Renowned science fiction author Andy Weir, best known for his novels Project Hail Mary and The Martian, has disclosed that his proposal for a new Star Trek television series was turned down by Paramount. The 53-year-old writer, who gained widespread acclaim after Ridley Scott adapted The Martian into a 2015 film starring Matt Damon, did not hold back in criticising the current slate of Star Trek spin-off programmes.
Weir's Blunt Assessment of Modern Star Trek
During a recent episode of the Critical Drinker podcast, Weir expressed his dissatisfaction with the franchise's recent offerings. "Those shows are s***," he stated bluntly. "But they didn't accept my pitch so, you know, f*** 'em." The author elaborated on his perspective, subscribing to the theory that all contemporary science fiction television and cinema has been significantly influenced by the original Star Trek series, with the notable exception of the current batch of Star Trek shows.
A Generational View of Science Fiction
Weir, who identifies as part of Generation X, reflected on his formative years watching science fiction. "I'm Gen X, so my sci-fi was like original series Star Trek reruns and Lost in Space reruns," he explained. "And there wasn't really much in the way of [new] sci-fi that was airing—where people are off in space doing cool things—until we got to [Star Trek: The Next Generation]."
When podcast host Will Jordan suggested that everything since the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise (which aired from 2001 to 2005) should be removed from the franchise's canon, Weir responded with a more measured stance. "Okay, you're a little more severe than I am," he said. He then offered his personal opinions on the recent series, stating: "I'll give you my opinion and I'm just a consumer. I like Strange New Worlds. I think it's pretty good. I didn't hate Enterprise. I thought it was kind of weird. Lower Decks I thought was entertaining and fun. All the others, they can go."
The Rejected Pitch and Paramount Meeting
Weir detailed his experience pitching a Star Trek show to Paramount, revealing that he participated in a Zoom meeting with the showrunners of various series and spent considerable time conversing with executive producer Alex Kurtzman. "I don't like a lot of the new Trek," Weir admitted. "He, as a person, is a really nice guy. But at the same time, those shows are s***. He is a nice guy. But they didn't accept my pitch so, you know, f*** 'em."
Paramount has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Weir's remarks. The author's candid critique comes amid the success of Project Hail Mary, which recently surpassed Avatar: Fire and Ash to become the highest-grossing Hollywood film of the year. The movie, starring Ryan Gosling as a middle school science teacher tasked with a space mission to save humanity, is based on Weir's novel and continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
