The sci-fi show "Star Trek" is boldly going back to television, with a new series introducing new characters and alien civilizations that will launch in January 2017, CBS television said on Monday.
The show depicting the adventures of the Starship Enterprise, which spawned more than a dozen movies and five TV series since its launch in 1966, will mark its 50th anniversary next year.
The new series will be shown primarily on CBS's streaming and subscription service, CBS Access, with only a special preview episode being shown on broadcast television.
The show's executive producer will be Alex Kurtzman, the writer and producer of 2009's "Star Trek" movie reboot and its 2013 sequel, "Star Trek into Darkness."
"There is no better time to give 'Star Trek' fans a new series than on the heels of the original show's 50th anniversary celebration," David Stapf, president of CBS Television Studios, said in a statement.
Created by the late Gene Roddenberry, the original "Star Trek" series debuted on U.S. television in 1966 with characters like Captain James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner, and Vulcan officer Mr. Spock, played by the late Leonard Nimoy.
Repeat episodes of "Star Trek" series are now seen in more than 190 countries.
"Every day, an episode of the 'Star Trek' franchise is seen in almost every country in the world," Armando Nuñez, president and chief executive of CBS Global Distribution Group, said in a statement.
The new series is not related to the "Star Trek Beyond" movie, starring Chris Pine as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock, which is due for release next summer, CBS said.
