Get ready, Starfleet hopefuls! The highly anticipated Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series is gearing up for its big premiere, promising a fresh take on cadet life, A-list talent, and plenty of cosmic drama.
TL;DR: Quick Bites for the Busy Cadet!
- Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will premiere on Paramount+ starting January 15, 2026.
- The series stars Oscar winner Holly Hunter and Emmy winner Paul Giamatti as a formidable villain, plus Stephen Colbert voices the Digital Dean of Students.
- Set in the 32nd century, it follows the first class of cadets in over a hundred years as they navigate training, personal lives, and galaxy-threatening challenges.
Prepare to warp into an uncharted era of the Federation! Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is taking us way, way into the future, landing squarely in the 32nd century. This is after the events of Star Trek: Discovery’s final season, a period that might feel a little unfamiliar to some longtime Trek fans. Remember "The Burn"? That universe-altering event that basically messed up warp travel and fractured the Federation? Well, Starfleet Academy picks up as Starfleet is making its grand comeback, welcoming the first class of cadets in over a century.
It's a bold move, and honestly, it’s generated a bit of buzz and some mixed feelings among the fandom. Some feel this 32nd-century setting might feel disconnected from earlier Trek stories. But showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau are embracing this as an opportunity to build something genuinely new: a reconstituted Federation and a reimagined Academy. This isn't just about classroom theory; cadets here will be sent on real-time, ship-based missions, blurring the lines between learning and living the Starfleet dream.
This fresh approach allows the show to explore different kinds of stories. While previous Trek often grappled with galaxy-ending threats, Academy aims for lower-stakes, more personal narratives centered around blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, and even first loves. Yes, prepare for some relationship drama alongside the space-faring adventures!
Get ready for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy! Discover the January 2026 premiere date, star-studded cast including Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, exciting plot details, and what to expect from the newest Star Trek series on Paramount+. Your guide to the next generation of Starfleet officers.
Assembling Your Star-Studded Crew: Meet the Cast of Starfleet Academy
Paramount+ is clearly putting its best foot forward with this series, bringing in some serious acting firepower. Let’s break down the incredible talent you’ll be seeing (and hearing) when the Academy doors open:
Leading the Future: Holly Hunter Takes Command as Chancellor
Oscar winner Holly Hunter steps into a pivotal role as Captain Nahla Ake, the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy. She'll be the guiding (and demanding) force shaping these young cadets. Hunter’s involvement alone is a huge reason to tune in, promising a towering performance at the heart of the institution. Her character also has a deep, antagonistic history with our main villain, adding another layer of intrigue.
Emmy Winner Paul Giamatti Unleashes a Formidable New Villain
Get ready for a villain like no other! Emmy-winning fan-favorite Paul Giamatti is set to chew up the scenery as Nus Braka, the recurring antagonist for the first season. And get this: he’s a half-Klingon, half-Tellarite hybrid! This makes him a truly unique character in the Star Trek universe, combining the warrior prowess of Klingons with the argumentative nature of Tellarites. Giamatti’s excitement for the role is palpable, and he’s ready to bring chaos.
"I'm a baddie. They came to me with a bad guy. And I was like, well, that's the best to be a Star Trek villain. Couldn't be better. I'm half Klingon, half Tellarite. And I was very excited to be half Tellarite. Because as a kid, I liked them, and they're this kind of argumentative, obnoxious pig people. And I was like, 'That's me, man, I want to do that'. So it was great. I mean, I get to be an alien, I get to be a bad guy. I get to come in and disrupt this world. He's everything that Starfleet is not, he's the opposite of all of it, and he wants to rip it apart. And so it's great. It was a fun character to play."
— Paul Giamatti on playing Nus Braka (ScreenRant)Nus Braka isn’t just a random bad guy; he has a personal vendetta. The trailer hints that 15 years prior, Braka kidnapped the mother of one of our main cadets, Caleb Mir. Captain Ake recruits Caleb for the Academy with the promise of helping him find his mother, inevitably bringing them into direct conflict with Braka and his grand scheme against the United Federation of Planets. Expect major damage and disruption from this guy!
Stephen Colbert Takes on the Role of Starfleet Academy's Digital Dean
In a delightful and unexpected twist, none other than late-night host Stephen Colbert is lending his voice to the series! He’ll be playing the Digital Dean of Students, an AI responsible for delivering daily announcements and important alerts to the cadets. Imagine waking up to Colbert’s distinctive voice with your daily Starfleet news – "Attention Ensign Krebs, your Talaxian Furfly has exited the replicator and is now mating with itself." (Yes, he joked that line was from an actual production script at NYCC!). It’s a perfect fit for the notorious sci-fi nerd, and he won't even need to spend hours in hair and makeup for it.
Introducing the Next Generation of Starfleet Cadets and Familiar Faces
The core of the show will be its new crop of young cadets, played by a vibrant ensemble cast:
- Sandro Rosta as Caleb Mir (whose personal mission is intertwined with Nus Braka).
- Karim Diané
- Kerrice Brooks
- George Hawkins
- Bella Shepard
- Zoë Steiner
But it’s not all new faces! A few beloved characters from across the Star Trek universe are making their return:
- Tig Notaro reprises her role as engineer Jett Reno from Star Trek: Discovery.
- Robert Picardo is back as The Doctor, the holographic medical expert from Star Trek: Voyager. And yes, it’s the same Doctor, now a staggering 900 years old – that’s sci-fi for you!
- Oded Fehr returns as Admiral Vance.
- We'll also see Mary Wiseman, recurring guest star Gina Yashere, and Tatiana Maslany (from Orphan Black) in a recurring special guest role as Caleb Mir's mother.
Beam aboard! Discover everything about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy launching Jan 15, 2026. Get cast details, plot, Stephen Colbert's role, and how to watch on Paramount+.
Behind the Command Deck: Who's Guiding Starfleet Academy's Journey?
Guiding this ambitious new series are co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau. They’re joined by a talented team of executive producers including Gaia Violo (who also wrote the premiere episode), Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa, and John Weber. The premiere episode itself was directed by Alex Kurtzman, setting the tone for the entire season. The series is a production of CBS Studios, in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.
Paramount+ is flexing its streaming muscles in May 2025 with blockbuster film additions and can't-miss original series like Criminal Minds: Evolution and SkyMed.
Navigating the Final Frontier: Fan Reactions and What to Expect from the Series
The journey to the screen for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy hasn't been without its interstellar turbulence. The first teaser trailer garnered a somewhat divided reaction online, with some playfully dubbing it "TikTok Space Prom" due to its focus on younger characters and relationship dynamics. There’s also been discussion about the decision to set the series so far in the future, rather than following up on characters introduced in Star Trek: Picard's fan-favorite final season, like Kestra Troi-Riker, who was literally headed to Starfleet Academy. This choice, some argue, feels like a missed opportunity to connect with a familiar "next generation" of characters.
However, the new full trailer, released at New York Comic Con, aimed to address some of these concerns. It reportedly "dials back the Gen Z emoting and ramps up the dramatic intensity," promising a healthy dose of "real Star Trek peril" alongside the personal stories. The creators emphasize that they want to tell "very different sorts of stories" than seen recently, and the focus on character relationships and lower stakes could indeed offer a refreshing change of pace for the franchise.
This series marks a transitional period for the Paramount+ Trek universe. With shows like Discovery, Picard, and even the popular Strange New Worlds (which is set to end after its fifth season) wrapping up, Starfleet Academy is poised to become a flagship, hoping to draw in both long-time Trekkies and a whole new generation of fans. Its combination of A-list talent, intriguing new characters, and a promise of both dramatic intensity and personal narratives makes it a show to watch.
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Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It: How to Watch Starfleet Academy
Mark your calendars, because Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will premiere on January 15, 2026, exclusively on Paramount+. The launch will include two episodes, with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursdays afterward. The ten-episode season will conclude on March 12, 2026. You’ll be able to stream it in the U.S., UK, Latin America, Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Japan, and Canada.
Want to dive even deeper into the world of Starfleet Academy before the premiere? You can visit StarfleetAcademy.com to explore campus life, academics, and faculty, and sign up for exclusive updates. Get ready to boldly go where no cadet has gone before!
Subscribers have a hard time finding their content options because Paramount+ keeps changing the names of its streaming tiers, most recently back to the old ones.
Frequently Asked Questions About Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
- StarTrek.com Staff. "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Reveals Official Trailer and January 15 Premiere." Published October 11, 2025.
- Lacy Baugher. "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Is Determined to Be Its Own Thing." Published October 16, 2025.
- Lisa Respers France. "Stephen Colbert’s late night show might be ending, but he’s staying busy booking gigs." Updated Oct 14, 2025.
- Liesel Nygard. "Stephen Colbert to voice character in ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ for Paramount+." Published October 11, 2025.
- Liam Crowley. "Paul Giamatti Teases His Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Villain." Published October 11, 2025.
- James Hibberd. "New ‘Starfleet Academy’ Trailer Released." Published October 11, 2025.
- Travis Johnson. "Stephen Colbert is joining Star Trek: Starfleet Academy." Published October 15, 2025.
- CBR. "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Creators Promise ‘Real Star Trek Peril’." Published October 12, 2025.