“I don’t think Star Trek will ever die,” declared Rod Roddenberry, son of Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.
Along with Trevor Roth of Roddenberry Entertainment, Rod sat down with Andrea Towers in the TV Insider and TV Guide Magazine studio, sponsored by Hollywood unBranded at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 to discuss the franchise’s enduring legacy and how long they see it continuing.
While Rod Roddenberry “grew up around it” because his father created it, he admitted he didn’t “really get” it right away. But once he did, he attended conventions and heard from fans about how the franchise had such a positive effect on their lives. “Whatever it was that made them feel cast out or not accepted, Star Trek was that gateway that allowed them to believe in a better future,” the CEO explained. “It also showed the idea of IDIC — infinite diversity from infinite combinations — and it’s the idea that we appreciate everything that’s unique and different.” He thinks that is why Trek has been around for 56 years.
Roth noted that listening to other people’s stories allowed him to recognize the “power of the franchise.” The COO shared, “I’ve heard stories from everyone saying that they got hurt on the job and they used Captain Kirk’s way of talking in order to relearn the English language to people who said they’ve gotten out of horrible and abusive marriages because of lessons they learned from Star Trek and the strength they found in it.”
Rod Roddenberry also pointed to the episode, “The Devil in the Dark,” from The Original Series as “the first time I had a little switch go, ‘Oh my God, you can do so much more with storytelling than just have a good guy and a bad guy. You can actually teach people things. You can give different perspectives. And Star Trek’s done a great job of that.”
Considering there have been reboots and movies, and we’re seeing the Star Trek Universe constantly expanding on Paramount+, do they see the franchise continuing another 50 years? “Yes, please,” Roth said immediately. And while Rod Roddenberry doesn’t see Trek ever ending, “that doesn’t mean it will always be on the air,” he acknowledged.
Watch the video above for more from Rod Roddenberry and Roth about Trek‘s legacy and what stood out to them around San Diego Comic-Con. Plus, you’ll want to watch until the end, because Rod Roddenberry has the perfect sign-off.