Star Trek: Prodigy Canceled And Being Removed From Streaming
Star Trek: Prodigy has been canceled and will soon be removed from Paramount+.
When Warner Bros. Discovery decided to cancel a bunch of shows and movies last year in exchange for a tax write-off, no one expected it would become an industry-wide trend. But now Disney, Netflix, and other companies have started to follow WB’s lead, with Paramount+ being the latest streamer to jump on the bandwagon. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Star Trek: Prodigy is joining Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Queen of the Universe, and The Game as the latest series to be axed in exchange for some cash from the IRS.
Like Warner Bros. Discovery canceling Batgirl last year during the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery, Paramount+ is canceling Star Trek: Prodigy as Paramount prepares to add Showtime content to their online streaming catalog.
A spokesperson for Paramount stated that in preparation to combine Showtime’s critically acclaimed series with Paramount’s broader and more general content, the streaming platform is looking to tighten things up so that the merger is seamless. The spokesperson stated that cutting off shows like Prodigy and Grease is the result of “smart and efficient choices” based on data collected from their audience.
Star Trek: Prodigy is an Emmy-award-winning series that was first released in 2021 and was renewed for a second season before Paramount decided to cancel it. The series is the 10th Star Trek series to be created, and the first of its kind to solely use 3D animation and be targeted toward kids.
Considering that the series was critically acclaimed, is part of one of the most successful franchises ever made, and that the second season was set to release later this year, it’s surprising that Paramount decided to include Prodigy with the selection of shows they’re sending to the cancelation graveyard.
In fact, all four of the announced cancelations are high profile series. In addition to Star Trek: Prodigy and the others, Paramount+ will be canceling more series, though none of them are expected to be as popular as the four already announced.
It’s unknown how much the studio will receive in a tax write-off for the cancelations, however, the exact amount will be announced during the next company earnings call.
Despite the disappointing news of these cancelations, there is hope on the horizon for Star Trek fans. Star Trek: Prodigy was the brainchild of Alex Kurtzman, who has been one of the head honchos of the Star Trek franchise since 2009. His aim was to introduce Star Trek to a younger generation of audience, and he’s not letting the news of this cancelation halt him in his mission.
Since being renewed for a second season last year, Season 2 of Star Trek: Prodigy has been in production, and the producers of the series intend to finish what they started. Despite being canceled by Paramount, production on Season 2 will wrap up as planned and the producers who own the rights at CBS intend to shop the show around to find a new platform to release it on.
In the meantime, Paramount remains the home for other Stark Trek works, including a Star Trek: Section 31 movie, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks and the final season of Discovery.
As for the other series that were canceled, Paramount intends to shop the rights to these as well, except for the drag series, Queen of the Universe, which will simply be removed from the platform at the end of June.
