Khan Prequel Reportedly In The Works

Star Trek has been getting a whole lot of attention since the announcement of Star Trek: Discovery, but now the attention has reached a feverish pitch, because rumors are growing that Paramount is developing a new series that features Khan and his life on the planet Ceti Alpha V, along with his crew that had been abandoned .  Nicholas Meyer, arguably the best director in Star Trek history, is reportedly developing the series, and it will deal with Khan and crew's life of survival after a neighboring planet exploded and turned Ceti Alpha V into a desert planet.

Meyer, who was responsible for a few of the best Star Trek movies in it's storied history (he directed Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country, and co-wrote Star Trek: The Voyage Home)  is said to be working on the Khan series, focusing on Khan Noonien Singh, who first appeared in the original series episode "Space Seed."  The role was originally played by Ricardo Montalban (who died in 2009) and more recently portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in the movie Star Trek Into Darkness.  Khan was a genetic experiment that was said to be a more superior human, along with the rest of his crew that were exiled into space after becoming unable to control.  After James Kirk stranded them on Ceti Alpha V, the neighboring planet exploded, causing Ceti Alpha V to turn into a desert planet.  The series will focus on their survival, and also show how his hatred of Kirk starts to grow.

CBS seems to want to reach back into the series' history to develop new television shows, with the new Star Trek: Discovery series taking place before Kirk ever became a captain, and now the rumored Khan series making it's way around the web.  Out of the two, I think that the Khan series has the best chance of making it, and this is why...if you go back and watch the original series, and then watch the next generation, they both follow the same format.  The same can be said about Deep Space Nine and Voyager.  Once Enterprise came out, the style changed, and it hasn't been the same since.  Discovery looks to follow in the footsteps of Enterprise, so I'm not expecting much from it.  A Khan series, however, would do much better in the style that seems to be taking over.

We won't know if this actually happens until CBS makes a formal announcement, but I' guessing that shouldn't take too long.  Khan is a fan favorite, and it would seem to be an easy sell to produce, especially if Meyer is involved.  Star Trek: Discovery will be the litmus test, so to speak.  If it does well, then expect the Khan series to be green lit.  Star Trek: Discovery will premier on September 24 on CBS, and then will only appear on their streaming service, CBS All Access.