The Paramount WB merger has been approved by the latter’s shareholders; however, many celebrities in the industry are not too happy with the takeover. Primarily, Paramount’s most prestigious franchise, Star Trek, seems to have many naysayers in its bag, with several celebrities coming out to oppose the merger.

Actors like Wil Wheaton and Jeri Ryan, technicians like Star Trek Into Darkness writer Damon Lindelof, and J.J. Abrams have all signed a petition, registering their protest against the merger of the two mammoth studios. The merger is still subject to approval from the Department of Justice. Only time will tell how Star Trek is affected by it.

All the Star Trek Celebrities Protesting The Paramount/WB Merger

J.J. Abrams | Credits: YouTube/Brian Penny

The merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is as dramatic as a TV show. The legacy studio behind titles like Harry Potter, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Superman, and more was first bid on by Netflix, which brought protests of its own, before Paramount rivaled its bid with another offer.

Now, the $111 billion takeover has reportedly been approved by WB shareholders (via Variety). What this means for the legendary titles of Paramount is yet to be decided, as WB has legacy titles of its own. 

Major celebrities from the Star Trek franchise have expressed their concern over the bid and have also signed to oppose the merger (via Block the Merger). Reboot director J.J. Abrams has signed the letter, and so has scribe Damon Lindelof. Discovery’s Wilson Cruz urged fans to register their protest.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wilson Cruz (@wcruz73)

Other celebrities like Wil Wheaton, Jeri Ryan, and Michelle Hurd have also signed the letter. Jonathan Frakes supported having multiple visions and studios rather than a unified one (via Trek Movie).

CelebritiesStar Trek RoleJ.J. AbramsDirector – Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into DarknessDamon LindelofCo-Writer – Star Trek Into DarknessWil WheatonActor – TNGJeri RyanActor – Voyager, PicardWilson CruzActor – DiscoveryMichelle HurdActor – PicardShazad LatifActor – DiscoveryOsric ChauActor – DiscoveryTig NotaroActor – DiscoveryJames CromwellActor – TNG, Enterprise, First ContactHolly HunterActor – Starfleet Academy

Other celebrities like Bryan Cranston, Don Cheadle, Ben Stiller, and more, who are not part of the franchise, have also signed the letter of protest.

How The Paramount/WB Merger Can Negatively Affect Star Trek

As Paramount enters the WBD orbit, the future of the Final Frontier has never looked more precarious | Credits: Paramount Pictures

The Star Trek franchise is in a limbo of sorts, with no new show currently in production. While a Star Trek movie is being developed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the future of the franchise beyond Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy, both of which will end in 2027, is unclear.

How does the Paramount WB merger affect the franchise, which is now in a hiatus? Things could go either way. A new management could see the franchise for its merits and push long-awaited projects like Year One. But Warner Bros. Discovery has multiple legacy IPs of its own, including titles such as Harry Potter, DC, and more.

With so many projects in its roster, giving time to Star Trek could be seen as a bad investment. Paramount certainly seems to have put it on the back burner. The franchise has its fans, but the fandom is not as huge as the other IPs. Hopefully, Trekkies will not be completely ignored by the new merged studio.

What do you think will happen to Star Trek after the merger? Comment below.
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