Season one of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy hasn’t even aired yet but has already been renewed for a second, a huge get for the latest expansion of the franchise. Added to this, Tatiana Maslany – who fully broke out in more ways than one with Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law – has also been named as a cast member.
Fresh out of New York Comic Con comes word that Starfleet Academy will go beyond at least its first season, which is currently filming in Canada. Those episodes aren’t even expected to drop until next year at the earliest, with some pegging them to be released in 2026. Whenever the actual release will be, Starfleet Academy is looking to freshen up the franchise in a way that will hopefully beam in a younger audience.
Starfleet Academy will indeed skew towards the next generation, as it “introduces 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.”
But there will still be some veterans in the cast, with Holly Hunter portraying the head of the namesake academy and Paul Giamatti taking on the lead villain role. Maslany’s role has yet to be revealed.
Starfleet Academy was formally announced early last year, with cameras rolling this past August. But this isn’t the only Star Trek project going on, as season three of Strange New Worlds is set to debut next year, with the second season having concluded in August 2023.
Of course, the original Star Trek series first debuted nearly 60 years ago in 1966. But the franchise has had no problem (well, for the most part) adapting with the times or building its fanbase, even switching exclusively to streaming programming last decade with Discovery. Like its predecessors in the streaming age, Starfleet Academy will be available on Paramount .
What are your expectations for Starfleet Academy? Do you think it has a shot to live long and prosper?