Andy Weir Apologizes To Alex Kurtzman, After Calling Star Trek Shows “Sh*t”

Andy Weir has apologized to Alex Kurtzman after backlash followed his remarks about Paramount’s handling of the Star Trek franchise on a recent podcast. The Project Hail Mary author said his comments were meant as a joke, but he now admits they sounded “disrespectful and mean.”

In an open letter posted to Kurtzman, Weir said his words were taken out of context as “salacious sound bytes” and that he had tried to be self-deprecating. He also said he wanted to make clear that he meant no personal attack on Kurtzman, whom he described as “a really nice guy.”

What Weir said on the podcast

Weir’s apology followed pointed comments he made on the Critical Drinker podcast about a rejected Star Trek pitch. He said he spent time with Kurtzman and the showrunners, but still felt frustrated after the pitch was not accepted.

1. Weir said he pitched a Star Trek show to Paramount.
2. He said he met with Kurtzman and called him “a really nice guy.”
3. He then criticized the shows and reacted angrily to the rejection.
4. The remarks drew attention for their blunt tone and profanity.

His exact language on the podcast included praise for Kurtzman as a person, followed by a harsh judgment of the shows and the rejection of his pitch. That mix of praise and criticism became the part that spread widely online.

The apology to Kurtzman

In his Facebook apology, Weir said he had also stressed to Kurtzman “how much I like you as a person and what a nice guy you are.” He added that he would be willing to speak with Kurtzman directly, even if the conversation became uncomfortable.

Weir wrote that he was open to a phone call or Zoom meeting if Kurtzman wanted to address the matter in real time. The message suggested an effort to de-escalate the dispute after the podcast remarks prompted criticism.

Why the remarks caused a reaction

The comments landed poorly because they targeted both the quality of the Star Trek shows and the rejection of Weir’s own pitch. That combination made the episode more than a casual joke, especially for fans and professionals who saw it as a public insult to a major franchise.

Don Winslow, whose work is the source material for Crime 101, was among the writers who pushed back after the clip circulated. The response showed how quickly remarks from a high-profile author can spread across entertainment and book circles.

Weir’s wider profile in Hollywood

Weir is best known for writing Project Hail Mary, the novel that became a major screen success through Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The film, starring Ryan Gosling as a teacher who wakes up aboard a spacecraft with amnesia, has delivered strong results for Amazon MGM Studios.

That success has made Weir a notable figure in the book-to-screen space, which also gave extra weight to his comments about another science-fiction property. His apology now shifts attention back to the industry relationships that matter when authors, studios, and franchise leaders work together on future adaptations.