“Star Trek” is preparing to beam up some laughter.
Actor-writer Tawny Newsome (“Star Trek: Lower Decks”) and writer-director Justin Simien (“Dear White People,” “Haunted Mansion”) are developing a new live-action comedy set in the world of the storied sci-fi franchise.
The show will be set in the 25th century. According to an official logline, it will follow “Federation outsiders serving a gleaming resort planet find out their day-to-day exploits are being broadcast to the entire quadrant.”
Newsome and Simien announced the project, along with fellow executive producer Alex Kurtzman, during the “Star Trek” Universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con, which Simien moderated. Newsome was there with the cast of “Lower Decks” to discuss the fifth and final season of the animated comedy, in which Newsome voices Beckett Mariner, one of the junior officers on the USS Cerritos.
Conversational AI Is A Novel Opportunity for Hollywood — but Do Talent or Consumers Want It?
Paris Olympics Proceeds With Triathlon Swimming Race After Postponing Due to E. Coli-Polluted Seine River
Simien, Newsome and Kurtzman will also write on the show. Aaron Baiers, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth will executive produce.
Newsome did not specify whether she would act on the series as well, but she’s already worked as one of the writers on the next live-action “Star Trek” series, “Starfleet Academy.” She also played Mariner as a live-action character in a crossover episode with “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.” Her other acting credits in include “Physical,” “Space Force” and “Brockmire.”
This would be Simien’s second TV series, following Netflix’s “Dear White People,” which was based on the 2014 feature film written and directed by Simien. He also wrote and directed 2020’s satirical horror film “Bad Hair” and directed 2023’s horror comedy “Haunted Mansion” for Disney.
