A new biopic chronicling the life and times of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry is in development.
According to Deadline, Roddenberry Entertainment has been working quietly on the biopic, and the producers include Rod Roddenberry, Gene Roddenberry’s son, and Trevor Roth. The two men have functioned as the primary caretakers of the Star Trek franchises since the elder Roddenberry’s death in 1991; they have executive produced all the current franchise series like Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery.
Work on the currently untitled biopic has already begun, and there is reportedly a complete script by Adam Mazer. Mazer’s previous writing credits include 2013’s based-on-a-true-story crime drama Empire State, which starred Dwayne Johnson and Liam Hemsworth, and 2019’s television movie Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Fight to Save Her Daughter, which starred Catherine Oxenberg and Andrea Roth. Roddenberry Entertainment is reportedly working on finding a director and actors for the biopic.
While Gene Roddenberry is probably best known for creating Star Trek, his life presents no shortage of exciting subject matter for the biopic to explore. Born in El Paso, Texas in 1921, Roddenberry was a fighter pilot in the Army Air Forces during World War II, where he flew 89 combat missions. Later in life, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department and began developing scripts for television. He produced his first television series The Lieutenant in 1964, before creating the original Star Trek series, which premiered in 1966.
The original Star Trek series ran for three seasons and starred many actors who would go on to become icons in science fiction and pop culture, including William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Nichelle Nichols (Lieutenant Uhura), George Takei (Sulu) and Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock). The original series was revolutionary for its diverse cast, which reflected Roddenberry’s inclusive worldview.
In 1985, Gene Roddenberry was the first-ever television writer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he was later inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall Fame and the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Roddenberry continued producing and consulting on series and films in the Star Trek franchise until his death, and afterward, he became one of the first humans to have their ashes carried into Earth’s orbit.
“Gene led a remarkable life,” said Rod Roddenberry and Roth. “He was an incredibly complex, compelling man, whose work changed the face of television, and whose ideas changed the world. It’s time to share Gene’s story with audiences everywhere.”
The announcement of the biopic overlaps with the celebration of what would have been Gene Roddenberry’s centennial birthday. Many fans have taken to social media to remember the science fiction icon. Even NASA posted to Twitter, writing, “Gene Roddenberry showed a future where individuals from different backgrounds work together to explore, something we strive to do today with you.”
Source: Deadline
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