Anson Mount says Strange New Worlds will push the limits of the genre

The first season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was a massive hit with long-time Star Trek fans and newcomers alike. Returning to the classic formula of space exploration and “planet of the week” episodes, the show has quickly become the leading show in the Star Trek franchise.

However, that isn’t to say that Strange New Worlds isn’t moving the franchise forward. While there’s plenty of comforting nostalgia, several episodes broke away from the feel-good format and felt much darker than anything in The Original Series. The presentation of the Gorn, the foreboding fate of Captain Pike and the death of Hemmer were all moments when Strange New Worlds proved it wasn’t afraid to take risks.

Leading the cast as Captain Pike, Anson Mount embodies the best aspects of all the classic Star Trek captains. He has the boldness and suave of Kirk, the diplomacy and thoughtfulness of Picard and the presence and empathy of Sisko. Mount has already made his mark on the franchise. Speaking with Collider while promoting his new movie MK Ultra, he says he’s eager to break tradition with future seasons of Strange New Worlds.

“I really am not a conservative storyteller at all. I am all for saying, ‘Fuck tradition; let’s do it our own way.’ But I’ve even found myself going, ‘Really? Can we really do this?'” asked Mount. “[The showrunner’s] mantra is that Star Trek can be a lot of things. Star Trek isn’t Star Trek because there’s no such thing.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 will reach “for the rafters”

The malleability of Star Trek was on full display throughout Strange New Worlds‘ first season, with the fantasy-based and comedic “Elysian Kingdom” immediately preceding “All Those Who Wander”, which was heavily inspired by Alien. As Mount says:

"Star Trek can be a lot of things because Star Trek, as the best TV does, operates as a metaphorical platform, and when you jump into that wholly, you can really find a lot more elbow room than you think, including playing with not just story, but genre. If you thought we took some big swings in season 1, and we did in a lot of different ways, we’re going for the rafters in season 2."

Filming has already wrapped on Strange New Worlds Season 2, so it won’t be long before we see if Mount and the rest of the cast and crew can pull off some of their more ambitious ideas. The season doesn’t have a release date yet but is expected to premiere sometime in 2023.

Anson Mount, meanwhile, can be seen in MK Ultra, a new psychological thriller written and directed by ex-intelligence officer Joseph Sorrentino. The movie is based on the true story of the CIA’s human experimentation program in the 1960s. MK Ultra is available now on Amazon and other digital platforms.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels