In a show of geek unity, the executive producers and showrunners of the “Star Trek” TV universe and the “Doctor Who” Whoniverse —Alex Kurtzman and Russell T Davies, respectively —will appear in a panel together at San Diego Comic-Con. The panel, which will be held on Saturday, July 27 at the largest fan gathering in North America, will kick off celebration of the first “Intergalactic Friendship Day” on July 30, an effort by the two franchises to foster greater connection and fellowship between their fandoms. (The celebration lines up with the International Friendship Day, created in 2011 to bring together people across the planet.)
Under the banner of “Friendship is Universal,” “Star Trek” and “Doctor Who” will headline a gallery experience in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego during Comic-Con, which will feature original costumes and props from both franchises, along with photo opportunities and friendship bracelet giveaways.
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“Doctor Who” and “Star Trek” have had quite similar trajectories through pop-culture — the former launched in 1963, the latter in 1966, and have perpetuated off-and-on through to the present day with a rotating cast of actors and brand new takes on their venerable and expansive fictional universes.
The latest iteration of “Doctor Who,” starring Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor is currently streaming on Disney+; in 2023, the BBC’s iPlayer launched the Whoniverse, which allows UK viewers to partake of more than 800 shows connected to “Doctor Who.”
Meanwhile, “Star Trek” has enjoyed the most robust expansion of the franchise in its 58-year history, with several titles running on Paramount+, including “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “Star Trek: Lower Decks” and the upcoming series “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” and TV movie “Star Trek: Section 31.”
