Andy Weir Reveals Paramount Rejected Star Trek Pitch

Andy Weir, the bestselling science fiction author behind the hit films "The Martian" and "Project Hail Mary," disclosed that Paramount rejected his pitch for a new "Star Trek" series during a recent podcast interview. Weir, speaking as a longtime fan of the franchise, expressed mixed views on its modern iterations while highlighting the influence of the original series on his generation.

Weir, a self-described Generation X consumer of science fiction, credited "Star Trek: The Original Series" reruns and "Lost in Space" with shaping his early interest in space exploration narratives. He noted that fresh content in the genre was scarce until "Star Trek: The Next Generation" premiered in 1987, reviving the format of crews venturing into space for adventure and discovery. This personal connection underscores Weir's attempt to contribute to the franchise, which he pitched via Zoom to a group of showrunners, including executive producer Alex Kurtzman.

Describing Kurtzman as "a really nice guy," Weir did not hold back on his assessment of recent "Star Trek" efforts. "I don't like a lot of the new Trek," he said. "Those shows are shit." The rejection of his idea prompted a candid...