Star Trek Guide

Star Trek: Prodigy Animated Series Gets A Showrunner

The upcoming animated series Star Trek: Prodigyhas officially found its showrunner. In recent years, the Star Trek franchise has seen a massive resurgence on television thanks to CBS All Access. The streamer has already put out two live-action shows, Discoveryand Picardand there are others currently in development, like the Captain Pike-centered Strange New Worlds. Additionally, the franchise is again making the leap to animation. The first new Star Trek animated series, Lower Decks, recently premiered on CBS All Access and focuses on the behind the scenes crew members of the USS Ceritos.

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At Comic-Con@Home a few weeks ago, the next animated Star Trek series was revealed. Last year, it had been reported that Nickelodeon would be collaborating with CBS for a Star Trek show aimed at younger viewers, and the project finally seemed to gain traction, as well as a name, with the Comic-Con announcement. Prodigy will follow a group of lawless teens who discover an abandoned Starfleet ship and use it for their own adventures. It's expected to arrive on the kid-friendly network sometime in 2021.

Today, Nickelodeon has officially announced that award-winning director and producer Ben Hibon will serve as Prodigy's showrunner. Hibon will direct and co-executive produce the series in addition to serving as its creative lead. In terms of past credits, Hibon was the animation director for the "Tale of Three Brothers" sequence in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Hibon said in a statement, "Getting the chance to work on an IP like Star Trek has been an incredible opportunity, particularly when partnered with the talented teams at Nickelodeon, CBS and Secret Hideout - who have been pushing the boundaries of what animation and serialized storytelling for younger audiences can deliver."

Additionally, Ramsey Naito, Executive Vice President of Animation Production and Development at Nickelodeon said, "Ben’s contributions to the world of animation are immeasurable, and we are so lucky to have his vision and creative genius on Star Trek: Prodigy. As an incredible storyteller and a world builder with a distinct vision, his original approach paired with this beloved property will bring the characters to life in a whole new way." Hibon will work alongside Star Trek producers Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, Katie Krentz, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth on Prodigy, in addition to Kevin and Dan Hageman. No further details were given about Prodigy, which will likely take place within the established Star Trek timeline. As to where it will fall, that remains to be seen.

Dedicated Star Trek fans sometimes had mixed feelings about the new shows, but Prodigy seems like a fun addition to the canon. Prodigy offers the chance to truly take the franchise where it has never gone before with its young cast, and it will open Star Trek up to a whole new generation. It'll be interesting to see what Hibon can bring to the series when considering his work on the Deathly Hallows sequence; under his care, there could be some really excellent visuals. Nickelodeon hasn't announced when next year Prodigy will arrive, but work certainly seems to be underway.

Star Trek: Prodigywill premiere on Nickelodeon in 2021.

Source: Nickelodeon

Source: screenrant.com