---
name: "Alex Kurtzman"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/alex-kurtzman"
fi1m_id: "alex-kurtzman"
imdb_id: "nm0476064"
tmdb_id: 15345
wikidata_id: "Q432598"
roles: ["Writer","Producer","Director"]
born: "7 September 1973"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 16
average_fi1m_score: 65
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-10-05T13:12:17.497962+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Alex Kurtzman

## Identity

Alex Kurtzman

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/alex-kurtzman
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** alex-kurtzman
- **IMDb ID:** nm0476064
- **TMDB ID:** 15345
- **Wikidata ID:** Q432598
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Kurtzman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q432598, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0476064/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15345

Writer and producer. Born 7 September 1973 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Producer, Director
- **Born:** 7 September 1973, Los Angeles, California, USA
- **Active:** 1995–present
- **Also known as:** Alexander Hilary Kurtzman, Alexander Kurtzman
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 16: 2 directing, 11 writing, 3 producing
- **Frequently works with:** [Roberto Orci](https://film.one/person/roberto-orci.md), [J.J. Abrams](https://film.one/person/j-j-abrams.md), [Akiva Goldsman](https://film.one/person/akiva-goldsman.md), [Andi Armaganian](https://film.one/person/andi-armaganian.md), [Fred Toye](https://film.one/person/frederick-e-o-toye.md), [Jeff Pinkner](https://film.one/person/jeff-pinkner.md), [Jonathan Frakes](https://film.one/person/jonathan-frakes.md), [J.R. Orci](https://film.one/person/j-r-orci.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 65, as writer, over 11 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 74 (1), 2000s 66 (6), 2010s 58 (4), 2020s 62 (5)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 64 to 63 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Genres:** Action 6, Adventure 6, Drama 5, Science Fiction 5, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 4, Action & Adventure 3
- **Screen time:** 14 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $3,516m across 6 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Kurtzman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q432598, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0476064/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15345

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Star Trek*](https://film.one/film/star-trek.md) (81), [*Star Trek: Strange New Worlds*](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-strange-new-worlds.md) (77), [*Star Trek: Starfleet Academy*](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-starfleet-academy.md) (76), [*Hawaii Five-0*](https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0.md) (65), [*Star Trek: Picard*](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-picard.md) (64), [*Star Trek Into Darkness*](https://film.one/film/star-trek-into-darkness.md) (60), [*Now You See Me: Now You Don't*](https://film.one/film/now-you-see-me-now-you-dont.md) (57), [*Transformers*](https://film.one/film/transformers.md) (57)
- **Disney+:** [*Fringe*](https://film.one/tv/fringe.md) (80), [*Alias*](https://film.one/tv/alias.md) (74)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Xena: Warrior Princess*](https://film.one/tv/xena-warrior-princess.md) (74)
- **Paramount+:** [*Mission: Impossible III*](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible-iii.md) (70)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Alex Kurtzman

> Alex Kurtzman is worth following for the jokes, friendships and warmth he brings to complicated science fiction. We are less keen on the extra complications, which too often keep his characters busy without making them interesting.

In *Star Trek* (2009), the jokes and the growing friendships make another action sequence feel like an interruption. The screenplay by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci gives J.J. Abrams a crew worth spending time with, and we recommend the film despite its thin villain. Editors Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey keep the introductions, comedy and action moving briskly. We would happily have traded some of that action for longer conversations.

His early television writing included *Xena: Warrior Princess* (1995), whose noisy fights matter less than the friendship. On *Alias* (2001), he was one of several writers feeding the quest for Rambaldi's relics. We were bored by the repeated missions ending with Sydney turning at a footstep, because the same attempt at suspense kept being used. Jennifer Garner, Victor Garber and Ron Rifkin give us better reasons to stay, particularly in the first two series.

*Fringe* (2008), co-created with Abrams and Orci, makes a stronger case for staying with a programme through its awkward beginnings. Its case-of-the-week investigations occupy too much of the first season, but John Noble's Walter Bishop gives the longer story an unexpected kindness. The affection is worth waiting for, though we would not blame anyone who tired of the basement explanations first.

In *Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen* (2009), Kurtzman, Orci and Ehren Kruger supply information without giving the fighting a persuasive purpose. Michael Bay's film has convincing machines, but Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes get little that makes their company appealing between battles. The effects are the main virtue of a poor film, and no amount of explanation makes its action worth following.

From 2018, Kurtzman has overseen the expanded *Star Trek* television universe. On *Star Trek: Starfleet Academy* (2026), he contributes direction and teleplay to a warm school drama steadied by Holly Hunter. The effects sometimes fail to convince, and the students deserve more equal attention. Start with *Star Trek*; save *Fringe* for when there is time to give it more than a few episodes.

## Biography

Alex Kurtzman is an American screenwriter, producer and director. Born in Los Angeles on 7 September 1973, he attended Wesleyan University and began his career writing with longtime collaborator Roberto Orci.

He is known for co-writing the screenplays for *Transformers* (2007), *Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen* (2009), *Star Trek* (2009), *Star Trek Into Darkness* (2013) and *The Amazing Spider-Man 2* (2014). Kurtzman made his directorial debut with *People Like Us* (2012) and directed *The Mummy* (2017). He co-created the television series *Star Trek: Discovery*, *Star Trek: Picard* and *Star Trek: Strange New Worlds*, and serves as showrunner of *Star Trek: Starfleet Academy* (2026–present), on which he also directs and writes.

Kurtzman produced *Now You See Me: Now You Don't* (2025). He frequently collaborates with Michael Bay and J.J. Abrams, and founded the production company Secret Hideout.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, ew.com.*

## On Fi1m (16)

### Directed (2)

- *Star Trek: Starfleet Academy* (2026), Fi1m 76, Teleplay, Director, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-starfleet-academy.md)
- *Alias* (2001), Fi1m 74, Executive Producer, Director, Writer, Co-Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/alias.md)

### Wrote (11) — the average rests on these

- *Star Trek: Strange New Worlds* (2022), Fi1m 77, Creator, Story, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-strange-new-worlds.md)
- *Star Trek: Picard* (2020), Fi1m 64, Writer, Creator, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-picard.md)
- *The Amazing Spider-Man 2* (2014), Fi1m 54, Executive Producer, Screenplay, Story — [page](https://film.one/film/the-amazing-spider-man-2.md)
- *Star Trek Into Darkness* (2013), Fi1m 60, Producer, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-into-darkness.md)
- *Hawaii Five-0* (2010), Fi1m 65, Creator, Story, Producer, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0.md)
- *Star Trek* (2009), Fi1m 81, Writer, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek.md)
- *Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen* (2009), Fi1m 34, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen.md)
- *Fringe* (2008), Fi1m 80, Writer, Creator, Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/fringe.md)
- *Transformers* (2007), Fi1m 57, Story, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/transformers.md)
- *Mission: Impossible III* (2006), Fi1m 70, as Party Guest (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible-iii.md)
- *Xena: Warrior Princess* (1995), Fi1m 74, Teleplay — [page](https://film.one/tv/xena-warrior-princess.md)

### Produced (3)

- *Now You See Me: Now You Don't* (2025), Fi1m 57, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/now-you-see-me-now-you-dont.md)
- *Star Trek: Section 31* (2025), Fi1m 35, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-section-31.md)
- *Now You See Me* (2013), Fi1m 53, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/now-you-see-me.md)

## Complete filmography (49)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Star Trek: Starfleet Academy* (2026), series, Executive Producer, Director, Teleplay — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-starfleet-academy.md)
- *Come See Me in the Good Light* (2025), Co-Executive Producer
- *Now You See Me: Now You Don't* (2025), Producer — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/now-you-see-me-now-you-dont.md)
- *Star Trek: Section 31* (2025), Executive Producer — Fi1m 35, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-section-31.md)
- *Mother Mother* (2024), Producer
- *Rob Peace* (2024), Producer
- *Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event* (2023), Executive Producer
- *Star Trek: Strange New Worlds* (2022), series, Executive Producer, Story, Creator — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-strange-new-worlds.md)
- *The Man Who Fell to Earth* (2022), series, Executive Producer, Director, Writer, Teleplay, Creator
- *Star Trek: Prodigy* (2021), series, Executive Producer
- *Clarice* (2021), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator
- *The Comey Rule* (2020), series, Executive Producer
- *Star Trek: Lower Decks* (2020), series, Executive Producer
- *Star Trek: Picard* (2020), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-picard.md)
- *Star Trek: Short Treks* (2018), series, Writer, Creator
- *Instinct* (2018), series, Executive Producer
- *Star Trek: Discovery* (2017), series, Writer, Director, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Salvation* (2017), series, Producer
- *The Mummy* (2017), Director, Producer, Screenstory
- *Now You See Me 2* (2016), Producer
- *Limitless* (2015), series, Executive Producer
- *Scorpion* (2014), series, Executive Producer
- *Matador* (2014), series, Executive Producer
- *The Amazing Spider-Man 2* (2014), Screenplay, Story, Executive Producer — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-amazing-spider-man-2.md)
- *Ender's Game* (2013), Producer
- *Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters - Predacons Rising* (2013), Producer
- *Sleepy Hollow* (2013), series, Writer, Story, Executive Producer, Teleplay, Creator
- *Now You See Me* (2013), Producer — Fi1m 53, [page](https://film.one/film/now-you-see-me.md)
- *Star Trek Into Darkness* (2013), Producer, Writer — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-into-darkness.md)
- *People Like Us* (2012), Director, Screenplay
- *Cowboys & Aliens* (2011), Producer, Screenplay
- *Locke & Key* (2011), Teleplay, Executive Producer
- *Transformers: Prime* (2010), series, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Hawaii Five-0* (2010), series, Writer, Producer, Story, Executive Producer, Creator — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0.md)
- *Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen* (2009), Writer — Fi1m 34, [page](https://film.one/film/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen.md)
- *The Proposal* (2009), Executive Producer
- *Star Trek* (2009), Executive Producer, Writer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek.md)
- *Eagle Eye* (2008), Producer
- *Fringe* (2008), series, Writer, Producer, Creator — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/fringe.md)
- *Transformers* (2007), Screenplay, Story — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/transformers.md)
- *Mission: Impossible III* (2006), as Party Guest (uncredited) · Writer — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible-iii.md)
- *The Legend of Zorro* (2005), Screenplay, Story
- *The Island* (2005), Screenplay
- *Alias* (2001), series, Writer, Director, Supervising Producer, Co-Executive Producer, Executive Producer — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/alias.md)
- *Jack of All Trades* (2000), series, Producer, Writer
- *Xena: Warrior Princess* (1995), series, Teleplay — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/xena-warrior-princess.md)
- *Hercules: The Legendary Journeys* (1995), series, Writer, Teleplay
- *Untitled Star Trek Live-Action Comedy*, series, Executive Producer
- *Untitled Now You See Me 4*, Producer

## Gallery

- ![Alex Kurtzman](https://film.one/media/person/7711/gallery-1a5b1f0b12e9.jpg) Alex Kurtzman — Luis Ochea, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Alex_Kurtzman_at_the_53rd_Saturn_Awards_01_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Alex_Kurtzman_at_the_53rd_Saturn_Awards_01_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alex Kurtzman speaking at the 2014 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Scorpion", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Please attrib](https://film.one/media/person/7711/gallery-39f264bfab7d.jpg) Alex Kurtzman speaking at the 2014 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Scorpion", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Please attrib — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Alex_Kurtzman_%2814766881111%29.jpg/1280px-Alex_Kurtzman_%2814766881111%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alex Kurtzman and Patrick Stewart speaking at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Star Trek: Picard", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Die](https://film.one/media/person/7711/gallery-79e7cf19b605.jpg) Alex Kurtzman and Patrick Stewart speaking at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Star Trek: Picard", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Die — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Alex_Kurtzman_%26_Patrick_Stewart_%2848445054536%29.jpg/1280px-Alex_Kurtzman_%26_Patrick_Stewart_%2848445054536%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alex Kurtzman](https://film.one/media/person/7711/gallery-7bd1eacc229e.jpg) Alex Kurtzman — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/alex-kurtzman