Star Trek EP Praises Thomas Jane As Perfect Casting For Bones McCoy In Strange New Worlds Finale

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The executive producer of Star Trek has highly praised Thomas Jane, calling him the ideal choice to play Dr. Bones McCoy in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Kurtzman also directed the first episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the latest Star Trek series which recently launched on Paramount+ and has received a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Production on the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finished right before Christmas. CBS Studios and Paramount+ also revealed that Thomas Jane will take on the role of Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy and Kai Murakami will play Hikaru Sulu in the show’s series finale.

Liam Crowley from ScreenRant recently spoke with Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau, the co-showrunners of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Kurtzman praised Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, calling it a remarkable achievement, and explained why he believes Thomas Jane is perfectly suited for the role of Bones McCoy. Here are some of Kurtzman’s comments:

As a huge Star Trek fan, I was really excited to hear that Thomas Jane is joining the universe as Bones McCoy! It was a fantastic bit of casting news right before the holidays. It’s also a little bittersweet knowing that production on Strange New Worlds Season Five just finished, and it feels like an era is ending. I’d love to dive into what his involvement means for the show and just reflect on Strange New Worlds wrapping up.

Alex Kurtzman feels ‘Strange New Worlds’ was a wonderful opportunity. When they first introduced characters like Number One, Spock, and Pike in ‘Discovery,’ they saw the potential for a standalone series, knowing there were stories to tell before Kirk’s time. The actors were perfectly cast, and fans clearly loved the characters, so being able to create a five-season show was incredible. Kurtzman believes Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers, the writers, and the directors all did a fantastic job of capturing the original ‘Star Trek’ feel while also making the show fresh and distinct.

Thomas Jane was a perfect fit for the role. It’s always challenging to replace actors in such well-known parts, but our experience with the films showed us it’s possible if you find someone who truly captures the character’s essence. Jane really embodied the toughness, grumbling nature, and intelligence of [Bones], and just felt completely right for the part.

Liam Crowley asked if there was any news about a potential spin-off series focusing on Paul Wesley, noting that either he or Paul had previously suggested the idea and hoped to manifest it.

Alex Kurtzman: We’ll see.

Now that filming has wrapped on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, fans are looking forward to a potential spinoff called Star Trek: Year One. This new series, discussed by Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers last year, would focus on the initial year of Paul Wesley’s Captain Kirk leading the Starship Enterprise.

Some Star Trek fans believe the casting of Thomas Jane in Strange New Worlds suggests plans for a Star Trek: Year One series. They question why such a well-known actor would be brought in to play Bones McCoy for just one episode at the end of Strange New Worlds, implying a larger role might be intended.

With two seasons and 16 episodes already completed, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is set to return with season 4 in 2026 on Paramount+. A shorter, 6-episode final season, season 5, is planned for 2027. Season 4 was filmed earlier in 2025.

Similar to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, there will also be two seasons of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and filming for the second season is almost complete. However, viewers will have to wait more than a year to see Thomas Jane, who many believe is perfectly cast, play Bones McCoy in the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finale.

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2026-01-16 03:39