While I tend to prefer the sci-fi aspects of Star Trek over the more action-focused direction the Star Wars franchise has taken, it’s safe to say that I’m an outlier, especially when it comes to my age group. As a 20-something-year-old, I’d be hard-pressed to find many people of a similar age who prefer Gene Roddenberry’s take on space as opposed to George Lucas’.
Of course, if you were to start looking towards those in their 40s and 50s, the tides change a bit. Because of how old The Original Series and The Next Generation are, it seems that most Trekkies tend to skew a little older. On the other hand, Star Wars‘ Sequel Trilogy has brought on an entirely new generation of fans, with parents introducing their kids to the likes of Finn and Rey.
It looks like some of CBS’ creative staff are looking to change that up, though. Series EP Alex Kurtzman has plenty in store for Trekkies. Not only has he mapped out the next 5 to 10 years of the franchise, but it seems as if he’s making a conscious effort to begin courting and bringing on a younger generation of fans; something Star Trek has largely failed to do in its 50-plus years of existence.
As ComicBook.com reports, in a recent interview with Deadline’s Crew Call podcast, Kurtzman explained how children below the age of 10 or so have never really been targeted.
“It’s never reached younger than that; it’s never tried to, and to me that’s a hugely missed opportunity, especially because what you’re really trying to do is influence hearts and minds with really positive messages — messages about who we can be as a species and as people and what our future is. So why not start young, you know? And not for a cynical reason. Not because you know, hey, let some more toys, but because if you really want Star Trek to reach people, then you’ve got to start young.”
He even compared the franchise to Star Wars, which he argues did a much better job at appealing to a younger crowd.
“It’s never reached younger than that; it’s never tried to, and to me that’s a hugely missed opportunity, especially because what you’re really trying to do is influence hearts and minds with really positive messages — messages about who we can be as a species and as people and what our future is.” Kurtzman added. “So why not start young, you know? And not for a cynical reason. Not because you know, hey, let some more toys, but because if you really want Star Trek to reach people, then you’ve got to start young.”
Personally, I’m curious to see how Star Trek will attempt to reach out to a younger audience. The newfound direction seems at odds with Quentin Tarantino’s idea for an R-rated film, but since an animated series heading to Nickelodeon, it looks like anything’s possible at this point.
