Star Trek envisions an idealized model of the long run, however the franchise’s future might not be ultimate. Whereas I stay the everlasting optimist who thinks there’s loads of motive to place confidence in upcoming Trek exhibits, I simply discovered a Part 31 actor revealed a problem high brass like Alex Kurtzman and others are involved about behind the scenes regarding the age of its fandom.
Whereas it is true that the sci-fi franchise generated billions in income for streamers in 2024, Robert Kazinsky revealed in a video with TrekCulture that the median age of the Star Trek fandom is getting older, which may all the time be an issue for the longevity of a franchise. The actor, who performed Zeph in Part 31, defined what he discovered under:
I spoke to Alex and I spoke to [director Olatunde Osunsanmi] and so they defined to me that ‘Star Trek’ is dying. And I do not know if individuals know that, however … I used to be speaking about ‘Star Trek’ at my health club the place I battle, you recognize, I am a boxer and I battle with a whole lot of children — I do not battle them however, you recognize, practice with them — [and] none of them knew what ‘Star Trek’ was. Are you able to think about that? I imply, simply conceive of that for a second, that they’d by no means … I’d say ‘Star Trek’ and so they have been like, ‘Star Wars?’ I used to be like, ‘No, Star Trek,’ and so they have been like, ‘Um I feel I’ve heard of it.’
The youthful technology is essentially at the hours of darkness of Star Trek, and as a lot of a bummer as that’s to listen to, I am not too shocked by that. The franchise’s most up-to-date try to drag in youthful audiences was Star Trek: Prodigy, and it was canceled, saved by Netflix and now’s in limbo for whether or not it can return for any new episodes. For what it is price, it is an important collection and value binging with a Netflix subscription.
Star Trek wants youthful followers, which can be why the franchise is skewing youthful with a collection centered on cadets within the upcoming Starfleet Academy. The collection is loaded with a forged of youthful actors, in addition to huge names like Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti for the older crowd. Additionally, let’s not overlook Starfleet Academy tapping basic Voyager star Robert Picardo to reprise his function as The Physician, which I am thrilled about. Hopefully with manufacturing lately wrapped on Season 1, we’ll see the youthful viewers flood in to look at this new present.
In any case, I do hope that if Star Trek is anxious concerning the age of its fandom, it can take extra steps to attempt to pull in a youthful crowd. That stated, if the majority of the fandom is older, there should be a strategy to steadiness serving its present viewers. It isn’t a straightforward drawback to repair, however hopefully the creatives working behind the scenes have options.
Star Trek: Part 31 is accessible to stream over on Paramount+. Possibly readers ought to begin getting their youthful youngsters, nieces, and nephews into the franchise now so we will guarantee we’re nonetheless having fun with it a long time from now.