes as Star Trek: Discovery, the series that launched the streaming era of Star Trek television, is airing its fifth and final season. Previously, Paramount+ canceled Star Trek: Prodigy, the first animated Star Trek series aimed at children, despite its second season being in production, and removed the show's released episodes from its library. Prodigy has since found a new home at Netflix, which will debut Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 later this year. Star Trek: Picard also concluded with its third season in 2023.

Paramount+ recently wrapped filming on its first straight-to-streaming Star Trek movie, Star Trek: Section 31, and is developing another Star Trek: Discovery spinoff, Starfleet Academy. ComicBook.com had the opportunity to speak to Kurtzman, who oversees the Star Trek television franchise, about the future of the franchise as its first wave of streaming shows begin coming to their end.

"I think that contrary to what some people think, we're not really in the volume business," Kurtzman said. "It's not about turning out lots of shows, it's about turning out shows that mean something. So for me, I think I'm looking for every show to be different than the one that came before it. That's really the only thing that matters. I'm not looking at this as, 'Okay I'm planning out the next 20 years, what are we going to do?' I'm really thinking more, 'What's a story we haven't told, a crew we haven't met yet, and an adventure we haven't gone on?' That is really the qualification."

He added, "What I don't want is for you to feel like, 'Well, I don't really need to watch this show because I've already watched that show, so I've gotten my fill of Star Trek.' I want each show to feel individualized and specific. And a lot of that has to do with trusting different voices and different showrunners to come in and give their read on Star Trek, and tell their version of a story that's interesting to them. And that's the way you keep it fresh."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 3, "Jinaal" debuted on Paramount+ on Thursday, bringing a big change for Adira Tal. [SPOILERS for the episode follow.] For as long as they've been on Star Trek: Discovery, Adira has been involved with Gray Tal, a Trill who became a literal part of Adira after his death. Through some sci-fi shenanigans involving the synthetic golem body introduced in Star Trek: Picard, Gray got a new lease on life. He returned to Trill to train as a Guardian while Adira remained on Discovery. It seems distance has led Gray and Adira on different paths as the couple decided to call it quits, but remain friends, in "Jinaal." ComicBook.com had the opportunity to ask Blu del Barrio, who plays Adira, about the storytelling opportunities this opens up for Adira in the remainder of Discovery's final season.

"Without saying too much, I think they show a lot more initiative than they have in the past with their own path and with what they want to do, and I think putting themselves, maybe not first but a little bit higher on the list, which is a huge change for them," del Barrio says. And I think that the rest of the season is time that they are able to be a bit more introspective and actually think about, "What do I want? What is going to make me feel better? What do I want my path to look like?" We've usually seen them much more externally focused on other people and how other people are perceiving them. So this is, I think it's just a big growing moment for them."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 on Paramount+

According to Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's official synopsis, the season "finds Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's recurring guest stars include Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

CBS Studios produces Star Trek: Discovery in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth are executive producers. Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise are co-showrunners.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 debut weekly on Thursdays on Paramount+.

The next theatrically-released Star Trek movie is set to begin filming this fall, with plans to debut in 2025. Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins announced the news during Thursday's Paramount Pictures CinemaCon panel. While the studio is developing multiple Star Trek films, the next to begin shooting is the origin story movie with Toby Haynes directing. The movie is said to be set decades before 2009's Star Trek movie, which created the splinter timeline. in which the sequels Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond also take place. This raises some questions about the exact nature of the film's plot, but Paramount is keeping those details secret for now.

Seth Grahame-Smith, who worked on Star Trek Beyond, is writing the new Star Trek movie's script. Haynes rose to prominence with his work on sci-fi television shows like Doctor Who, Black Mirror, and the Star Wars series Andor.

What about Star Trek 4?

Star Trek 4 is still also in development as the final chapter of the Star Trek reboot saga with the Enterprise crew played by Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, and John Cho (and, previously, the late Anton Yelchin). That film hasn't yet found a director to replace Matt Shakman, who was attached before departing to direct Marvel's Fantastic Four reboot.

"I had a great time working on 'Star Trek' for a little over a year, working closely with J.J. Abrams and everyone at Paramount, and I love that franchise, and I love that cast that J.J. put together, and it would have been an unbelievable pleasure to work with them on the fourth installment there," Shakman said during an interview with The Wrap. "But movies have different journeys and momentums and schedules are a little bit mercurial, and so when the 'Fantastic Four' opportunity came up, it was just too hard to pass up, and to go back home to Marvel, a place that I worked on 'WandaVision' at, with those people who are wonderful collaborators. It's really a family there and to be able to go back and tackle something that I truly love, and they're very similar in some ways: they both were launched in the '60s at the same time, they're both about optimism and looking to the stars and technology can solve everything and they're about family too -- the family you have, the family you make. So they're aligned in many ways and speak to my heart and equally, so I'm excited to be working on 'Fantastic Four.'"

Lyndsey Anderson Beer, one of the film's writers, also departed the project to focus on another film, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. "I wrote a couple drafts of that before I had to leave for Pet Sematary. And it was originally, the seed of the idea came from J.J. himself, who's such a creatively generous person, and it was amazing collaborating with him," Anderson Beer shared with ComicBook.com of leaving Star Trek 4. "And it was very sad to leave our Zoom sessions to focus on [Pet Sematary: Bloodlines], but this was my baby, so I had to prioritize."

Paramount+ is also producing its own straight-to-streaming Star Trek movies. The first, Star Trek: Section 31, recently wrapped filming.

Star Trek: Discovery released the third episode of its fifth and final season today, "Jinaal," which sees the USS Discovery crew returning to the planet Trill in pursuit of the Progenitor technology related to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Chase." To get the next clue to continue the quest, Dr. Hugh Culber has to allow himself to become possessed by the memories and personalities of a long-dead Trill host, which gives Star Trek: Discovery star Wilson Cruz, who plays Culber, the chance to inhabit an entirely different character. ComicBook.com had the opportunity to talk to Cruz about the change in character ahead of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's premiere.

"I will not lie and say that it wasn't nerve-wracking," Cruz admits. "You know, they hand you a script two weeks before and you read it and you go, 'Ohm I have questions,' and literally the answer to my questions were all, 'Whatever you want," you know, "Whoever you want him to be. I love parameters and there were none. That could also be very freeing, and so it took me a minute to kind of develop this guy and just pray that it was the right thing."

Cruz continues, "Thank God for Sonequa and for David because they kind of cheerleadered me on and they were like, 'Yes, keep going, keep going.' But I've seen it and I'm really happy with it. I'm not going to lie and say that I didn't watch it like this, hoping and praying that it all worked out, but I'm really proud of the work on that one. I really am. I'm really, really proud of it."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 on Paramount+

According to Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's official synopsis, the season "finds Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's recurring guest stars include Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 debut weekly on Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery returned last week with its two-episode Season 5 premiere on Paramount+, and though there were hints at a connection to Star Trek: The Next Generation ahead of the premiere, many fans were surprised by references to the TNG Season 6 episode "The Chase." Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's plot is a sequel to that Next Generation episode as Captain Michael Burnham and the USS Discovery crew race to acquire the technology of the so-called Progenitors, the ancient aliens whose DNA seeded all humanoid life in the galaxy. ComicBook.com spoke with Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Michelle Paradise - who also wrote the Season 5 premiere episode, "Red Directive" - about how "The Chase" entered into the Star Trek: Discovery conversation.

"Someone brought it up in the room," Paradise says. "It was an episode that had kind of stuck with me just because it explores such big ideas and then at the end, they just kind of, they move on and I had so many questions at the end of that episode and of course, in the episode, they're not named Progenitors, we named them that and we were actually wondering back in season four, if they should be part of that season. and then as the story continued in season four with the 10-C, it just became too much to include them. But the idea of the progenitors and what that meant and the kinds of questions that we were all asking sort of stuck with us. And so when we came into Season 5, knowing that we wanted kind of an action-adventure season, we returned to that idea of how life was seeded in the galaxy and what that might have been like and who did it and how and all of that and it then became the core of our adventure."

Star Trek: Discovery will end with its fifth season, which Paradise and the rest of the show's cast and crew did not learn until after they'd completed production. Despite that, Paradise believes they'd have stuck to following up on "The Chase" even if they had known Discovery's fifth season would be its last.

"You know, we've actually had that conversation that, of all the seasons, this one does feel like the most fitting," Paradise says. "I think we would have, even in retrospect, there's nothing we've talked about that we would have done differently if we had known that it was the last season. And certainly, in terms of the questions it raises, the journeys that our heroes are on in terms of searching for meaning and finding out more about themselves and growth, all of that naturally comes up when you're talking about life itself if you will. I think we probably would have gone that same direction."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 on Paramount+

According to Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's official synopsis, the season "finds Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's recurring guest stars include Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 debut weekly on Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery's long-awaited fifth season finally debuted this week on Paramount+, and it marks the beginning of the end for the series. ComicBook.com recently had the chance to chat with some of the show's cast, and they opened up about saying goodbye to their characters in the final season. Doug Jones (Saru) revealed how he said farewell to the character he began playing in 2017, and it involves an iconic song...

"Oh yeah," Jones said when asked if he was able to keep any part of Saru after the show finished filming. "I wasn't gonna let that go. Yeah. My final time taking Saru off, I did not cut him up and throw him across the room at all," he added, referencing the famous story of Ren? Auberjonois throwing his Odo mask at the showrunner at the end of Deep Space Nine. "I held him on my hand and we were playing a Whitney Houston song and I sang 'I Will Always Love You' to him and somebody was recording it. So I hope that's out there somewhere."

What Is The Final Season of Star Trek: Discovery About?

Star Trek: Discovery premiered on Thursday, April 4th on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the show's final 10-episode season were released at the same time, and will be followed by weekly episode drops on Thursdays. You can read a description of the season below:

"The fifth and final season will find Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

In addition to Sonequa Martin-Green as Captain Michael Burnham, the Season 5 cast includes Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Season five also features recurring guest stars Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

Martin-Green recently teased that, "There's a big thing. A biiiig thing in Season 5." She added that there will be "a great sense of adventure and fun. It's a bit of a tonal shift that I think people will enjoy."

"I can hardly believe that this mind-blowing journey with Star Trek: Discovery is ending," Martin-Green said in a statement released when Paramount+ confirmed Star Trek: Discovery would end with its fifth season. "I'm astoundingly blessed by God to have played Captain Michael Burnham and to have taken part in a legacy alongside an extraordinary cast, phenomenal crew and remarkable writing team. To our most supportive partners at CBS Studios and Paramount+, who insisted on making television history, I'm deeply grateful."

Stay tuned for more updates about Star Trek: Discovery.

Barbara "Bobbie" Chase, a prolific comic book writer and editor, is officially retiring from comics. The news arrived on Monday via a report from Bleeding Cool, which claims that Chase has no longer been working in the industry as of January 2024. The outlet also reports that Chase has started working on a tell-all memoir about her career, particularly about her time at Marvel Comics. Chase began working for Marvel in 1985 when she was hired for the publisher's Special Projects Departments, going on to become an editor at the company and later its first Editor-in-Chief.

A year after being hired by Marvel, Chase was promoted to editor, working on the company's wave of G.I. Joe titles. She then took over as editor for The Incredible Hulk in 1988, ultimately holding the role for ten years. She also edited John Byrne's Sensational She-Hulk series, and Byrne claims she led to his departure from the book. In subsequent years, Chase helped relaunch Ghost Rider and Doctor Strange as ongoing titles.

By 1994, Chase was promoted to Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Edge, the imprint publishing edgier and teen-oriented titles. While the Marvel Edge imprint only lasted for a single year, it included titles like Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, Ghost Rider, Incredible Hulk, and Punisher. In 1995, Chase was promoted to Marvel Entertainment's Executive Editor. Her later work at Marvel included the Star Trek titles, Heroes Return, Iron Man, and Fantastic Four. She remained in the role until 2001, briefly moving into children's publishing.

In 2011, Chase began operating as the senior editor of DC's Batman titles, overseeing books such as Nightwing, Batgirl, and Teen Titans. She was then promoted to DC's Editorial Director a year later, and Vice President of Talent Development in 2015. She was laid off from DC in 2020, and went on to become the Executive Editor and Webtoon Unscrolled, the print arm of the hit webcomic company. Just days before the news of her retirement was made public, Chase made headlines for revealing that, going forward, Roy Thomas will be credited among the co-creators of Wolverine.

"Even if Roy could have contributed as much to the character as Len - should he get the credit?" Chase's post on the subject reads in part. "Does contributing a name and a country of origin mean he deserves a percentage of the creator equity, when he was on staff at the company? Does Marvel now deserve a split, as they would then be co-creators, having hired the editor now taking credit? Marvel is the character's owner, in this particular case and in most cases, 100%. Character equity in no way implies that creators own any part of a character."

What do you think of Bobbie Chase retiring from comics? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

For the first time in a few years, the future of the Star Trek franchise isn't as clear as it has been in recent memory. Though Paramount has a Section 31 film in the works and has hired a new writer for Star Trek 4, a lot of the other projects that once had significant steam behind them have seemingly fizzled. While Patrick Stewart returned for three seasons as Jean-Luc Picard in a self-titled series, fans were hoping to see more of the beloved character and actor.

Count writer Alex Kurtzman, the current architect of all things Star Trek, amongst those who'd like to see Stewart return. Unfortunately for fans and Kurtzman alike, the writer says he doesn't have the power to greenlight a potential Picard followup.

"If I had a magic button, a magic 'greenlight button,' for Star Trek: Legacy, and it was all on me, I'd push that button today," Kurtzman said in a new chat with Den of Geek. "Right now, it's beyond my paygrade."

According to CBS president George Cheeks, however, it's possible a Picard sequel could soon arrive--it's just a matter of he and Kurtzman agreeing on a plan moving forward.

"Star Trek remains one of the most important franchises for Paramount Global, and Paramount+ specifically," Cheeks told Vulture earlier this month. "There's so much great opportunity with the franchise, and it's really about the cadence and the timeline of it. We don't want to offer up all these amazing premium drama series at once. We want to time it out appropriately. Luckily, we have this incredible partner in Alex Kurtzman, and we all work together to sort of manage long-range planning across many years, to figure out what's the right cadence for dropping new Star Trek series. So there's a lot we're focused on, but it should not suggest to you [a scaling back]. There is a tremendous amount of focus and prioritizing of the Star Trek franchise."

All three seasons of Picard are now streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 premieres on Paramount+ this week, and to the surprise of the show's cast it turns out it will also be the Final Season of Discovery.

ComicBook.com got to speak with the stars of Star Trek: Discovery during the show's final press day event, and we had to know if they were truly able to reach some kind of resolution with their characters - given that they finished filming Season 5 expecting that there would be more to come.

Discovery cast members Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber) and Mary Wiseman (Lt. Sylvia Tilly) had a pretty hopeful take to share with Star Trek fans; without dropping spoilers, the two actors each eluded to the idea that the ending of Season 5 left the crew of Discovery in new or reaffirmed status quos that also served as fitting endings to their entire arcs.

"I'm pleasantly surprised, given that we didn't know it was ending," Wiseman explained. "With where everything ended up it kind of feels like everybody already had ended up in a good place. Where they were okay with themselves and on the right path.

"Yeah I feel like when we last see Hugh in this season, he has... fulfilled that arc of someone who has been given a second chance at life and has to grow into the best version of Hisself - but is also still so in awe of life itself," Cruz said in his answer. "I think that's a beautiful place for him to be when we last see him, since he's been through so much... There's a level of acceptance and awe in him at the end."

When ComicBook sat down with Star Trek: Discovery star Sonequa Martin-Green, we had to ask her the same question. Martin-Green admitted to the bittersweet nature of having things end for the cast - while also echoing her co-stars' affirmation that things managed to end in the right place.

"Well, I tell you, bittersweet, you know? We were shocked, but then, there was something about Season 5, as we were shooting, that felt conclusive, even though we had no idea. And I'm so grateful for it now. A lot of us are. Because as you'll see, as everyone will see, everything really shapes up, it has such an arc to it," Martin-Green explained. "It's so culminating for all the characters and for the story at large. So, it was bittersweet in that we're just grateful that we were able to do this together, and we'll always have it. We'll always have Discovery, and then the bitter part goes without saying, right?"

It stands to reason that the makers of Star Trek: Discovery looked at the Season 5 storyline and made the decision that it served as a better series ending than what they would get to in sixth season. So long as fans end up feeling the same way by the end, then Discovery can go out on a high note.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 will stream new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery's long-awaited fifth season is finally debuting next month on Paramount+, and it was previously announced that the upcoming season would be the show's last. The series follows Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery. In honor of the show's return, ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with Martin-Green, who shared her thoughts on the show's "bittersweet" ending.

"Oh, my gosh," Martin-Green replied, reacting to the fact that Season 5 was already filmed when they found out it would be the last one. "Well, I tell you, bittersweet, you know? We were shocked, but then, there was something about Season 5, as we were shooting, that felt conclusive, even though we had no idea. And I'm so grateful for it now. A lot of us are."

"Because as you'll see, as everyone will see, everything really shapes up, it has such an arc to it," she continued. "It's so culminating for all the characters and for the story at large. So, it was bittersweet in that we're just grateful that we were able to do this together, and we'll always have it. We'll always have Discovery, and then the bitter part goes without saying, right?"

You can watch our interview with Martin-Green at the top of the page.

When Does Star Trek: Discovery Return?

Star Trek: Discovery is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, April 4th on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the show's final 10-episode season will be released at the same time followed by weekly episode drops on Thursdays. You can read a description of the season below:

"The fifth and final season will find Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

In addition to Martin-Green, the Season 5 cast includes Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Season five also features recurring guest stars Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

Martin-Green recently teased that, "There's a big thing. A biiiig thing in Season 5." She added that there will be "a great sense of adventure and fun. It's a bit of a tonal shift that I think people will enjoy."

"I can hardly believe that this mind-blowing journey with Star Trek: Discovery is ending," Martin-Green said in a statement released when Paramount+ confirmed Star Trek: Discovery would end with its fifth season. "I'm astoundingly blessed by God to have played Captain Michael Burnham and to have taken part in a legacy alongside an extraordinary cast, phenomenal crew and remarkable writing team. To our most supportive partners at CBS Studios and Paramount+, who insisted on making television history, I'm deeply grateful."

Stay tuned for more updates about Star Trek: Discovery.

The ComicBook Nation Crew reviews Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, X-Men '97's Cable-focused third episode, and the epic new episode of Invincible!

PLUS: We break down the debut of the Marvel Rivals video game, Netflix's 3 Body Problem, Shogun, and more! And it wouldn't be our show without some Scream 7 BREAKING NEWS hitting in the middle of things!

Godzilla x Kong Review

ComicBook's Spencer Perry reviewed Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, giving it a respectable 3.5 out of 5 stars:

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the movie that fans have thought they wanted for the past 10 years. Monster fights and IMAX-sized visuals are delivered to a dizzying degree, while the handful of characters who are present are largely around to just spout off NPC-level dialogue so that you're totally aware of why something is about to happen or why someone is about to show up. You're not going to remember the moments where a human said a dumb line for two seconds since you just saw a giant lizard suplex a giant ape into the sand, which is what the movie itself is more invested in.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Star Trek architect Alex Kurtzman gives some clues to the future of the franchise following the conclusion of Star Trek: Discovery. It's a pretty good time to be a fan of Star Trek, especially if you're a Paramount+ subscriber. Picard has come and gone, and Star Trek: Discovery is gearing up for its final season next month. There's even more content in the pipeline, and it's all being overseen by Alex Kurtzman. Star Trek's future on TV and streaming is looking bright, but some fans will wonder what the future holds, especially after Star Trek: Discovery ends with its fifth season. Luckily, we talked to the man himself to see what Team Star Trek has cooking.

ComicBook.com spoke to executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise ahead of the Season 5 premiere of Star Trek: Discovery. Kurtzman was asked a big-picture question regarding the ends of Picard and Star Trek: Discovery, which kicked off this new era of Star Trek, and if we're heading into a new phase of Star Trek storytelling.

"I think that contrary to what some people think, we're not really in the volume business," Kurtzman said. "It's not about turning out lots of shows, it's about turning out shows that mean something. So for me, I think I'm looking for every show to be different than the one that came before it. That's really the only thing that matters. I'm not looking at this as, 'Okay I'm planning out the next 20 years, what are we going to do?' I'm really thinking more, 'What's a story we haven't told, a crew we haven't met yet, and an adventure we haven't gone on?' That is really the qualification."

He added, "What I don't want is for you to feel like, 'Well, I don't really need to watch this show because I've already watched that show, so I've gotten my fill of Star Trek.' I want each show to feel individualized and specific. And a lot of that has to do with trusting different voices and different showrunners to come in and give their read on Star Trek, and tell their version of a story that's interesting to them. And that's the way you keep it fresh."

What the future of Star Trek looks like

Alex Kurtzman then began to tease some of the Star Trek projects already in development and production. "I'm really excited about the things that are upcoming. We're in the middle of shooting Section 31 with Michelle Yeoh right now. We start Starfleet Academy in the late summer. Everything is feeling different and special. There's some more coming up behind it that I'm really excited about. For me, it's about continuing to feel fresh."

Variety published a big report about all the Star Trek projects coming to Paramount+ soon. In their writing, fans got some confirmation of the 32nd-century setting for Starfleet Academy. Producer Alex Kurtzman talked about he challenges of setting the series all the way in the future. There were some comments from production designer Matthew Davies about working to develop the design language for the Starfleet Academy show. They have a ton of space up there in Pinewood Toronto, so they were able to really reach for the stars.

Star Trek: Discovery is returning for its fifth and final season, and series star Sonequa Martin-Green definitely has ideas on what she hopes the legacy will be for her Star Trek captain, Michael Burnham.

ComicBook.com had a chance to attend the press junket for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, what about Michael Burnham she hopes sticks with Star Trek fans after Discovery:

"Oh my goodness... Oh my goodness. Well, it's so hard for me to say, right? I feel like that comes over time. I think when people look back on it, is when that really becomes clear. But I hope that, first of all, just being this black female captain, I hope that's part of it."

Michael Burnham making history as Star Trek's first female captain of color was certainly a milestone, but those optics aren't the only thing that Martin-Green wants her character to be remembered for. More than anything, she wants Burnham to be remembered as the captain who drew out the best in her crew, while always standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them:

"I hope [Burnham's legacy] it's all about the inside-out leadership," Martin-Green explained. "Of course, we've seen matriarchal leadership in the franchise before, of course, with the brilliant Kate Mulgrew [who played Captian Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager]; I hope the legacy is the inside-out leadership, and bringing the best out of everyone, while being in the trenches with everyone."

Finally, Sonquea Martin-Green hopes that with time and perspective, Star Trek fans will see Burnham as a collective composite of the Star Trek captain that appeared onscreen before her:

"I also hope - and maybe I shouldn't say this but I'm about to anyway - I hope that there's a little bit of all the captains; I hope that you can see a little bit of all of them in Burnham. Burnham is very much herself, and one-of-a-kind, but I hope that you can see that there is a little bit of all of them in there, too... I don't know, I really can't say! As me again in three years!... Give me a little time to think about it."

Of course, all this talk about Michael Burnham's legacy comes before we even have a chance to see how her arc in Star Trek: Discovery ends. So, as Martin-Green said, we'll need some time before the answer fully comes into focus.

What Is Star Trek: Season 5 About?

"The fifth and final season will find Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

The season five cast members include Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Season five also features recurring guest stars Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

Star Trek: Discovery is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, April 4th on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the show's final 10-episode season will be released at the same time followed by weekly episode drops on Thursdays.

The Star Trek franchise continues to grow with the addition of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and the new series is gearing up for filming. Star Trek received a breath of fresh air on Paramount+, with Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Picard, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds all finding success. Even more content is on the way, most notably in the form of a young adult series titled Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. What sets Starfleet Academy apart from its predecessors is it takes place in the 32nd century, meaning it shouldn't have to worry about continuity as much. Now, we have an idea of when Starfleet Academy production kicks off.

Variety reports production on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will begin this summer, with the show sporting "the largest single set ever created for Star Trek on TV." A description of the series states Starfleet Academy "will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy." The newest season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is currently in production, and Michelle Yeoh's Section 31 movie has wrapped filming, so there's a lot for Star Trek fans to look forward to.

"Admission is now open to Starfleet Academy! Explore the galaxy! Captain your destiny! For the first time in over a century, our campus will be re-opened to admit individuals a minimum of 16 Earth years (or species equivalent) who dream of exceeding their physical, mental and spiritual limits, who value friendship, camaraderie, honor and devotion to a cause greater than themselves," a statement from Starfleet Academy showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau reads when the series was officially announced. "The coursework will be rigorous, the instructors among the brightest lights in their respective fields, and those accepted will live and study side-by-side with the most diverse population of students ever admitted. Today we encourage all who share our dreams, goals and values to join a new generation of visionary cadets as they take their first steps toward creating a bright future for us all. Apply today! Ex Astris, Scientia!"

Star Trek 4 gets a new writer

Steve Yockey is being tapped to write the untitled Star Trek 4 for Paramount. Yockey was one of the creatives behind the hit Max series The Flight Attendant for HBO, back when Max was simply known by HBO Max. Yockey's resume also includes MTV's Awkward and Scream, and The CW's Supernatural. One of his next projects is the upcoming Netflix series Dead Boy Detectives, based on the DC comic of the same name that's a spinoff of The Sandman.

The sequel to 2016's Star Trek Beyond thought it found its creative team in the form of director Matt Shakman (WandaVision), and screenwriters Lindsey Beer (Sierra Burgess Is a Loser) and Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel). However, Shakman stepped down to direct Marvel Studio's reboot of the Fantastic Four, causing Paramount to pull Star Trek 4 from its release schedule.

The Star Trek Universe is continuing to soar to new heights, with a number of significant stories being told in movies, television, and beyond. The franchise is now branching out into TV movies, beginning with the long-awaited Star Trek: Section 31 led by Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh. Before Section 31 even makes its debut on Paramount+, those involved with the franchise are already hinting at what installments could be in the pipeline. According to a new report from Variety, Yeoh has confirmed that she wants to do a sequel to Section 31 if the first film is successful. Additionally, Star Trek Universe head Alex Kurtzman is reportedly already exploring more TV movie opportunities, which could include a possible Picard follow-up.

These TV movie projects would join a new prequel movie that is in the works, written by Just Beyond's Seth Grahame-Smith and directed by Star Wars: Andor's Toby Haynes, as well as Star Trek 4, which is reportedly being written by The Flight Attendant's Steve Yockey.

What Is Section 31 About?

In Star Trek: Section 31, Emperor Philippa Georgiou joins Section 31, a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets, and must face the sins of her past. Star Trek: Section 31 is directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi with a script from Craig Sweeny. The cast of the film also includes Omari Hardwick, Kacey Rohl, Sam Richardson, Sven Ruygrok, Robert Kazinsky, Humberly Gonzalez, and James Hiroyuki Liao.

"You cannot create new fans to the exclusion of old fans," Kurtzman explained. "You must serve your primary fan base first and you must keep them happy. That is one of the most important steps to building new fans."

"It was always my goal to deliver an entertaining experience that is true to the universe but appeals to newcomers," Section 31 screenwriter Craig Sweeny added. "I wanted a low barrier of entry so that anybody could enjoy it."

Is Star Trek 4 in the Works?

The long-awaited Star Trek 4, which would reunite the cast of the "Kelvin timeline" of Bad Robot's movies including Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldana, is reportedly still in the works as well and remains in active development. This comes after Pine told ComicBook.com late last year that he had not heard of any updates on the film. Star Trek 4 has been in the works for several years now, with the previous versions of the script from Josh Friedman and Cameron Squires, working off of a draft from Lindsey Anderson Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet.

"I wrote a couple drafts of that before I had to leave for Pet Sematary. And it was originally, the seed of the idea came from J.J. himself, who's such a creatively generous person, and it was amazing collaborating with him," Anderson Beer shared with ComicBook.com of leaving Star Trek 4. "And it was very sad to leave our Zoom sessions to focus on [Pet Sematary: Bloodlines], but this was my baby, so I had to prioritize."

Would you want to see a Star Trek: Section 31 sequel or a Star Trek: Picard spinoff movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

At least one more familiar face has joined the cast of Star Trek: Section 31. Rachel Garrett, a Starfleet captain who appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation (played by Tricia O'Neil), will be involved in the story of Section 31. Given the film exists in the Star Trek timeline years before The Next Generation, a younger version of the character will be played by Kacey Rohl.

"It was always my goal to deliver an entertaining experience that is true to the universe but appeals to newcomers," Section 31 screenwriter Craig Sweeny said in an extensive new profile by Variety. "I wanted a low barrier of entry so that anybody could enjoy it."

According to the filmmakers behind the show, they wanted to bring back some characters longtime fans of the show already know. If newer fans don't know them, however, they won't be missing out on anything major.

"You cannot create new fans to the exclusion of old fans," Star Trek franchise boss Alex Kurtzman added. "You must serve your primary fan base first and you must keep them happy. That is one of the most important steps to building new fans."

Elsewhere in the profile, Sweeny added that Section 31 is a bit darker than previous Star Trek releases, something that should create balance between the franchise's previous releases.

"Famously, there's a spot for everybody in Roddenberry's utopia, so I was like, 'Well, who would be the people who don't quite fit in?'" Sweeney said. "I didn't want to make the John le Carr? version, where you're in the headquarters and it's backbiting and shades of gray. I wanted to do the people who were at the edges, out in the field. These are not people who necessarily work together the way you would see on a 'Star Trek' bridge."

Olatunde Osunsanmi is directing Star Trek: Section 31 from a screenplay by Craig Sweeny. Kurtzman, Sweeny, Aaron Baiers, Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, and Yeoh are executive producers. CBS Studios, in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, is producing Star Trek: Section 31.

Star Trek: Section 31 will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and in all international markets where the service is available.

Star Trek fans now know when the Starfleet Academy series is set and which timeline the show is a part of. Variety published a big report about all the Star Trek projects coming to Paramount+ soon. In their writing, fans got some confirmation of the 32nd century setting for Starfleet Academy. Producer Alex Kurtzman talked about he challenges of setting the series all the way in the future. There were some comments from production designer Matthew Davies about working to develop the design language for the Starfleet Academy show. They have a ton of space up there in Pinewood Toronto, so they were able to really reach for the stars.

When faced with some early design choices, Kurtzman said "For me, this design is almost too Klingon I want to see the outline and instinctively, on a blink, recognize it as a Federation ship." Back in Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery, fans were introduced to the 32nd Century as a part of Michael Burnham's madcap adventures through time and the multiverse during the early periods of Discovery. Burnham actress Sonequa Martin-Green looks back on the period fondly. "It was exciting, because every time we would make a decision, we would say, 'And now that's canon," she recalled.

What's Going On With Section 31's Movie?

Well, it's been a busy week for Star Trek: Section 31. Robert Kazinsky shared that the movie had concluded filming on social media. The actor took the time to write the cast and crew a very lovely message thanking them for all their hard work. For those who might not be aware, Paramount+ will be the home of Section 31 when it begins streaming. Original Star Trek movies are a first for the streaming platform. Director Olatunde Osunsanmi received some praise and franchise star Michelle Yeoh cannot wait to get started.

"And so ends one of the greatest experiences of my life. They say never meet your heroes, but I'm glad I did," Kazinsky wrote on Instagram. "I have few bigger heroes in my heart than Star Trek and for the first time in my life a hero exceeded my wildest hope."

The actor added, "From day one this was special, not just to me but to everyone here. Olatunde Osunsanmi is the finest Captain I've sailed under leading a cast the likes of which I've never experienced before. @michelleyeoh_official @omarihardwickofficial @thesamrichardson @svenruygrok @kaceykadoodles @humberly @joe.pingue @augustobitter @miku.martineau James Liao and many others."

"These guys will blow the world of @startrek off its hinges with the kind of chemistry and camaraderie you only dream of. The endless laughter support and love every single second of every day is something I'll carry with me forever," he continued. "As someone who has been watching a Star Trek show my entire life, who restarts as soon as I finish like so many others I know, to be a small part of that giant constellation is the fulfilment of a hope that I felt the first time I ever heard the words 'Space, the Final Frontier' I hope you guys like what we made for you. As a die hard Trekker I think you'll love it."

Are you excited for Starfleet Academy? Let us know down in the comments!

Star Trek: Section 31 has released a first look image, signaling that Michelle Yeoh's upcoming Star Trek movie is indeed done filming and is awaiting release.

The image shows Michelle Yeah as her Star Trek: Discovery character, Empress Philippa Georgiou. Georgiou came from an alternate reality (The "Terran Empire Universe"), where Earth and Starfleet became a brutal interstellar empire bred on a 'Survival of the Fitness' mantra. Georgiou's encounter with the Discovery crew led to her coming back to the Star Trek prime universe, replacing her counterpart who had died. Georgiou joined Section 31 in the 23rd century, but a subsequent encounter with the Discovery crew brought her to the 32nd Century with that ship's crew. Being in the wrong time perio and wrong timeline started to make Georgiou unravel, so she had to leave Discovery and return to the 23rd century, where this Section 31 movie will pick up her story.

"We'd never let go of her," Michelle Yeoh said to Variety about doing the film. "I was just blown away by all the different things I could do with her. Honestly, it was like, 'Let's just get it done, because I believe in this.'"

Star Trek: Section 31 will be the first of Star Trek's new line of TV movies, which hope to open new lane of Star Trek Universe projects (on Paramount+) that can be produced in quicker turnaround than TV seraons, while highlighting premium characters and/or events that will allow both new and seasoned viewers to enjoy the franchise.

"You cannot create new fans to the exclusion of old fans," Star Trek Universe head Alex Kurtzman explained. "You must serve your primary fan base first and you must keep them happy. That is one of the most important steps to building new fans."

"It was always my goal to deliver an entertaining experience that is true to the universe but appeals to newcomers," Section 31 screenwriter Craig Sweeny added. "I wanted a low barrier of entry so that anybody could enjoy it."

What Is Star Trek: Section 31 About?

Craig Sweeny went on to explain that Star Trek: Section 31 (following Starfleet's shady black-ops unit) may be a risk for a franchise built on utopian ideals, but it also offers a unique new form of Star Trek Universe storytelling:

"Famously, there's a spot for everybody in Roddenberry's utopia, so I was like, 'Well, who would be the people who don't quite fit in?'" Sweeney said. "I didn't want to make the John le Carr? version, where you're in the headquarters and it's backbiting and shades of gray. I wanted to do the people who were at the edges, out in the field. These are not people who necessarily work together the way you would see on a 'Star Trek' bridge."

Olatunde Osunsanmi is directing Star Trek: Section 31 from a screenplay by Craig Sweeny. Kurtzman, Sweeny, Aaron Baiers, Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, and Yeoh are executive producers. CBS Studios, in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, is producing Star Trek: Section 31.

Star Trek: Section 31 will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and in all international markets where the service is available.

The co-creator of a hit HBO series is penning the next installment of Star Trek. It's been a journey for Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot Productions to find someone to write Star Trek 4, cycling through a couple of different options. The sequel to 2016's Star Trek Beyond thought it found its creative team in the form of director Matt Shakman (WandaVision), and screenwriters Lindsey Beer (Sierra Burgess Is a Loser) and Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel). However, Shakman stepped down to direct Marvel Studio's reboot of the Fantastic Four, causing Paramount to pull Star Trek 4 from its release schedule. Now, a new writer for Star Trek 4 has been found.

Variety reports Steve Yockey is being tapped to write the untitled Star Trek 4 for Paramount. Yockey was one of the creatives behind the hit Max series The Flight Attendant for HBO, back when Max was simply known by HBO Max. Yockey's resume also includes MTV's Awkward and Scream, and The CW's Supernatural. One of his next projects is the upcoming Netflix series Dead Boy Detectives, based on the DC comic of the same name that's a spinoff of The Sandman.

Stark Trek 4 billed as final chapter of trilogy

Along with Star Trek 4 being back on the table, another Star Trek reboot is also in the works. This new Star Trek is reportedly an origin story for the fabled franchise, but fans still want to see a continuation of the Star Trek featuring Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, and Zachary Quinto. Star Trek 4 is being referred to as "the final chapter" in the series, meaning one last ride for the cast of the rebooted Star Trek series.

"I wrote a couple drafts of that before I had to leave for Pet Sematary. And it was originally, the seed of the idea came from J.J. himself, who's such a creatively generous person, and it was amazing collaborating with him," Lindsey Beer previously shared with ComicBook.com about Star Trek 4. "And it was very sad to leave our Zoom sessions to focus on [Pet Sematary: Bloodlines], but this was my baby, so I had to prioritize."

Hopefully, with Steve Yockey attached to Star Trek 4, the cast can be reassembled for one final sendoff.

Star Trek legend William Shatner turned 93 this week, and the actor has been busy reflecting on his life and career. Shatner originally played Captain Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series in 1966 and went on to star in various projects in the franchise throughout his career. Of course, some of the movies and television shows in the franchise have been better received than others. In fact, Shatner recently revealed Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was the biggest regret of his career. The film was released in 1989 and was poorly received by critics and audiences alike. The film is currently up on Rotten Tomatoes with a 21% critics score and a 24% audience score. Not only did Shatner star in the film, but he also directed it.

"I wish that I'd had the backing and the courage to do the things I felt I needed to do," Shatner explained to The Hollywood Reporter. "My concept was, 'Star Trek goes in search of God,' and management said, 'Well, who's God? We'll alienate the nonbeliever, so, no, we can't do God.' And then somebody said, 'What about an alien who thinks they're God?' Then it was a series of my inabilities to deal with the management and the budget. I failed. In my mind, I failed horribly. When I'm asked, 'What do you regret the most?,' I regret not being equipped emotionally to deal with a large motion picture. So in the absence of my power, the power vacuum filled with people that didn't make the decisions I would've made."

What's Next For Star Trek?

It's been nearly 60 years since Star Trek first debuted, and the franchise is still going strong. Star Trek: Discovery's long-awaited fifth and final season is finally coming back after a long hiatus. The show is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, April 4th on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the show's final 10-episode season will be released at the same time followed by weekly episode drops on Thursdays. You can read a description of the season below:

"The fifth and final season will find Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

It was also reported this week that Star Trek's latest movie just wrapped filming. Star Trek: Section 31 is also coming to Paramount+ and will star Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou, the character she originated in Star Trek: Discovery. In the film, film, Georgiou is "Tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets" but must "also face the sins of her past." The movie also stars Omari Hardwick (Power), Kacey Rohl (Hannibal), Emmy winner Sam Richardson (Ted Lasso), Sven Ruygrok (One Piece), Robert Kazinsky (Pacific Rim), Humberly Gonzalez (Ginny & Georgia) and James Hiroyuki Liao (Barry).

Stay tuned for more updates about Star Trek.

Star Trek's latest movie just wrapped filming. Actor Robert Kazinsky shared a post thanking everyone who worked on Star Trek: Section 31. Paramount+ will be playing host to the original Star Trek movie. That's a first for the streaming platform. Director Olatunde Osunsanmi gets a shout out in the post, along with star Michelle Yeoh. In fact, everyone gets a little bit of shine, including Miku Martineau, Joe Pingue and Augusto Bitter. Production on Section 31 has been going on since January of 2024. So, now begins the process of post-production. Check out the Instagram message down below!

"And so ends one of the greatest experiences of my life. They say never meet your heroes, but I'm glad I did," Kazinsky posted. "I have few bigger heroes in my heart than Star Trek and for the first time in my life a hero exceeded my wildest hope."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rob Kazinsky (@therobkazinsky)

The actor would continue, "From day one this was special, not just to me but to everyone here. Olatunde Osunsanmi is the finest Captain I've sailed under leading a cast the likes of which I've never experienced before. @michelleyeoh_official @omarihardwickofficial @thesamrichardson @svenruygrok @kaceykadoodles @humberly @joe.pingue @augustobitter @miku.martineau James Liao and many others."

"These guys will blow the world of @startrek off its hinges with the kind of chemistry and camaraderie you only dream of. The endless laughter support and love every single second of every day is something I'll carry with me forever," he added." As someone who has been watching a Star Trek show my entire life, who restarts as soon as I finish like so many others I know, to be a small part of that giant constellation is the fulfilment of a hope that I felt the first time I ever heard the words 'Space, the Final Frontier' I hope you guys like what we made for you. As a die hard Trekker I think you'll love it."

Michelle Yeoh Is Excited To Be Back

"I'm beyond thrilled to return to my Star Trek family and to the role I've loved for so long," Yeoh wrote in a statement back when the Star Trek: Section 31 movie was announced by Paramount+. "Section 31 has been near and dear to my heart since I began the journey of playing Philippa all the way back when this new golden age of Star Trek launched. To see her finally get her moment is a dream come true in a year that's shown me the incredible power of never giving up on your dreams. We can't wait to share what's in store for you, and until then: live long and prosper (unless Emperor Georgiou decrees otherwise)!"

Executive producer Alex Kurtzman chimed-in, "All the way back in 2017, before the first season of Star Trek: Discovery had even aired, Michelle had the idea to do a spin-off for her character, Philippa Georgiou. She broke new ground as one of the first two women on screen in the pilot to usher in a new age of Trek, and now, six years later, Star Trek: Section 31 finally arrives on the heels of her latest groundbreaking win. Everyone on Team Trek couldn't be more thrilled to have our legendary friend return home to us as we expand our storytelling into new and uncharted corners of the Trekverse. Long live Emperor Georgiou; long live Michelle Yeoh!"

Are you excited to see Section 31? Let us know down in the comments!

Star Trek: Discovery's long-awaited fifth and final season is finally debuting on Paramount+ next month after a long hiatus. The trailer for the upcoming episodes was released last month, and fans of the franchise have been eager to see more. Today, new posters were released in honor of the final season, and they're sure to get every fan of the series extra hyped.

"The final season of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY will be commemorated with five pieces of art, including the previously released key art, honoring the five seasons of the groundbreaking series that marked the return of STAR TREK to television. Four new pieces of art were released today, joining the art released in February, featuring the full cast," Paramount shared in a press release. "The greatest treasure in the known galaxy is out there. Are you ready?" they added on Instagram. You can view the five posters in the post below:

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When Does Star Trek: Discovery Return?

Star Trek: Discovery is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, April 4th on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the show's final 10-episode season will be released at the same time followed by weekly episode drops on Thursdays. You can read a description of the season below:

"The fifth and final season will find Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

The season five cast members include Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Season five also features recurring guest stars Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

Martin-Green recently teased that, "There's a big thing. A biiiig thing in Season 5." She added that there will be "a great sense of adventure and fun. It's a bit of a tonal shift that I think people will enjoy."

"I can hardly believe that this mind-blowing journey with Star Trek: Discovery is ending," Martin-Green said in a statement released when Paramount+ confirmed Star Trek: Discovery would end with its fifth season. "I'm astoundingly blessed by God to have played Captain Michael Burnham and to have taken part in a legacy alongside an extraordinary cast, phenomenal crew and remarkable writing team. To our most supportive partners at CBS Studios and Paramount+, who insisted on making television history, I'm deeply grateful."

Stay tuned for more updates about Star Trek: Discovery.

For about a year, fans have been hoping for a Picard spinoff that would allow the characters of the Star Trek: The Next Generation universe to continue on. The popularity -- among both fans and cast -- of the final season of Picard led to producers, actors, and even some Paramount+ executives at least entertaining the idea publicly, with the title Star Trek: Legacy tied to the prospective project. Of course, since then, Paramount+ has dumped most of its Star Trek catalog, licensing movies and shows out to other streamers to generate some revenue for the streaming platform and cancelling Star Trek: Prodigy (which, improbably, came back to life at Netflix).

In a new interview, CBS President George Cheeks said that the changes made to the Star Trek lineup shouldn't worry fans about the future of the franchise. Rather, the network is working with executive producer Alex Kurtzman to figure out a plan to deploy the various shows and projects.

"Star Trek remains one of the most important franchises for Paramount Global, and Paramount+ specifically," Cheeks told Vulture. "There's so much great opportunity with the franchise, and it's really about the cadence and the timeline of it. We don't want to offer up all these amazing premium drama series at once. We want to time it out appropriately. Luckily, we have this incredible partner in Alex Kurtzman, and we all work together to sort of manage long-range planning across many years, to figure out what's the right cadence for dropping new Star Trek series. So there's a lot we're focused on, but it should not suggest to you [a scaling back]. There is a tremendous amount of focus and prioritizing of the Star Trek franchise."

At the end of Picard, fan-favorite characters Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) were promoted to the new captain of the Enterprise-G and its First Officer, respectively, while Jean-Luc Picard's son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speelers) was given a special liaison position, and other legacy characters (like Geordi La Forge's daughters) were along for the ride.

Last year, Kurtzman said the powers that be at Paramount "are watching these swells in fan enthusiasm closely. So when it comes to the prospect of the Star Trek: Legacy spinoff show: Anything is possible. We've heard the fans loud and clear. There's obviously more story to tell. So, we'll see."

By January, star Michelle Hurd still didn't have any official word on the project, but she didn't seem too worried, since it was clear there was a production queue already in place before Legacy became an idea that could be followed-up on.

"I love Raffi. She's my favorite character," Hurd told TV Insider. "We have hands, fingers, everything's crossed for Star Trek: Legacy. I know that right now they're working on Section 31 for Michelle Yeoh. And then they're going to do Starfleet Academy. That's going to be a series. And then if the fans still want it, they'll start working on Star Trek: Legacy."