The man behind Project Hail Mary just said what a lot of longtime sci-fi fans have been thinking about Kurtzman-era Star Trek — and he didn’t sugarcoat a single word.
During a recent interview with The Critical Drinker, author Andy Weir took direct aim at modern Star Trek, blasting the current state of the franchise and even revealing that Paramount rejected his own pitch for a new series.
Andy Weir Says Modern Star Trek Has Lost Its Way
Weir’s criticism started with a simple observation, but one that cuts right to the core of what many fans have been saying for years.
“All modern science fiction TV shows and movies have been heavily influenced by the original Star Trek,” he said. “Except for the current batch of Star Trek shows.”
Ryan Gosling in Project Hail Mary – Amazon MGM Studios
The “current batch” Weir referred to includes the Alex Kurtzman era of Star Trek, starting with Star Trek Discovery and running through the recently canceled Starfleet Academy.
According to Weir, the franchise that helped define modern sci-fi is no longer even following its own blueprint. That’s not some random online complaint — that’s coming from one of the most successful sci-fi writers working today.
He doubled down by explaining the kind of storytelling he grew up with.
“I’m Gen X, so my sci-fi was like original series Star Trek reruns and Lost in Space reruns,” he said.
In other words, Star Trek used to mean something very specific — exploration, adventure, and optimism.
Now? Even its biggest admirers aren’t so sure.
“Those Shows Are Sh**” — Weir Drops the Hammer
If that first quote raised eyebrows, what came next blew the doors off.
Weir didn’t dance around it. He didn’t hedge. He didn’t give a carefully worded industry answer.
He just said it: “Those shows are shit.”
A screenshot from the trailer to Star Trek Starfleet Academy – YouTube, Paramount Pictures
That’s his blunt assessment of much of modern Star Trek under Alex Kurtzman.
And before anyone tries to dismiss this as blind hate — he actually gave credit where he felt it was earned.
“I like Strange New Worlds,” he admitted. “I think it’s pretty good… Lower Decks I thought was entertaining and fun… All the others, they can go.”
So this isn’t a blanket takedown of the entire franchise. It’s a targeted critique — and that arguably makes it hit even harder.
Paramount Rejected His Star Trek Pitch
Here’s where things get even more interesting.
Weir revealed that he actually pitched his own Star Trek series directly to Paramount. He even spent time speaking with the current creative leadership behind the franchise.
They passed.
Rocky in Project Hail Mary – Amazon MGM Studios
“I pitched a Star Trek show to Paramount… They didn’t accept my pitch so, you know, f*** ’em,” he said.
That means a highly successful creator who clearly believes the franchise is going in the wrong direction had an alternative vision that never saw the light of day because Paramount decided to stay the course with Kurtzman and his identity politics-driven direction.
Given the current state of Star Trek, you have to wonder what that pitch looked like.
Meanwhile, Star Trek Hits a Wall
Weir’s comments come at a time when Star Trek is in a noticeably uncertain place.
There are currently no active Star Trek productions underway — something that hasn’t happened in years. Even the future of Kurtzman’s leadership is up in the air, with his deal set to expire in 2026.
Alex Kurtzman speaking at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con International, for “Star Trek: Discovery”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
That’s not exactly a franchise firing on all cylinders. And now you’ve got a major sci-fi voice publicly calling out the direction it’s taken.
When Success Talks, People Listen
What makes this different from your typical online backlash is who’s saying it.
Weir isn’t just another critic — he’s coming off the success of Project Hail Mary, a story that leans heavily into classic sci-fi fundamentals: problem-solving, discovery, and a sense of wonder.
Ryan Gosling in Project Hail Mary – Amazon MGM Studios
You know… the exact things Star Trek used to be known for.
That contrast is impossible to ignore.
On one side, you’ve got a modern hit built on timeless ideas. On the other, a legacy franchise struggling to maintain momentum after embracing modern identity politics — now taking fire from someone who clearly understands what made it work in the first place.
Fans Have Been Saying This for Years
Here’s the reality: none of this is new.
Fans have been voicing frustration with modern Star Trek for a long time. The difference now is that someone with real credibility — someone who’s actually succeeding in the genre — is saying it out loud.
And he’s not whispering it. He’s dropping lines like “those shows are sh**” and walking away.
Robert Picardo as The Doctor in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy – Paramount
The Project Hail Mary Star Trek conversation just got a lot more interesting.
And when someone like Andy Weir says Star Trek has lost its way…maybe it’s time for Paramount to start asking why.
How do you feel about the Project Hail Mary author’s comments on Star Trek? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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Well, he’s not wrong.
Nothing will change until these studios decide that they’re tired of losing money–amazingly that hasn’t happened yet…
These studios are paid, by globalists, e.g. Vangard, Blackrock, Gates, etc. to make propaganda. And, they continue to do it. The latest Harry Potter project is destroying that IP, too. Because its roots are in White culture, which is being vandalised then erased.
Stating the bleeding obvious.
To watch such a show to be entertained is a signal you escaped from the asylum.