Sorry Trekkies. Production on a fan-funded "Star Trek" film is currently held up because of a lawsuit, but the director of the franchise's latest film is throwing his weight behind the fans.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount and CBS are suing the producers of a "Star Trek" fan film ver alleged copyright infringement and late last week filed an updated complaint. The amended filing gives a more detailed account of alleged copyright violations in "Prelude to Axanar," the studio's previously-released short film.
Among the list of offending elements, CBS and Paramount say the film's use of pointy eared Vulcans, the gold uniform shirts, and the Klingon language, were an unauthorized use of the "Star Trek" lore, CBS and Paramount argue about the crowdfunded project.
In a statement provided to CNBC on Monday, Axanar Productions stated that it has an opportunity to publicly respond to the amended complaint later this month. The studio expressed confidence in its counsel adding that it hopes its supporters can remain patient as the legal process plays out.
The suit was opened last year. At the time, Alec Peters, the executive producer of "Axanar," said that the lawsuit is hurting fans of the franchise the most by inhibiting the production of film they've supported.
"CBS and Paramount are suing the very people who have enthusiastically maintained the universe created by Gene Roddenberry so many years ago," Peters said in a statement on the studio's blog.
Meanwhile, Justin Lin, director of the soon-to-be-released "Star Trek Beyond," tweeted on Monday that he supported Axanar Productions. Lin, who produced "Fast and the Furious 7", took over the helm of the "Star Trek" franchise from J.J. Abrams, with "Beyond" being his first project in the series.
In a statement emailed to CNBC, Peters said he was happy to have Lin's support.
"Obviously, we're more than thrilled to have Justin Lin's support," he said. "We're all huge fans of the 'Fast and Furious' films, and we can't wait to see what he does with 'Star Trek.' What we're seeing here is the fans and filmmakers supporting each other. We just hope the right people are paying attention."
Axanar Productions has raised a total of over a million dollars in three different crowdfunding campaigns. George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu in the original "Star Trek" series, openly supported the campaigns in 2014 and 2015, calling the projects "innovative and exciting."
CBS and Viacom, parent of Paramount Pictures, did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment.