There's a new Star Trek series on the way! While fans wait for the new season of the critically acclaimed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, releasing sometime in 2026, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will take fans into the far future for a brand-new adventure.
The new Star Trek series is being billed as a mix of sci-fi and coming-of-age, following the first class of Starfleet cadets in over a century. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will stream on Paramount+, transporting fans to a heavily unfamiliar 32nd century setting. Despite this, Star Trek fans can expect beloved veteran characters assisting the new batch of cadets.
Here's everything you need to know so you don't miss any episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy release schedule on Paramount+
Paramount+ will drop the first two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy on January 15, following a weekly release schedule from there on. Season 1 will feature 10 episodes, and Paramount+ is confident about the show's potential: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 2 is already in the works, making it one of the most promising shows releasing in 2026.
Streaming exclusively on Paramount+, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episodes will be released on Thursdays at 3:00 AM (Eastern Time) and midnight (Pacific Time). Here's the full release for season 1:
- Episode 1: Jan. 15
- Episode 2: Jan. 15
- Episode 3: Jan. 22
- Episode 4: Jan. 29
- Episode 5: Feb. 5
- Episode 6: Feb. 12
- Episode 7: Feb. 19
- Episode 8: Feb. 26
- Episode 9: Mar. 5
- Episode 10: Mar. 12
What to expect in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Executive producer Alex Kurtzman is working hard to expand the Star Trek universe on TV, looking for exciting ways to reinvent the franchise. What's interesting about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is that it takes place in the far-future, picking up from where Star Trek: Discovery left off.
The 32nd-century setting offers plenty of new elements to explore. With the United Federation of Planets finally recovering from the Burn, the show will follow a new batch of young cadets training to become Starfleet officers as they balance personal affairs with a deadly new threat looming over the galaxy. Here's the official synopsis, via the Star Trek website:
"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers 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 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 episode 1 synopsis also hints at an intriguing personal vendetta at the center of the story. The main character in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is Caleb, a human orphan who's been on the run since he was 6. He lands on the Starship Academy almost by accident: his true mission is to locate his mother, who was sentenced to Federation prison years ago by Nahla Ake, the academy's chancellor.
In the Starfleet Universe panel at 2025's San Diego Comic-Con, Caleb's actor Sandro Rosta shared insightful details about his role in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy: "You’re going to be entering Starfleet through the eyes of Caleb, who is an outsider." This makes for an immersive worldbuilding experience: just as the viewers, Caleb is a stranger in this world.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy cast and characters
Since Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set so far in the future, fans shouldn't expect too many cameos, but familiar faces from Star Trek: Discovery will make an appearance in the new series. In addition, Star Trek veteran Robert Picardo will return as the Doctor in Starfleet Academy. Picardo was a recurring actor in the iconic Star Trek: Voyager, which aired in the '90s.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is also bringing some iconic Hollywood names into the roster. 4-time Oscar nominee and Best Actress winner for The Piano, Holly Hunter is joining the series as Chancellor Nahla Ake. Paul Giamatti, known for Black Mirror and The Holdovers, is stepping up as one of the show's villains.
Here's the full cast of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1:
- Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake
- Sandro Rosta as Caleb Mir
- Karim Diané as Jay-Den Kraag
- Kerrice Brooks as Sam
- George Hawkins as Darem Reymi
- Bella Shepard as Genesis Lythe
- Zoë Steiner as Tarima Sadal
- Robert Picardo as the Doctor
- Tig Notaro as Jett Reno
- Oded Fehr as Charles Vance
- Gina Yashere as Lura Thok
- Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka:
- Tatiana Maslany as Caleb's mother