Popular Star Trek Showrunner Shifts Focus to MCU, Leaving Fans Disappointed

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Summary

  • Terry Matalas has shifted focus from Star Trek to the MCU for a high-profile project, leaving fans disappointed.
  • Despite past success with Star Trek, Matalas is unlikely to return to the franchise in the near future.
  • Matalas’ pitch-perfect work on Star Trek: Picard did not lead to a follow-up series, as he moved on to the MCU.

Despite enthusiastic demands for a new project led by Terry Matalas, who was the showrunner of “Star Trek” during the critically acclaimed final season of “Star Trek: Picard”, there has been no further involvement with the franchise since the conclusion of “Picard”. This is surprising given the interest from both fans and Matalas himself.

Terry Matalas’ extensive background with “Star Trek” was quite unexpectedly not followed by more progression, which came as a surprise to many, especially considering the success of “Picard”. This has led some to speculate if this skilled showrunner might have parted ways with the franchise altogether and shifted focus towards completely unrelated projects.

Is Matelas Swapping Star Trek for the MCU?

Terry Matalas crafted an impeccable farewell for Star Trek: The Next Generation in the final season of Picard. While many anticipated more projects from him within the franchise, currently, there appears to be no connection between his work and the series.

Though there were early murmurs about Matalas planning another series in the Picard universe, he’s been focusing on high-profile projects beyond Star Trek and Paramount. Interestingly, it seems Matalas has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In his debut with this massive entertainment entity, I find myself working as a showrunner for the upcoming Vision Quest series, which is expected to start filming soon. Additionally, I’ll be contributing as a writer and director on the show, much like my role in Picard season 3.

Working on Marvel Cinatic Universe (MCU) projects is often no small task for creative minds, as they may find themselves associated with the franchise for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, this implies that Terry Matalas, known for his work on Star Trek, will likely not be part of the franchise anymore, at least in the near future. However, it’s important to note that Matalas has a long-standing relationship with Star Trek, and in many ways, his career in television has been influenced by this cherished science-fiction series.

It All Started with Star Trek

Terry Matalas initially started his career in television by working as a production associate during the final two seasons of “Star Trek: Voyager.” He continued this role throughout all four seasons of “Star Trek: Enterprise,” and also wrote stories for two episodes of the show’s third season. After the cancellation of “Enterprise” in 2005, “Star Trek” was off the air for over a decade. During this break, Matalas worked on various other projects, including the critically acclaimed “12 Monkeys” television series.

Returning to Star Trek’s “NuTrek”

In 2017, Star Trek made its comeback to television with Star Trek: Discovery, and Matalas re-entered the Star Trek universe a few years later. He took on the role of co-showrunner alongside Alex Kurtzman in the second season of Picard, eventually being promoted to sole showrunner for the series’ third and final season. Matalas’ work in season three of Star Trek: Picard, which encompassed writing and directing responsibilities, was widely praised. Given his success, it was only logical that he would aim to carry on his involvement with the esteemed science fiction series.

Star Trek: Legacy

In essence, without giving away too many secrets about Picard season three, Matalas sets up an ongoing narrative centered around several significant characters from Star Trek: Picard, such as Jack Crusher (played by Ed Speelers), Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd), and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). This has led to a fan movement pushing for a new series revolving around these ongoing journeys. Matalas himself endorses this idea and even proposes the title for this potential series: Star Trek: Legacy.

The Ball Gets Rolling on Star Trek: Legacy…Then Abruptly Stops

Although the conclusion of Star Trek: Picard generated a lot of excitement and anticipation for Legacy, it seems like no significant steps have been taken so far towards producing the show. In an interview with TrekMovie, Matalas clarified that as of the Saturn Awards ceremony, there haven’t been any official discussions about Legacy with Paramount.

At the moment, there’s no new Star Trek series being released. They’ve got a limited budget and streaming capacity. However, we’re eagerly anticipating whatever the Star Trek universe will offer us in the future… and who knows, maybe something new might pop up!

The noticeable lack of “Star Trek: Legacy” in Paramount’s lineup of upcoming “Star Trek” ventures is striking. There could be several explanations for this omission. One possibility is that Paramount is prioritizing “Strange New Worlds,” which is set to debut its third season and has been confirmed for a fourth, before launching another “Star Trek” series with a traditional episode structure. Alternatively, it might be due to the fact that “Legacy” is Terry Matalas’ creation, rather than Alex Kurtzman’s.

A Battle for Creative Control of Star Trek?

To Star Trek enthusiasts, especially the more recent ones, Terry Matalas might not ring a bell as prominently as Alex Kurtzman. The franchise has been under Kurtzman’s creative guidance since its TV reboot with Star Trek: Discovery. However, Kurtzman’s journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing. His “NuTrek” projects often receive criticism from some fan groups, while they garner praise from others.

When Matalas assumed the role of co-showrunner for season two of Picard, and later took creative control for season three, some observers might have perceived it as a potential power grab or creative coup against Kurtzman. However, if Matalas replacing Kurtzman as the creative lead for season three was an initial move in a struggle between the two, it appears that this conflict never truly materialized. Instead, Kurtzman’s role as the leader of this era of Star Trek seems unshakable. Despite his achievements with Picard, Matalas’ proposed Legacy series remains in development, while Paramount has continued to support Kurtzman-led projects like the controversial Section 31 film and the upcoming Starfleet Academy series.

Is Terry’s Time with Star Trek Truly Over?

It appears Terry Matalas has a genuine passion for “Star Trek” and possesses an extensive knowledge of its tales and traditions. His contributions to “Picard” garnered praise from both critics and enthusiasts. Under ideal circumstances, fans could one day witness him steering another Star Trek venture, possibly in the future. However, it’s best not to get too excited about this possibility.

Matelas is a highly skilled creative professional who is sought after in many circles. Although he has plenty on his plate with tasks unrelated to Star Trek, his name and career will forever be linked to the franchise, and there’s no denying that there are numerous Star Trek enthusiasts who eagerly await his comeback.

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2025-04-05 02:09