After going full steam ahead with their STAR TREK: DISCOVERY series, CBS TV Studios has announced that they're planning to expand the Star Trek franchise in some very big and exciting ways. For the moment, the studio has several Trek-related properties either on the air or in the works, but the time has come for the brand to boldly go beyond the stars like never before thanks to a new group that will be "captained" by CBS Studios executive Veronica Hart, who the studio recently promoted to the title of executive VP of Star Trek global franchise management.
Firstly, a major congrats is in order Ms. Hart, who alongside Star Trek figurehead Alex Kurtzman, will set off for an adventure that involves creating new outlets and opportunities fro the franchise, including podcasts, a re-tooled StarTrek.com, new digital spaces, consumer products (including video games) and live events.
"Veronica and her team are not only gifted brand strategists and veteran consumer products executives, they are also experts on the Star Trek canon," said CBS TV Studios president David Stapf. "We are excited to launch this new business unit because the brand has an enormously rabid fan base, and we look forward to expanding its reach even further."
While operating out of Kurtzman's Secret Hideout production company in Santa Monica, Hart, Kurtzman, Star Trek's VP of brand development, John Van Critters, director of Star Trek content, Yasmin Elachi, and director of global franchise management operations, Gabrielle Oliff, will work in concert with one another to create and introduce some Star Wars-level branding for the beloved space exploration franchise.
When asked to comment on the initiative, Kurtzman said, "As we expand the Trekverse, Veronica's team and Secret Hideout are dedicated to broadening Star Trek's brand reach by amplifying its core values globally: empowerment, inclusion, imagination, and above all, the exceptional storytelling that's inspired generations of fans."
With so many Trek-related properties on the way, such as a series featuring Patrick Stewart's Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, a STAR TREK: DISCOVERY spinoff centering on Michelle Yeoh's Captain Philippa Georgiou as well as several animated offerings destined for Nickelodeon and beyond, there's no telling just how high above the stars Hart's new group can take the fan-favorite franchise.
As someone who's never been able to find a good entry point into the franchise, I'm looking forward to there being a lot more options for me to get in on the ground floor. Some have told me that STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is a fine place to start, so perhaps that will serve as the beginning of a very entertaining journey for this out-of-the-loop geek who's failed to climb aboard the Starship Enterprise for all these years? Here's hoping.
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