CBS Studios expands and extends Star Trek boss Alex Kurtzman’s deal, plus confirms development of Section 31 show

Alex Kurtzman sits on the bridge set of Star Trek: Discovery. image ViacomCBS

AUGUST 1, 2021 - Great news for Star Trek fans as CBS Studios has announced a new overall deal with current Star Trek boss Alex Kurtzman, which would see his current deal expanded and extended through 2026.

In a press release on Friday, they said, “CBS Studios announced today a new overall development and production deal with prolific writer, producer and director Alex Kurtzman and his production banner, Secret Hideout, through 2026. Heather Kadin will continue to lead the Secret Hideout content team, along with senior vice president Aaron Baiers and director of development Robyn Johnson. Under this new deal, Secret Hideout will expand to include new executives for the growing slate of shows and development.”

George Cheeks, President and CEO of CBS said of the deal: “Extending our valuable partnership with the brilliant Alex Kurtzman and Secret Hideout has been a top priority for CBS and Paramount+. Alex’s vision and leadership of the Star Trek franchise and his ability to create artistic and commercial series across all platforms put him in a special class of creative talent. [...] We are excited to build on his already impressive slate far into the future.”

For his part, Kurtzman said of the agreement, and specifically of the leadership at CBS Studios, “I can imagine no greater partners, and I’m so excited to tell more stories together for years to come.”

Also buried in the statement was official word (finally!) regarding development of the elusive Section 31 series, which has been rumored to be on the back burner for much of this year. The statement reads: “Secret Hideout is in development on a ‘Star Trek’ project based on ‘Section 31,’ with Michelle Yeoh attached to star.”

It’s not just Star Trek that Kurtzman is attached to, though: his contract covers production across a wide board, with projects including an adaptation of former Star Trek: Picard showrunner Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and a reboot of The Man Who Fell to Earth, as well as a Lena Horne biopic and more.

Congratulations to Alex Kurtzman and the team at Secret Hideout on their new deal, and I for one look forward to what the next five years have in store.