Bryan Fuller Left Star Trek: Discovery Before Production Even Began: TVLine Explains Why

A Different Plan for Trek

Fuller, known for Pushing Daisies and Hannibal, was brought on to showrun Discovery in early 2016. By October, CBS had asked him to step down. Fuller imagined several serialized anthology shows spanning periods before The Original Series and extending into the franchise’s future. CBS preferred to begin with one serialized series and decide what came next.

Budget, Director and Deadline

The network and Fuller also disagreed about the show’s budget. Fuller wanted Edgar Wright to direct the pilot, while CBS had chosen someone else. CBS hoped to premiere the series by February 2017 and questioned whether Fuller could meet that schedule while working on Starz’s American Gods.

Fuller’s Reaction to Leaving

Fuller later described his departure as difficult but said he moved on. He told EW, “I got to dream big,” adding that he was sad for a week before saluting the ship and compartmentalizing the experience. Some of his ideas, including proposed Starfleet uniform designs and the broader anthology plan, did not carry forward.

Martin-Green’s Casting Wish

Fuller wanted a Black woman in the lead role and hoped to cast Sonequa Martin-Green. He said seeing Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura and George Takei had inspired Black and Asian viewers, and he wanted the new series to continue that representation.

Fuller praised Martin-Green’s audition and described her as insightful and delightful. She was then working on The Walking Dead, and AMC would not release her from the series.

Production delays helped make Martin-Green available. Two months after Fuller left, she was cast as Michael Burnham, a human raised by Vulcans. Fuller said he was happy Star Trek had a Black woman commanding a starship.