Star Trek isn’t just expanding on television, as CBS Television Studios has announced that it’s formally developed a new global franchise group to oversee and manage all Star Trek content — both on-screen and off — worldwide.

We have known for some time about CBS’s efforts to revitalize their Star Trek business, from the recently-redesigned StarTrek.com which now solicits paid writing opportunities, to planned expansions into animation including partnering with Nickelodeon for a new youth-targeted series.

Today, however, the studio has formally announced the creation of a dedicated Star Trek ‘global franchise group,’ lead by studio Executive VP Veronica Hart, to lead the Trek brand into new frontiers.

Here’s the formal press announcement:

CBS TELEVISION STUDIOS LAUNCHES “STAR TREK” GLOBAL FRANCHISE GROUP

New CBS Television Studios Unit to Manage and Maximize Expansion of Iconic Brand

May 6, 2019 – CBS Television Studios has created a global franchise group that will manage and maximize the expansion of the “Star Trek” brand beyond the traditional boundaries of linear broadcasting and streaming. This new business unit reports to David Stapf, President of CBS Television Studios.

Leading the new team is Veronica Hart, Executive Vice President, “Star Trek” Global Franchise Management, who will manage the “Star Trek” global brand strategy to support the content development plans being developed within CBS and under the stewardship of Alex Kurtzman.

The unit’s goal is to invigorate and broaden the “Star Trek” fan community through additional branding opportunities, such as podcasts, a reinvigorated StarTrek.com and new digital spaces, consumer products and gaming, as well as live experiential events and global attractions. These endeavors to further grow the brand are designed to complement the Studio’s expansion of the “Star Trek” universe, which now includes two live-action series, two animated projects and multiple “shorts.”

The growing “Star Trek” universe for television includes a new animated “Trek” series from writers Kevin and Dan Hageman for Nickelodeon; STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS, a series of short stories tied to DISCOVERY and the overall “Star Trek” universe; the new untitled “Star Trek” series featuring Sir Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard; STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS from Mike McMahan (“Rick and Morty”), an animated series targeted at mature audiences; and a new “Star Trek” project based on “Section 31,” which is in development with Michelle Yeoh attached to star. With the exception of the new Nickelodeon edition, these series are presented on CBS’ streaming service, CBS All Access, in the U.S.

In addition to Hart, the franchise team includes: John Van Citters, VP, “Star Trek” Brand Development, who will work within CBS and across the industry as brand experts while leading the implementation of initiatives and programs; Yasmin Elachi, Director of “Star Trek” Content, in charge of creating, relaunching and maintaining the new StarTrek.com along with overseeing all aspects of “Star Trek” social media in order to present a cohesive online brand; and Gabrielle Oliff, Director of Global Franchise Management Operations, who will focus on executing franchise initiatives and managing the review analytics and preparing presentations for cross-company communication. All are incredibly knowledgeable about the “Star Trek” universe, including legacy, current and future iterations of the series.

“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 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.”

“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,” said Alex Kurtzman.

The new franchise group will be based out of Alex Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout Productions in Santa Monica, Calif. Kurtzman, who is under an overall deal at the Studio, is the executive producer of the various “Star Trek” series.

Along with ongoing merchandising efforts, the announcements includes some notable clues as to the future of CBS’s Trek projects, including “podcasts… new digital spaces, consumer products and gaming, as well as live experiential events and global attractions.”

While the official Star Trek podcast ENGAGE ended in early 2018, it seems the idea may have been revived for future audio projects under this new leadership team — and CBS launched the Star Trek-themed OPERATION ENTERPRISE roller coaster attraction in Germany back in 2017, which may be the first of their ‘global attractions,’ alongside the ongoing Destination Star Trek conventions which are continuing through at least 2020 in Europe.

Announced in tandem with today’s new business development, CBS Television Studios will also be putting on a big Star Trek: Discovery display in Los Angeles, launching this week, to promote the recently-concluded season for Emmy consideration in the coming months.

Opening to the public Wednesday, May 8 at the Paley Center in LA, the two-story Star Trek: Discovery — Fight for the Future public display will feature costumes, props, concept art, prosthetic makeup designs, and set pieces (including the long-touring captain’s chair replica) for visitors to examine, along with a ‘virtual reality experience’ on site.

VISITING THE EXHIBIT
Wednesday, May 8 to Sunday, July 7
FREE and open to the public. No advance ticketing.

Exhibit Hours: Wednesdays to Sundays, noon to 5:00 pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles
465 N. Beverly Drive, at S. Santa Monica Blvd.

Ahead of the public launch of the exhibit, there will be another cast panel at the Paley Center — featuring Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Ethan Peck, Wilson Cruz — along with executive team Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, Michelle Paradise, and visual effects supervisor Jason Zimmerman to promote the series. (Additional future panels are expected, focusing on topics like Discovery costume design and makeup processes.)

Keep an eye on TrekCore for all the latest news on CBS’s new Trek franchise unit, as well as full coverage of this week’s Paley Center event and the new Discovery prop and costume display!