The copyright holders of “Star Trek” have set forth new guidelines for fan films based in the sci-fi franchise’s universe.
Paramount and CBS provided a list of 10 new rules for independent producers. Among them, no project can use the name “Star Trek” in any way. In addition, it cannot be distributed in a physical format such as DVD or Blu-ray and cannot generate any revenue.
The rules come as Paramount and CBS are engaged in a lawsuit with the creators of the fan-funded “Star Trek” film “Axanar.”
Paramount and CBS are going after producer Alec Peters of Axanar Productions for copyright infringement in a suit filed last December in California district court. The suit concerns “Axanar” and the prequel film “Prelude to Axanar.”
“Axanar” raised $1.13 million in crowdfunding, making it possibly the biggest-budget fan film ever made. CBS said it never “authorized, sanctioned or licensed this project in any way, and this has been communicated to those involved.”
However, Peters told TheWrap that he and his team met with CBS prior to production, and the network didn’t offer any specific guidelines concerning what his crew could and could not do, simply that he couldn’t make money off the project.
“CBS has a long history of accepting fan films,” Peters said back in August. “I think ‘Axanar’ has become so popular that CBS realizes that we’re just making their brand that much better.”
The network will premiere a new “Star Trek” series on CBS All Access in January 2017, while Paramount will release the film “Star Trek Beyond” on July 22.