While prolific writer/producerAlex Kurtzmanhad no doubt planned on spending more time in the interconnected series ofDark Universe moviesin the wake ofThe Mummy(which he directed), it appears Kurtzman’s next project is a bit smaller in scale.The Mummywas intended to be the first in a series of interconnected Universal Monsters movies, withBride of FrankensteinandThe InvisibleManin active development. But theTom Cruise-fronted film was a bust at the box office and garnered scathing reviews from critics, and just like that these big overarching plans were gone.
Kurtzman oversaw the creation and development of the Dark Universe withChris Morgan(Fast & Furious), but last November it was announced that Kurtzman and Morgan were departing their roles and Universalmay be pulling the plug on the Dark Universe altogether.
Now, however, Kurtzman is turning his attention back to the small screen asVarietyreports that he’ll direct theStar Trek: DiscoverySeason 2 premiere. Kurtzman had a strong hand in bringingStar Trek Discoveryto fruition as co-creator of the series, taking a more active handle on the show when original showrunnerBryan Fullerdeparted during development. Kurtzman co-wrote the series premiere of the CBS All Access series, and fans of the show are eager to see what Season 2 brings as the Season 1 finale announced the arrival of the Enterprise. How willDiscoverydeal with canon and will we see anyStar Trek: Enterprisecharacters surface? We’ll have to wait to find out.
Kurtzman has been involved with theStar Trekfranchise for a long time, serving as producer and co-writer ofJ.J. Abrams’ 2009 feature film reboot and its sequelStar Trek Into Darkness. He was enlisted to co-create the franchise’s return to the small screen withDiscovery, and this Season 2 premiere will mark his directorial debut on the series.
As for Kurtzman’s career on the big screen, that remains to be seen. He directed the indiePeople Like Usin 2012, but always had his eye on a major blockbuster for his next film as he was originally in line to directVenomfor Sony. A return toDiscoveryseems like a smart move for now, and it’ll be interesting to see if Kurtzman just focuses on that show for a bit or if he’ll be returning to the big screen sooner rather than later.
