An upcoming biopic will chronicle the life of Gene Roddenberry, creator of the legendary sci-fi television series Star Trek. Star Trek premiered in 1966 and ran for three seasons, eventually gaining wild success worldwide.
The show chronicles the adventures of the starship Enterprise, led by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Star Trek: The Animated Series was also created by Roddenberry, as was Star Trek: The Next Generation, although Roddenberry opposed Patrick Stewart’s casting in the show. The Star Trek saga retains a strong cult following to this day, and so far has spawned nine spinoffs and a film franchise. However, the story of Gene Roddenberry spans far beyond his most famous project.
In mid-August, it was announced that a full-length feature film about Roddenberry’s life was in the works. The Star Trek visionary’s biopic will be created by Roddenberry Entertainment; a production company that was founded by Roddenberry’s son, Rod Roddenberry, in 1997. Here is everything we know about the biopic so far.
Gene Roddenberry's Biopic Is More Than Star Trek
The upcoming biopic is apparently intended to cover Roddenberry’s experiences both before and after the project for which he is best known [via Variety]. Indeed, the filmmaker led a full and fascinating life. Beyond Star Trek and its spinoffs, Rodenberry also holds screenwriting credits for shows including Highway Patrol, Whiplash, and Have Gun - Will Travel. He also created and produced the television series The Lieutenant in 1963. Before becoming a professional writer and producer for the big screen, Roddenberry worked as an airline pilot and survived a shocking total of three plane crashes throughout his military and commercial career. He also briefly served as a Los Angeles police officer. Of their reasons for making the film, producers Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth said that Roddenberry “was an incredibly complex, compelling man, whose work changed the face of television, and whose ideas changed the world” [via Deadline].
Gene Roddenberry's Biopic Cast
The biopic of Star Trek creator Roddenberry has not yet been cast, and the search is likely underway for suitable actors. However, it is known that the film will be produced by Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, both of whom also produced Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery. Gene Roddenberry’s biopic will be written by Adam Mazer, who previously wrote scripts for Breach (2007), Empire State (2013), and the Emmy-winning TV movie You Don’t Know Jack, starring Al Pacino.
Gene Roddenberry's Biopic Release Date
The release date of the film is currently unknown, but it was announced on August 19th, 2021 – the 100th anniversary of Roddenberry’s birth. Since Roddenberry’s biopic is still in the early stages of production, a release date probably won’t be set anytime soon. In the meantime, millions of Star Trek fans eagerly await this film about the father of their beloved franchise.