Set phasers to “biopic” because Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry is getting one

Today is Star Trek-creator Gene Roddenberry’s birthday, and what better way to honor one of the most beloved writers of the last century with a movie about him. Announced today on Deadline, a biopic about the late creator is currently in the early stages. While details are sparse, Roddenbury Entertainment did share the news that Emmy-winner Adam Mazer wrote the already-completed script. Mazer previously wrote the screenplay for the HBO Dr. Kevorkian movie You Don’t Know Jack, which starred Al Pacino.

Roddenberry’s life was undoubtedly eventful enough to warrant a movie. In addition to creating one of the most successful and long-running franchises in television and movie history, he also survived two plane crashes, was an LAPD police officer, a firefighter, and a pilot, who flew 88 missions in World War II. Also, did we mention he created Star Trek?

“Gene led a remarkable life,” his son Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, who executive produce all the current Star Trek shows, told Deadline. “He was an incredibly complex, compelling man, whose work changed the face of television, and whose ideas changed the world. It’s time to share Gene’s story with audiences everywhere.”

Roddenberry died in 1991 and subsequently had his ashes flown in space, proving that his life will be more interesting than ours even in death. The world of Trek hasn’t slowed since his passing—if anything, it’s gone into warp speed. More than 10 Star Trek movies and shows have premiered since his death. The latest, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Discovery, and Star Trek: Lower Decks, are currently airing on Paramount+. As for the next Trek movie, Deadline reports that Matt Shankman will direct a script by Lindsay Beer and Gena Robertson-Dworet. However, no release date has been set.