Andy Weir, who penned the blockbuster novels The Martian and Project Hail Mary, unleashed his frustration in a recent Critical Drinker podcast interview. He blasted Paramount’s modern Star Trek shows as “sht” after they rejected his pitch for a new series. The sci-fi powerhouse vented his dissatisfaction with the franchise’s direction under executive producer Alex Kurtzman, which starkly contrasts the classics—The Original Series* and The Next Generation—that ignited his fandom.
Weir’s Fierce Trek Takedown
Weir praised standout exceptions like Strange New Worlds and laughed off Lower Decks as fun, but he dismissed the rest outright. “All the others, they can go,” he declared, adding, “those shows are sht. They didn’t accept my pitch so, f** ’em.” He pitched straight to Kurtzman, whom he dubbed a “nice guy,” yet mourned the rejection despite his concept mirroring Trek‘s signature problem-solving vibe from his own stories. Fans rallied online, slamming Paramount for snubbing what many hail as the “perfect Star Trek show pitch” from a sci-fi titan.
Weir’s Sci-Fi Roots and Rejected Vision
Weir crafts hard sci-fi gems like Project Hail Mary, where a solitary astronaut races to save Earth—now primed for its 2026 film splash. He idolized Trek‘s upbeat exploration ethos growing up. His nixed idea sought to revive that core, but Paramount prioritized ongoing hits like Discovery and Picard, triggering his raw outburst amid Project Hail Mary‘s rising hype. This clash fuels heated debates on Star Trek‘s Paramount+ evolution, with Weir’s barbs igniting fresh sci-fi buzz.
