IfStar Trekwants its newUntitled Originmovie to be successful, the franchise must learn from one mistake that almost brokeStar Trek: Discoveryearly on. While streaming shows likeDiscoveryhave ushered in a new era fortheStar Trektimeline,the movie side of the franchise has remained underdeveloped recently after the release ofStar Trek: Beyondin 2016. In 2024, however, updates aboutupcomingStar Trekmovieshave skyrocketed, with the first trailer forStar Trek: Section 31and the announcement of theUntitled Star Trek Originfilm, currently set to be released in 2026.
Paramount officially announced the prequel in the spring of 2024, with new developments slowly being revealed throughout the summer. As of right now, not much is known, except thatthe prequel film will be set “largely on Earth"and focus on humanity’s first interactions with aliens and the early days of Starfleet and the Federation.This puts theUntitled Originmovie during theStar Trek: Enterpriseera, which opens up some exciting possibilitiesfor storylines. However, doing another prequel runs the risk of falling into a trap thatStar Trek: Discoveryin particular found it difficult to climb out of.
Star Trek’s Origins Movie Must Avoid Star Trek: Discovery’s Canon Mistake
The film should steer clear of messing with established canon
One of the main complaints aboutDiscoverywas that the show altered canon established inStar Trek: The Original Series, a problem theUntitled Originmovie could run into as well if it’s not careful.Discoveryseason 1 was set 10 years before the events ofTOS, andthe introduction of Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), the Spore Drive, andDiscovery’s take on the Klingons all contradicted established rules thatTOShad laid down. Understandably, this rubbed many long-time viewers the wrong way, which ended up hurtingDiscoveryseasons 1 and 2in terms of popularity.
6 Good Things In Star Trek Discovery Season 1
Star Trek: Discovery season 1 had its flaws, but it flipped Trek conventions and laid the groundwork for Star Trek’s 21st century TV renaissance.
With yet anotherStar Trekprequel in the works, the franchise once again faces the same problem in terms of coming up with engaging storylines that won’t also bend or break canon.Star Trek: Discoverynever quite recovered from the upsets of its early days, andwhile other prequel shows likeStar Trek: Strange New Worldshave been more successful, they’ve still skirted the linein terms of messing with established events.Star Trek’s Untitled Originmovie must try and avoid breaking canon fromEnterpriseorTOSif it aims to appeal to new and old audiences alike.
There’s An Easy Solution To Star Trek’s Canon Difficulties
The Star Trek franchise needs to learn from its mistakes
Of course, there is one easy solution to the problem of breaking canon:Star Trekneeds to stop setting new projects in the past. Prequels can be great when they’re done properly, withStar Trek: Strange New Worldsas a great example. However,there is only so far a storyline can go before it starts rewriting history.Discoveryseemed to realize this at the end of season 2 and took steps to make sure the show stayed relevant by catapulting its characters to the far future, giving the show a chance to explore uncharted territory inStar Trek’s 32nd century.
Star Trek’s last big movie project, J.J. Abrams' film series, avoided issues of continuity by basing its storyline in a parallel reality, allowing the films to create new canon without breaking the old. While Abrams' movies were controversial for other reasons, they did avoid audience ire about breaking or bending canon rather cleverly.
Star Trek: Discoverynever stopped getting mixed reviews, but its time jump did ensure that the final three seasons bypassed the issue of breaking continuity. By virtue of its premise,theUntitled Star Trek Originmovie can’t employ this solution to fix the problem, but other upcomingStar Trekprojects should start focusing on the future. There is a wealth of possibility in the franchise’s 25th century and beyond, and while some projects likeStar Trek: Starfleet Academyare set to tap into that possibility,Star Trekcould still do more to avoid getting bogged down in the past.
