'Star Trek Discovery' TV show news: setting precedes original series; Brent Spiner rumored to return

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During this year's San Diego Comic Con, the first initial footage of "Star Trek Discovery," the brand new television series in the long-running franchise that will air on CBS, was shown to the public. As stated in a report from /Film, the footage may be brief but it did give enough clues to suggest when the series would be set.

According to to the report, the hull of the USS Enterprise shown in the teaser trailer reads NCC-1031, indicating that it is a much older model. In the 1966 "Star Trek: The Original Series" show, the USS Enterprise bore the model number NCC-1701, suggesting that it is a newer model.

Putting the clues together the report speculates "Star Trek Discovery" is set several years prior to the original series. The report also states in a much earlier interview with showrunner Bryan Fuller that it has been confirmed the show will be set in the original timeline and not in the reboot timeline established by the latest films. 

However, the show is not going to be about the very first USS Enterprise. The 2001-2005 television series, "Star Trek Enterprise," told the story about Captain Jonathan Archer and the USS Enterprise NX-01. "Star Trek Discovery" will be set after the events of that series. 

In regards to the cast, no official list of actors have yet been released. However, speaking to Yahoo!, actor Brent Spiner indicated that there could be a chance of him appearing on the show but not as his original "Star Trek: The Next Generation" character, Data.

"We talked about 'Discovery' and what his plans are for it," Spiner explained. "But I don't know that it's for me to divulge anything that he wants to do. I'm not sure if I'd want to be a part of it, having done, at this point, 180-some hours of 'Star Trek' but I'd certainly like to work with Bryan Fuller."

"Star Trek Discovery" will premiere in January 2017.