Thrilling Star Trek Updates: The End of the Writer's Strike Unveils 7 Exciting Surprises!

Summary

Tentative Agreement Reached by the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to End Strike, Providing Relief to Star Trek Production.

The conclusion of the strike enables the showrunners and writing team of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 to recommence work on scripts. However, production cannot commence until the SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved.

The resolution of the WGA strike might result in new advancements, including the potential approval of Star Trek: Legacy and the opportunity to resume work on scripts for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

The Writer's Guild of America (WGA) has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to end the strike. This is significant for Star Trek. The strike, which began on May 2nd, involved the WGA's 11,500 members demanding better terms from studios and streaming services in relation to issues such as residuals from streaming and the impact of artificial intelligence (A.I). The strike gained further momentum in July when the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which represents around 160,000 members, also went on strike over similar concerns. The strike has lasted for over 146 days, leading to a halt in most film and TV production.

After days of negotiation, the WGA announced on Sunday, September 24th, that a tentative agreement had been reached with the AMPTP to put an end to the strike. The WGA shared this update on their Twitter account.

The WGA has emailed its members to provide more information regarding the potential end to the strike. They describe the deal as "exceptional," with significant benefits and protections for writers across their membership. The email also outlines the process for ratifying the deal and bringing the strike to a close. See the full letter below:

While the WGA strike is not officially over until the membership approves the deal, which is expected to occur in the coming days, WGA picketing has been temporarily suspended. However, SAG-AFTRA remains on strike and awaits fair negotiations with the AMPTP. WGA members will continue to stand in solidarity with their SAG colleagues on the picket lines, just as actors supported writers before their own strike. Nevertheless, there is hope on the horizon, and this positive first step will have a positive impact on Paramount's various Star Trek projects.

7 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3

6 Star Trek: Section 31 Movie

Production on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 was all set to kick off in Toronto, but unfortunately, the plans were unexpectedly disrupted by the WGA strike. Consequently, progress on season 3 came to an abrupt halt. With the WGA strike still ongoing, the showrunners and writing team can only resume their work on any outstanding scripts for Strange New Worlds season 3 once the strike is resolved. However, the impact of the SAG-AFTRA strike is also noteworthy, as it prevents the shooting of any episodes until the actors, including Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, and the remaining cast members of Strange New Worlds, are able to return to work. It is anticipated that the production of Strange New Worlds season 3 may not resume until early 2024, contingent upon the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Consequently, the resolution of the cliffhanger ending from season 2 may not occur until 2025.

Production on Star Trek: Section 31, the first movie in the Star Trek franchise made specifically for streaming on Paramount+'s platform, was originally scheduled to commence in October 2023. However, due to the strikes led by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG‐AFTRA), the filming has been delayed. Section 31 stars the esteemed Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh in the role of Emperor Philippa Georgiou, with Olatunde Osunsamni, known for his work on Star Trek: Discovery, set to direct. The screenplay for Section 31, penned by Craig Sweeny, is currently in a finalized state. Nevertheless, until the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike, production cannot commence on Section 31. As a result, it remains uncertain whether Section 31 will meet its expected release date in 2024.

5 Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

4 Star Trek: Legacy

Star Trek: Discovery has been canceled after its fifth season, but fans can look forward to a spinoff called Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, set in the 32nd century. While the upcoming TV series has not yet announced its cast, filming was expected to begin after the conclusion of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 on Paramount+. However, the recent end to the WGA strike may allow the writing team, including Tawny Newsome from Star Trek: Lower Decks, to resume work on the scripts for Starfleet Academy in the near future.

Star Trek: Legacy, the proposed spinoff of Star Trek: Picard season 3 led by showrunner Terry Matalas, stands to benefit immensely from the resolution of the WGA strike. Despite the overwhelming support of fans online, as evidenced by the Make Star Trek: Legacy fan petition that boasts an impressive 62,000 signatures, Paramount+ has remained silent on the green-lighting of Star Trek: Legacy. Many laid blame on the WGA strike for the lack of updates pertaining to Star Trek: Legacy. However, with the conclusion of the WGA strike, there is now a possibility that Paramount+ will acknowledge the tremendous demand and grant approval for the creation of Star Trek: Legacy. This much-anticipated series would likely focus on Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) taking command of the USS Enterprise-G in the early 25th century.

3 Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5

2 Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2

The production of Star Trek: Lower Decks was not affected by the WGA strike, as the series is animated and falls under The Animation Guild (TAG) rather than the WGA. Consequently, work on season 5 of Star Trek: Lower Decks is ongoing and expected to be available on Paramount+ in late summer 2024. While the SAG-AFTRA strike, which will hopefully conclude soon, may enable stars like Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid to promote the remaining episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, it will also provide an opportunity to discuss their highly successful crossover episode in season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Despite the WGA strike, Star Trek: Prodigy remains unaffected. However, the show has faced its own challenges since being unexpectedly canceled by Paramount+ in June. Currently, active negotiations are underway to find a new streaming platform for season 2, and discussions are also being held for season 1 and potentially future seasons, including season 3 and beyond. During the STLV: 57-Year Mission convention, Prodigy's executive producers delighted fans by revealing 4 minutes of footage from season 2. The sneak peek showcased the return of The Doctor (Robert Picardo) from Star Trek: Voyager, as well as the introduction of the new USS Voyager-A. The dedication of Prodigy's fanbase is evident, with an online petition titled "Save Star Trek: Prodigy" garnering nearly 34,000 signatures.

1 Star Trek 4

The pending resolution of the WGA strike is unlikely to have an immediate impact on Star Trek 4, which is currently stuck in development limbo. Since the departure of director Matt Shakman for Marvel Studios in early 2022, there have been no updates regarding the status of the fourth Star Trek film produced by J.J. Abrams. Paramount has removed Star Trek 4 from its scheduled December 2023 release, and there is currently no known progress towards a new movie featuring Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock being released in the near future. However, Star Trek's strength as a franchise lies in Paramount+ and its range of streaming shows, as well as the upcoming Section 31 movie. To move forward, Star Trek relies on the tentative end of the WGA strike and the hopeful resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike.