Starfleet Academy On Paramount Plus - What We Know So Far
Moviegoers can't get enough of the science fiction genre, no matter what form it comes in. Some franchises have floundered upon release while others have thrived for decades, and it goes without saying that "Star Trek" sits firmly in the latter camp. Gene Roddenberry's campy 1960s space show has grown into a multimedia juggernaut that has established numerous acting stars, created pop culture trends that go beyond the "Star Trek" fandom, and earned accolades and praise across the globe. Now over five decades beyond its arrival, the property continues to expand in all directions.
To revamp the "Star Trek" name, a new movie trilogy kicked off in 2009. The inaugural film from director JJ Abrams did well enough to earn two sequels — 2013's "Star Trek: Into Darkness" and 2016's "Star Trek Beyond" –, but this was just the start of the franchise revival. Throughout the 2010s, "Star Trek" has returned to its small-screen roots with new adventures like "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Star Trek: Lower Decks," as well as "Star Trek: Picard," which hosts Patrick Stewart's return as the titular Starfleet Captain made famous by "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
As the streaming wars wage on, Paramount+ is hard at work pulling as much as it can from the world of "Star Trek." One such project coming down the pipeline is "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy." Here's what we know about it so far.
Starfleet Academy will take younger viewers across the cosmos
Word of "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" dates back to the summer of 2021 when creator Alex Kurtzman spoke on its development to The New York Times. He told the publication that "younger audiences" are the show's key demographic, thus implying a tone that's far more kid-friendly compared to other recent "Star Trek" programs. This makes a lot of sense, seeing as the Starfleet Academy itself is a place for the youth to train in hopes of one day exploring the cosmos. Whether the series will be animated or live-action remains unknown as of this writing.
In terms of casting, "Starfleet Academy" is still very early in development, so there's no information of the sort floating around at this juncture. However, we do know who will work behind the scenes to bring the show together. As noted previously, Alex Kurtzman — one of the leading minds behind most modern "Star Trek" productions, ranging from the 2009 reboot to "Star Trek: Short Treks" — will put his love for the franchise to good use, though he isn't working alone. Gaia Violo of "Absentia" fame is also looking to lend a hand to the project (via Deadline).
Considering that titles such as "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" and "Section 31" are still at various points in production, it'll likely be a while before "Starfleet Academy" premieres. Fingers crossed that more information about it comes to light sooner rather than later.