Roddenberry is one of the most famous names in sci-fi. Gene Roddenberry is the man behind the legendary 1966 series Star Trek. Despite only making 79 episodes, the show changed how audiences and TV executives looked at sci-fi. In addition, it spawned a massive franchise, and this franchise is still running today with Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek Picard, and the animated spin-off Star Trek Lower Decks carrying the franchise’s mantle into a new era.
Yesterday, Rod Roddenberry, the son of the legendary Gene Roddenberry, went onto Reddit’s popular Ask Me Anything subreddit. And in a thread titled, “I’m Rod Roddenberry, son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. I’m here to talk about 55 years of Trek and why I enjoy being on the bleeding edge of Tech and adventure!” took questions from Trek fans.
Rod Roddenberry isn’t just the son of Gene. He has had an impressive career in his own right. His first role was production assistant on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he’s since worked on several popular Star Trek series. Including being the consulting producer on the cult-classic Star Trek: New Voyages fan series, he has been an executive producer on every Star Trek project since 2017. He is also the CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment which oversees the licensing of the Star Trek brand for various projects, including TV, movies, and videogames.
Because of this, Star Trek fans quickly filled the thread with questions about the franchise and their personal tributes to both Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry. However, one of the most fascinating questions came from user Fleder, who asked Rod: “Would you love to create your own shows in this universe, and if so, do you already have an Idea?”
This question is interesting, as, despite being heavily involved in modern Trek, Rod has never written a series, remaining firmly in the producer’s chair. “The universe of Star Trek has such incredible potential. There are galaxies filled with stories. While I have ideas of my own, as do so many others,” detailed Rod. “I’m currently not in the process of independently developing any of them. CBS, Secret Hideout, and Paramount are doing an excellent job of bringing new perspectives of Star Trek for the world,” he explained. Referencing the studios who are behind the currently airing Star Trek projects.
While many fans will be disappointed by Rod’s answer, it is a good sign that he’s comfortable with the franchise’s current writing teams’ direction. And, while he might not be writing something new, with a franchise as big and long-running as Star Trek, there will be plenty of chances for Rod to bring his vision to life in the future.