New 'Star Trek' TV series a go at CBS All Access

Just in time for its 50th anniversary, Star Trek may be returning to the small screen.

Prolific producer Alex Kurtzman is developing a new take on the beloved sci-fi classic for TV, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

%shareLinks-quote="The new Star Trek has been picked up straight to series at CBS, with the premiere slated for the network in January 2017." type="spreadWord"%

Subsequent episodes will air on its digital platform, CBS All Access.

The drama is set up at CBS Television Studios, where Kurtzman and Orci's K/O Paper Products banner is under an overall deal. A search is under way for a writer to take on the cult hit. A network is not yet attached but the goal is for the potential series to be on the air late next fall on either cable or a streaming service, sources say. Should a new Star Trek series come together for next fall, it would air as the franchise is poised to celebrate its 50th anniversary as the original series debuted Sept. 8, 1966.

The new Star Trek TV series would continue Kurtzman's relationship with the beloved franchise. He produced the Star Trek feature film series, writing 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness and 2009's franchise revival. The fourth in the franchise set for 2019, though Kurtzman is not attached.

READ MORE: To Boldly Go: 15 Key 'Star Trek' Moments

CBS TV Studios distributed the original series, which was produced by Paramount Television and Desilu Productions. Created by Gene Roddenberry and starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, the series ran for three seasons and 79 episodes from 1966-67 on NBC and became a monster hit via syndication. It spawned an animated series (1973-74), a series of feature films, starting in 1979, and four TV follow-ups including The Next Generation (1987-1994), Deep Space Nine (1993-99), Voyager (1995-2001) and Enterprise (2001-05).

News of a new Star Trek TV series comes as the franchise has been mired in rights issues between CBS and Paramount after Viacom merged with CBS in 2000. CBS Corp. absorbed Paramount for television, while Paramount Studios -- the company that distributed the films -- went to Viacom.

%shareLinks-quote="The Star Trek revival comes as reboots and follow-ups continue to be in high demand on broadcast (and cable/streaming)." type="spreadWord"%

Kurtzman -- and frequent partner Roberto Orci, who is not attached to CBSTVS' Star Trek -- is behind CBS' follow-up to Bradley Cooper's Limitless and also exec produces the network's veteran Hawaii Five-0 reboot. The K/O banner currently has four shows on the air -- Hawaii, Limitless and sophomore drama Scorpion as well as Fox's Sleepy Hollow. K/O is repped by CAA and Gendler Kelly.

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