Alex Kurtzman Alex Kurtzman is a producer and screenwriter who co - wrote the script for and executive produced the film , along with writing partner Roberto Orci . Kurtzman and Orci later produced and ( along with Damon Lindelof ) wrote the screenplay for the sequel , . Kurtzman did not return to work on . Kurtzman also consulted on the " " video game . Kurtzman and Orci previously were writers and co - executive producers on television ' s popular " Hercules : The Legendary Journeys " , which led to them becoming writers and co - executive producers for " Xena : Warrior Princess " . They also worked on " Jack Of All Trades " with Bruce Campbell . Kurtzman and Orci have been working with " Star Trek " producer and director J . J . Abrams for years , having written the 2006 Paramount Pictures film " Mission : Impossible III " and several episodes of " Alias " . They also wrote the screenplays for the 2005 film " The Legend of Zorro " ( featuring Mary Crosby , with editing by Stuart Baird and music by James Horner ) and the films " The Island " ( 2005 , which featured Ethan Phillips , Glenn Morshower , and Randy Oglesby ) and " Transformers " ( 2007 , featuring Andy Milder , Glenn Morshower , W . Morgan Sheppard , Michael Shamus Wiles , and the voice of Robert Foxworth ) , and its sequel , " Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen " ( 2009 , featuring the voice of Tony Todd and Robert Foxworth ) . They did the final re - write of the screenplay for the film adaptation of the DC Comics graphic novel " Watchmen " , which stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan , Stephen McHattie , and Matt Frewer . They also developed the science fiction / horror series " Fringe " with J . J . Abrams , which they executive produce with Abrams and Bryan Burk . Kurtzman and Orci are currently set to work on a film adaptation of Whitley Strieber ' s novel " 2012 : The War for Souls " , which will reteam them with director Michael Bay . They are also the writers of the upcoming political thriller " The 28th Amendment " , which is set to star and . Orci and Kurtzman wrote the script for this movie in the late 1990s . They recently re - wrote the script , which is now in production at Warner Bros . Pictures . In addition to writing , Orci and Kurtzman currently produce films through their production company , Kurtzman / Orci ( or K / O ) . Some of the films being produced by K / O include 2008 ' s " Eagle Eye " and the 2009 romantic comedy " The Proposal " . They also produce the remake of " Hawaii Five - O , " which stars Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho Kelly , with guest appearances by William Sadler and Sidney Liufau . In , Kurtzman and Orci were nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Writing for " Star Trek " . That year " Transformers : Prime " animated series , executive produced by Kurtzman and Orci , started airing on the Hub : the show features the vocal talents of Tania Gunadi , James Horan , Jeffrey Combs , Frank Welker , Tony Todd , Clancy Brown , Nolan North , and Dwayne Johnson . In 2012 , Kurtzman released his directorial debut , " People Like Us " , starring Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks . On , it was announced that Kurtzman would be an executive producer on what was then an untitled , later named " Star Trek : Discovery " . In addition to being one of several executive producers , he is credited as creator of the series alongside Bryan Fuller and has written one episode .