Mar 31, 2026 1:12pm IST
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‘Project Hail Mary’ Author Andy Weir Apologizes to ‘Star Trek’ Boss After Saying the ‘Shows Are S—‘: ‘I Was Trying to Be Funny’
The author of “Project Hail Mary” may be behind one of the biggest films of the year, but Andy Weir did non mince words when it came to Paramount Plus+’s recent batch of “Star Trek” series, some of which he criticized during a recent interview.
“I’ll give you my opinion, and I’m just a consumer,” Weir said during a taping last week of the podcast “Critical Drinking.” I like ‘Strange New Worlds.’ I think it’s pretty good. I didn’t hate ‘Enterprise.’ I thought it was kind of weird. ‘Lower Decks,’ I thought, was entertaining and fun. All the others, they can go.”
Weir also spoke about making a pitch himself to the “Star Trek” team.
“And here’s another thing: I pitched a ‘Star Trek’ show to Paramount, and I was in Zoom with the showrunners with all the shows and spent a lot of time talking to [executive producer Alex Kurtzman],” Weir continued. “I don’t like a lot of the new ‘Trek.’ He, as a person, is a really nice guy. But at the same time, those shows are shit. He is a nice guy.”
On March 30, Reid posted an apology to Kurtzman via Facebook. Read it in full below.
Open letter to Alex Kurtzman:
Hey, Alex. Andy Weir here. I’m posting to apologize about stuff I said on the Critical Drinker’s podcast.
I feel like my quotes were taken out of context as salacious sound bytes. I hope you saw the other parts where I said how much I like you as a person and what a nice guy you are. Also how I like SNW and LD.
I was trying to be funny, but in retrospect it comes off as disrespectful and mean. So I’m sorry for that. I was also trying to be self-deprecating when I said “But they didn’t like my pitch so fuck ’em!” but out of context it can read like I actually meant it.
I’m a blunt person – always have been. And it’s been 10 years since the media cared what I had to say about anything so I kind of forgot to watch my words when I have a film in theaters. In a couple months I’ll be back in my cave writing novels and no one will care again.
Anyway, if you want to talk about it in real time — even if it’s just to rip me a new one — I’m happy to hop on the phone or zoom.
Watch the original Critical Drinker segment below.
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