"Star Trek" will live long and prosper on CBS once again. The network announced on Monday that it will launch a new "Star Trek" series in January 2017.
Alex Kurtzman, who co-wrote and produced the two recent "Star Trek" feature films, will serve as executive producer on the new show, which will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations. The franchise will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016.
"There is no better time to give 'Star Trek' fans a new series than on the heels of the original show's 50th anniversary celebration," CBS Television Studios President David Stapf said in a statement. "Everyone here has great respect for this stories franchise, and we're excited to launch its next television chapter in the creative mind and skilled hands of Alex Kurtzman, someone who knows this world and its audience intimately."
A special preview broadcast will premiere on CBS TV before the pilot, and all first-run episodes are available exclusively on CBS All Access, the network's digital subscription video on demand and live streaming service. CBS All Access will also offer every episode from previous "Star Trek" television shows.
The new "Star Trek" series will have no connection to the upcoming sequel film, "Star Trek Beyond," which is scheduled to premiere in summer 2016.
