'Star Trek: Discovery' series will have a female lead and a gay character

There's a Star Trek TV series coming to CBS in January 2017 called Star Trek: Discovery, but because we can't wait that long, major details are thankfully being revealed about the show ahead of time. According to EW, writer-producer Bryan Fuller took questions at the Television Critics Association's press tour in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, and he shared that the series will center around a female lead character who is a lieutenant commander on a starship, to be played by a diverse actress. Fuller also revealed a few more details about the series, comparing it to a "novel over 13 episodes," which probably means it will have more of a serialized storytelling approach. When asked about gay characters, Fuller said: "Absolutely we're having a gay character."

Earlier Wednesday, CBS was criticized for having six new fall shows starring white male actors, but the show's diverse cast isn't a reaction to the criticism. The former Hannibal showrunner wanted a black female captain in a hypothetical Star Trek series back in 2013. "I want Angela Bassett to be the captain, that's who I would love to have," he said. "Captain Angela Bassett and First Officer Rosario Dawson. I would love to do that version of the show and that's in the future to be told." Watch the teaser for Star Trek: Discovery below:

RELATED: See photos of former "Star Trek" star, Barry Jenner, who passed away this week: