Producer Aaron Waltke aims for “wonder, optimism, and adventure” in Star Trek: Prodigy

Star Trek: Prodigy on Nickelodeon

OCTOBER 30, 2020 - Indiana native Aaron Waltke is a producer and writer for the upcoming Nickelodeon animated series Star Trek: Prodigy. In a new interview with Trek Report, Waltke discussed his experiences working on a Star Trek series.

“Star Trek: Prodigy is one of my favorite things I’ve ever worked on,” Waltke told Trek Report. Waltke had previously worked with Prodigy creators Kevin and Dan Hageman as a co-executive producer on Wizards: Tales of Arcadia. Coming onto the Star Trek scene to write for Prodigy seems to be an enjoyable challenge for him, as Waltke said, “As a hardcore Trek fan, it honestly felt less like writing a script and more like breathing.”

While he couldn’t share many details on what audiences can expect to see in Star Trek: Prodigy, Waltke did take a moment to talk about what working on Star Trek (and writing for Captain Janeway) means to him. Feeling satisfied that Prodigy “honors classic Trek”, Waltke said the new series “also provides an entry point for new audiences to be introduced to the world of the Federation and its aspirations for an idealistic future, even when facing adversity.”

Waltke grew up just outside of Bloomington, Indiana, the future birthplace of Star Trek: Voyager’s Captain Kathryn Janeway, who will take the lead again in Star Trek: Prodigy. Having the opportunity to help bring the Janeway character back to life brings a special meaning to the project. “Writing the return of our beloved Voyager captain feels oddly iconic, like a homecoming for me,” Waltke said. “My personal mission working on the show was to always instill a sense of wonder, optimism, and adventure — what I remember so fondly experiencing the shows during my own childhood and adolescence.”

Aside from discussing Star Trek: Prodigy, Waltke spoke about starting his career, moving from Indiana to Los Angeles, and what it’s really like to be in the writer’s room. You can read the full interview for yourself by visiting Trek.Report.