Posted in: CBS, Preview, Star Trek, Trailer, TV | Tagged: Kirk, paramount, paul wesley, season 2, star trek, strange new worlds

Star Trek: SNW Co-Showrunner Offers New Details on Paul Wesley's Kirk

With only a day to go until Paramount+'s Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn & Ethan Peck-starring Star Trek: Strange New Worlds teleports onto our screens, early reviews are rolling in on the newest addition to the franchise, and (as of this writing) things are looking really good. But even before the series premieres, viewers have already started buzzing about the second season- especially now that Paul Wesley has joined the cast in the very headline-grabbing role of James T. Kirk. Now, thanks to the fine folks over at CinemaBlend, co-showrunner Henry Alonso Myers is sharing a lot more of what viewers can expect (and what they can calm down about)- here are some of the highlights:

On Establishing a Pre-TOS Kirk: "Part of the job here is to figure out the stories that came before the person that they be [in TOS]. I feel like if we start with them being that person, it's just going to be a repeat of what came before that, you know what I mean? So, in order to give the actor something to play, in order to make the character interesting, we don't have them start exactly where they are. But, there's echoes of that."

So Where's Wesley's Kirk on the Character's Timeline? Explaining that what they're doing is an "interpretation" of what's been stated about his past ("This is our version of these things"), Myers pinpointed where viewers will be meeting Kirk in his life: "Kirk, in this time period, is younger than the Kirk that we get to know. It's a little closer to the Kelvin universe movies in terms of [his] age range. He's going through a different thing. He's an officer on the Farragut, you know? There's a lot of stuff to play that hasn't been played before and that's what we're interested in."

Wesley Wasn't Hired to Imitate William Shatner: "Paul Wesley's not just coming in and imitating William Shatner. He's coming in and giving his interpretation of it. Which, we hope, doesn't take away from William Shatner. We hope it deepens and shows an appreciation for what William Shatner eventually did with the role. Because, who doesn't love Kirk, man [laughs]? Kirk's awesome! It would be, in betting terms, it would be like leaving money on the table if we were to do this time period and never see Kirk. It's like an opportunity."

Pike Fans Can Relax- Kirk's Not Taking Over Anytime Soon: "No, he's [Kirk] a character. He's a character on the show. The story we're telling is still the story of Pike and Pike's crew. And really, that's the thing that's super important. It's an ensemble. This is a show that's about all of these people as much as it is about Pike."

Now here's a look back at the incredibly impressive & feels-crushing opening title & credits for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds:

And in this special featurette, The Ready Room host Wil Wheaton takes viewers behind the scenes of the newest series to check in with the cast and creators, and make sure to check out what's ahead this season with a new teaser trailer starting around the 21:00 mark:

With Paramount+'s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds set to lift off on May 5th, here's a look at the official trailer followed by a look back at the previously-released teaser trailer:

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS is based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The series will feature fan favorites from season two of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY: Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Number One and Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock. The series will follow Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the years before Captain Kirk boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise, as they explore new worlds around the galaxy.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stars Anson Mount as Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley / Number One, Ethan Peck as Spock, Babs Olusanmokun as M'Benga, Christina Chong as La'an Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, Jess Bush as Christine Chapel, Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas, and Bruce Horak as Hemmer. Paul Wesley (The Vampire Diaries, Tell Me A Story) had joined the second season as James T. Kirk. The series premiere was written by Akiva Goldsman with the story by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet. Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers serve as co-showrunners, with Goldsman directing the premiere episode. Goldsman, Kurtzman, and Lumet serve as executive producers in addition to Alonso Myers, Heather Kadin, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, and Aaron Baiers. Akela Cooper and Davy Perez serve as co-executive producers. Nami Melumad (An American Pickle, Absentia) has been tapped as the score composer for the series original score. Jeff Russo (Star Trek: Discovery & Picard, Legion) composed the main and titles music. The series is produced by CBS Studios, Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment.

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