Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

The Star Trek universe is continuing to expand with the announcement of a brand-new spinoff, and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is already promising to be the most unique series in the franchise’s half-century of history. Set in the distant 32nd century after the events of Star Trek: Discovery, Starfleet Academy will chronicle the return of the Earth’s most important educational institution as it begins training its first class of new recruits in 100 years. Unlike the host of other Trek series in the past, Starfleet Academy will shake up the formula and take place exclusively on Earth.

The massive time jump in Star Trek: Discovery took viewers further ahead in the Star Trek timeline than ever before, and introduced a 32nd century that was not the utopian vision of Gene Roddenberry. Despite this departure from the ideals of Star Trek‘s thesis statement in Discovery, Starfleet Academy has the opportunity to rebuild the future of the future in a more utopian image, while also delivering a Trek series that is less about space exploration, and more about Earth politics. Though Starfleet Academy isn’t back in session yet, there are already a ton of exciting updates.

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Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Latest News

Filming Wraps On Starfleet Academy

A composite image of Beckett Mariner, Vance, and the Doctor looking on in front of Starfleet Academy in Star Trek — Custom Image by SR Image Editor

Now that filming has wrapped, a clearer release timeline can be revealed soon.

With the news breaking several months after work began on the series, the latest update confirms that Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has wrapped filming on its first season. The news was broken by series star Zoe Steiner, who shared a series of photos of herself in front of the Star Trek Stage at Pinewood Toronto Studio on Instagram. In her caption, she celebrated the “6+ months of filming“ and congratulated her fellow cast and crew members on their hard work. Now that filming has wrapped, a clearer release timeline can be revealed soon.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Is Confirmed

The Franchise Returns To The 32nd Century

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The future of the Star Trek franchise was given a shot in the arm in March 2023 with the announcement of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The long-rumored project was finally confirmed with Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau overseeing as executive producers. Though few details were known at the time of the announcement in 2023, the series was pitched as a YA approach to the Star Trek universe, with a focus on younger viewers. Filming began in August 2024, and finally wrapped in February 2025. No release timeline is available yet.

Star Trek: Discovery aired its final episode on May 30, 2024.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Cast

Holly Hunter & Paul Giamatti Lead The Cast

The cast of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a mix of recognizable stars, returning Star Trek alums, and a host of up-and-comers. First announced was Oscar winner Holly Hunter (Broadcast News), playing the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy. Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers) will play a recurring villain, but details remain scarce. Tatiana Maslany of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law fame will appear in the series as an as-yet-unnamed recurring guest role as well. WWE superstar Becky Lynch has also been cast.

Young stars George Hawkins (Gassed Up), Bella Shepard (Wolf Pack), Gina Yashere (Early Man), Karim Diane (One of Us Is Lying), Zoe Steiner (Significant Others), Kerrice Brooks (The Prom), and Sandro Rosta (Drained) have all been tapped to play as-yet-unnamed roles, but will presumably be playing students.

In order to link Starfleet Academy to the larger Star Trek franchise, several returning characters have already been announced with their original actors reprising the roles. Oded Fehr will return as Admiral Charles Vance from Discovery, alongside fellow Discovery alums like Tig Notaro as Jett Reno, and Mary Wiseman as Sylvia Tilly. In a surprising turn of events, veteran character actor Robert Picardo will reprise his role as The Doctor, a holographic medical program that was a central figure in Star Trek: Voyager.

The confirmed cast of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy:

Actor	Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Role
Holly Hunter	The Chancellor
Paul Giamatti	Unknown Villain
Tatiana Maslany	Unknown Guest Role
Oded Fehr	Admiral Charles Vance
Tig Notaro	Jett Reno
Mary Wiseman	Sylvia Tilly
Robert Picardo	The Doctor
Becky Lynch	Unknown	Image via WWE
George Hawkins	Unknown
Bella Shepard	Unknown
Gina Yashere	Unknown
Karim Diane	Unknown
Zoe Steiner	Unknown
Kerrice Brooks	Unknown
Sandro Rosta	Unknown

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Story Details

Shaking Up The Classic Star Trek Formula

A wide view of Starfleet Academy in San Francisco in Star Trek The Next Generation

the youngsters will likely face moral challenges as they try to recapture the original utopian vision of Starfleet from centuries past.

For the first time in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy won’t be about deep space exploration and will instead take place on Earth. The series is set in the 32nd century and will follow the first class of cadets to attend Starfleet Academy in 100 years. With that basic framework established, there is little else known about the show in terms of specifics, but the youngsters will likely face moral challenges as they try to recapture the original utopian vision of Starfleet from centuries past.

Paul Giamatti has been cast as an unnamed villain in the series, and it’s unclear if he will be an actual evil character or if he will merely be a grumpy and unlikable professor. With the political situation of Star Trek‘s 32nd century anything but stable, Starfleet Academy will likely become the battleground of several key issues, but only time will tell how Star Trek: Starfleet Academy tackles the franchise’s signature dilemmas in the comedic tone that is promised.