William Shatner Said New Star Trek Would Make Roddenberry “Turn In His Grave” – What He Meant

William Shatner clarified a 2022 statement he made that the new Star Trek series on Paramount+ would make Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry “turn in his grave.” Mr. Shatner said so at his San Diego Comic-Con “Shatner On Shatner” panel, and his quote made the rounds with fans taking sides for and against the modern Star Trek series. Shatner, who just turned 93, is celebrating his life and remarkable 70-year-career in entertainment with a new autobiographical documentary, William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill.

In an interview with CinemaBlend to promote You Can Call Me Bill, William Shatner was asked about his Gene Roddenberry Star Trek comment from 2022, which “ruffled some feathers” among Star Trek fans. Mr. Shatner zeroed in on what, specifically, he was referring to, which is how Roddenberry, a military man, would have felt about romantic relationships between Starfleet Officers that are featured in the current Star Trek on Paramount+ series. Read his quote below:

I wonder why some feathers would be ruffled by my saying the guy, the gentleman I knew, Eugene Roddenberry, was very strict about military protocol. So, having an intimate relationship with somebody you’re working next to is verboten. You don’t do that on the military thing. And they [modern Trek shows], you know, I don’t know about the latest things, but the couple of things I’ve noted is that there are relationships, sexual relations, relationships going on between the people that would make Gene Roddenberry turn in his grave.