CBS is in the midst of expanding the Star Trek franchise on TV more than ever before. The latest project to be announced is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, a Discovery spinoff following Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the Enterprise in the years before Kirk took command. All the signs are pointing to the show featuring several familiar faces from The Original Series, though. Not least Ethan Peck’s Spock, who will also return from Discovery.
The network seems very pleased with Peck’s portrayal of the iconic Vulcan, then. So pleased, in fact, that they’re even working on a separate spinoff featuring him. According to sources close to WGTC – the same ones who told us a Pike series was happening months ago – say that CBS is developing a new show for Spock and Kirk as well. Apparently, Strange New Worlds will introduce a third iteration of James Tiberius, who’ll then team up with Peck’s Spock in this other vehicle that we’re hearing about
Of course, this gels with a separate report from The Cinema Spot which claimed that The Mandalorian actor Jake Cannavale was being eyed to play the Starfleet legend in his younger days on SNW. Clearly, CBS has big plans for whoever plays pre-captain Kirk, whether it’s Cannavale or not.
Some fans might be wondering whether a Spock/Kirk show is really necessary though, given that their legendary friendship has been the focus of TOS and multiple movies – including the modern Kelvin ones – before now. SNW is a much-needed spinoff, as we’ll finally get to see the journeys of the original Enterprise crew Gene Roddenberry created back in 1966, but is there as much call for another Spock/Kirk Star Trek vehicle? We’ll have to reserve judgement until we see what CBS has got up their sleeves.