‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Renewed for Season 3, Michelle Paradise Upped to Co-Showrunner
“Star Trek: Discovery” has been renewed for a third season at CBS All Access.
The announcement comes after the series has aired just six episodes of its second season. In addition, Variety has learned that series co-executive producer and writer Michelle Paradise has been tapped to serve as co-showrunner alongside Alex Kurtzman. Kurtzman will still continue to oversee the expansion of the growing “Star Trek” universe under his deal with CBS Television Studios.
“Michelle joined us midway through season two and energized the room with her ferocious knowledge of ‘Trek,’” said Kurtzman. “Her grasp of character and story detail, her drive and her focus have already become essential in ensuring the ‘Trek’ legacy, and her fresh perspective always keeps us looking forward. I’m proud to say Michelle and I are officially running ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ together.”
Prior to serving as co-executive producer on “Discovery,” Paradise was a co-executive producer on “The Originals” at The CW. She also wrote for the series “Rogue” on the Audience network and The CW’s “Hart of Dixie.” She previously created, wrote, and starred in the MTV/Logo series “Exes & Ohs.”
“The massive success of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’s’ second season launch exceeded our expectations in both driving subscriber growth and generating a phenomenal response from ‘Star Trek’ fans,” said Julie McNamara, executive vice president of original content for CBS All Access. “With Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise at the helm, we look forward to continuing ‘Star Trek: Discovery’s’ journey, growing the ‘Star Trek’ franchise on CBS All Access and bringing fans new ‘Star Trek’ stories for many years to come.”
Kurtzman took over as showrunner on Season 2 midway through production following the exit of co-showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen J. Berg. Prior to that, series creator and original showrunner Bryan Fuller departed the show just months before its premiere following multiple delays in launching the series.
Season 2 cast members on “Discovery” include: Sonequa Martin-Green, Michelle Yeoh, Doug Jones, Shazad Latif, Anson Mount, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz, Mary Chieffo, and Ethan Peck. Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, James Duff, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers.
Since the premiere of “Discovery,” CBS has been slowly but surely building out more projects set in the “Star Trek” universe. All Access gave a two-season order to the adult animated series “Star Trek: Lower Decks” in October, with that show being created by “Rick & Morty” writer Mike McMahan. There is also an animated “Star Trek” series for kids in the works at Nickelodeon.
All Access is also currently prepping a series that will see the return of Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and is developing a drama centered on Yeoh’s “Discovery” character and her work for the mysterious Section 31.
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