“Star Trek” has returned to the forefront of sci-fi television thanks to all the original series on Paramount+, starting with “Star Trek: Discovery” and expanding to include “Picard,” “Lower Decks,” “Prodigy” and “Strange New Worlds.” While there is certainly a connection between the series, the announcement that the critically acclaimed “Strange New Worlds” will intersect with the animated “Lower Decks” came as a surprise, and the two stars recently shared their initial reaction to the news.
Anson Mount and Ethan Peck, who play Captain Christopher Pike and researcher Spock, respectively, in “Strange New Worlds,” took part in the “Star Trek” panel at the FAN EXPO in Cleveland. While everyone is still waiting to see how the worlds of Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks will collide after the crossover was first announced in 2022, the stars recalled their initial thoughts, which were very different. Shared access to mounting:
I immediately imagined “Who framed Roger Rabbit.” [laughs] I was very worried and thought, “Has Akiva [Goldsman] gone crazy?” That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard. And then he explained it to me, and I said, “Oh, that’s actually brilliant!”
Considering that Strange New Worlds is live action and the Lower Decks are animated, Star Trek’s idea of who framed Roger Rabbit makes a lot of sense! This movie famously included cartoons in scenes in which actors also participated in the flesh. While Anson Mount certainly didn’t dismiss all the spoilers about what would be in the process, he confirmed that as soon as he received additional information from co-author and co-author Akiva Goldsman, he was OK with the “brilliant” idea.
For his part, Ethan Peck obviously didn’t initially think a crossover could be Goldsman’s “worst idea,” but saw the upside in doing something that had definitely never been done before in the Star Trek franchise. Actor Spock said:
I was very excited about it because of the actors who worked with us… so wonderful and so funny. I think what’s really cool about our show is that it takes things very seriously, and at the same time there’s levity, there’s room for jokes and laughter… I was thrilled that these two tones blended together and created something new.
The crossover between Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks will feature the usually animated Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler, although they will be played live by voice actors Tony Newsom and Jack Quad. It’s still unclear how this episode will make the timeline work, given that the action of “Strange New World” takes place more than a century before “Lower Decks,” but it’s safe to say that it won’t just be a Star Trek version of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.” In addition, “Lower Decks” showrunner Mike McMahan has previously spoken to CinemaBlend about his contribution to the crossover, although technically this episode will be one of “Strange New Worlds.”
The clash of strange new worlds and the worlds of the lower decks will be part of the second season of SNW, which should also bring back the Vampire Diaries graduate Paul Wesley, who will play a young version of James Kirk himself. No premiere date has been announced for Paramount+ subscribers to start planning ahead, but with teasers of what’s ahead, coupled with questions we hope the show will answer after season 1 is over, there should be a lot to look forward to.
All things considered, Star Trek fans who attended the Cleveland FAN EXPO received funny information from Anson Mount and Ethan Peck on March 24, the opening day of the convention. On March 25, Peck will participate in photo shoots, in addition to all other programs available to visitors, including panels for Shazam! featuring Zachary Levy and Jack Dylan Gazer, “The Mandalorian” with Emily Swallow and “The Office” with Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery and Oscar Nunes, to name just a few. You can find the full schedule with more information here!
