‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ Has Finally Revealed Starfleet’s Future Leaders
The Star Trek universe on Paramount+ is expanding. Paramount officially confirmed the series order of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, a new show focusing not on the exploits of a particular USS crew but rather on the students dreaming of one day traversing the galaxy.
The concept for Starfleet Academy has apparently been in the works for some time, as Variety reported a similar Star Trek title was in development back in 2018. But with Star Trek hitting a recent stride with Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, and Strange New Worlds, most of which have since ended or are nearing the end, it’s no wonder the streaming service is looking to up the ante by providing a fresh new take on the Star Trek universe.
Here’s everything we know about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy so far.
When will Star Trek: Starfleet Academy be released?
Though an official release date has not yet been announced, Starfleet Academy will reportedly begin production later this summer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Depending on when the series starts shooting in 2024, it could premiere anywhere between 2025 and 2026, though this is likely to be dictated by the number of episodes and the amount of post-production work that needs to be completed.
Keep in mind, however, that Strange New Worlds is on track to release a season per year, so if Starfleet Academy has a similar 10-episode run per season and production schedule, 2025 looks like the most likely release window for season 1. Starfleet Academy could even be renewed for season 2 before season 1 airs, which has happened in the past with Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks as well.
What will Star Trek: Starfleet Academy be about?
It’s all in the name. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will focus on the students currently enrolled and studying at the Starfleet Academy campus, those who dream of a life among the stars. As such, the show will feature a younger ensemble cast, likely as part of a bigger push to introduce a new generation of viewers to the Star Trek franchise. Currently, it’s being billed as Star Trek’s first live-action YA series. The official logline is as follows:
“[Starfleet Academy] will introduce us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves, and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.”
The show will feature a diverse cast of characters and will be a celebration of Star Trek‘s core tenets, beliefs, and everything else the franchise has always stood for, but viewed through the eyes of a brand new generation—Starfleet’s future leaders.
Slowly but surely, we’ve been made privvy to the show’s cast list. The legendary Holly Hunter (Saving Grace, Succession) will portray the chancellor of Starfleet Academy, while recent Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers, Billions) will join the series as the show’s central villain, “a man with an ominous past connected to one of the Academy’s cadets.”
SDCC 2024 revealed a few additional cast members as well. Joining the show are four familiar Star Trek faces, including three Star Trek: Discovery alumni: Tig Notaro (Jett Reno), Oded Fehr (Admiral Vance), and Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly). Also returning to the Star Trek universe in Starfleet Academy is Robert Picardo’s The Doctor, best known for his role in Star Trek: Voyager. Of course, Starfleet Academy would be nothing without its students, and we finally know who they are. Joining the franchise for the first time are Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, George Hawkins, Karim Diané, and Zoë Steiner. You can watch the official announcement video of their casting below.
Anything else you should know about Starfleet Academy?
As production hasn’t started yet, any additional details are still a little sparse. We do know, however, that the first episode is being written by writer and producer Gaia Violo, and that Starfleet Academy will have two showrunners: Alex Kurtzman, who oversees the Star Trek franchise on Paramount+, as well as Nogo Landau. Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Tawny Newsome, who voices Beckett Mariner on the animated show, has also joined the writers’ room for Starfleet Academy.
With Star Trek: Discovery having officially come to an end, the announcement of another new Star Trek show is certainly welcome. As the Star Trek universe continues to expand, so does our love for the franchise, and we can’t wait to see what this new generation of Starfleet Academy students has in store for us. Stay tuned!
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