Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Blasts Off in January 2026!

Get ready, Trekkies! The next big adventure in the Final Frontier, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, is officially launching next year, bringing a fresh class of cadets, some seriously awesome veteran actors, and a few beloved familiar faces to your screens. Here's everything you need to know about what's coming!

TL;DR: The Quick Scoop on Starfleet Academy

• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will premiere its first two episodes on January 15, 2026, exclusively on Paramount+.
• The show stars Academy Award winner Holly Hunter as Captain Nahla Ake and features Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti as the formidable villain Nus Braka.
• Expect to see some familiar faces, including Robert Picardo returning as The Doctor and Stephen Colbert joining as the voice of the Digital Dean of Students.

A Brand New Era for Starfleet and Its Cadets

For decades, fans have dreamed of a dedicated series focusing on the next generation of Starfleet officers during their formative years at the Academy. Well, get ready, because that dream is about to become a reality! Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set to introduce us to a vibrant, ambitious group of young cadets as they navigate the highs and lows of Academy life. We're talking about forging unbreakable friendships, clashing in explosive rivalries, experiencing first loves, and ultimately stepping into their destiny as the future leaders of the Federation.

But this isn't just any Starfleet Academy; this is the first class in over a century! The series takes place in the 32nd century, after the universe-changing events of Star Trek: Discovery's final season. This era, still reeling from "The Burn" that decimated warp travel and fractured the Federation, is a blank slate, offering a unique opportunity to see how Starfleet claws its way back to prominence. While some Trekkies have expressed reservations about the 32nd-century setting feeling disconnected from previous series, it also promises a chance to create something truly new: a reconstituted Federation and a reimagined Academy.

Meet the New Generation and Their Seasoned Mentors

The show will center around five core cadets, each with their own unique background and aspirations:

• Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta): An orphaned cadet whose troubled past is deeply connected to the series' main villain. The trailer hints at a past interaction between a young Caleb and Nus Braka.
• Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diane): A Klingon student with a surprising dream – to become a medical officer. Karim Diane even consulted with legendary Klingon actor Michael Dorn to prepare for his role!
• SAM (Kerrice Brooks): Her full designation is Series Acclimation Mil, and actress Kerrice Brooks expressed deep emotion and excitement about being part of the series at New York Comic Con.
• Cadet Darem Reymi (George Hawkins): Hailing from a vastly wealthy family, Darem aspires to be an enterprising captain, much like the legendary James T. Kirk or Jean-Luc Picard.
• Dar-Sha Genesis Lythe (Bella Shepard): Another cadet focused on command, rounding out the central group of aspiring officers.

Guiding (and challenging) these young minds is Academy Award winner Holly Hunter, who plays Captain Nahla Ake. She's not just the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy but also the captain of the USS Athena. Hunter, a lifelong Star Trek fan since she was eight, has a very personal stake in the show's central conflict. The new trailer revealed that Captain Ake was actively searching for a young Caleb Mir, whose mother (reportedly played by Tatiana Maslany) was kidnapped 15 years ago by the villainous Nus Braka. This gives Captain Ake a specific, emotional investment in the story and sets up a compelling mystery.

Paul Giamatti Beams Aboard as the Ultimate Star Trek Villain

Every great Starfleet adventure needs a formidable foe, and Starfleet Academy is bringing in the big guns with Oscar-nominated Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka. This isn't just any villain; Nus Braka is a unique half-Klingon, half-Tellarite hybrid – a first for the franchise! Giamatti, a self-professed Star Trek fan, was thrilled to take on the role, especially loving the Tellarite half for their "argumentative, obnoxious pig people" traits. 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 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

Giamatti's Nus Braka holds a deep grudge, connected to the kidnapping of Caleb Mir's mother years prior. With Captain Ake actively recruiting Caleb with the promise of finding his mother, Braka is brought back into the light, determined to thwart their efforts and unleash his wider scheme against the United Federation of Planets. Expect a truly memorable and scenery-chewing performance from Giamatti, potentially ranking Nus Braka among the franchise's best villains.

Familiar Faces Reporting for Duty in the 32nd Century

While the focus is on a new generation, Starfleet Academy isn't shy about bringing back some beloved characters. Fans were particularly excited to hear that Robert Picardo will reprise his role as the fan-favorite Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager. Thanks to his holographic nature, the EMH can logically still be around centuries later, now 900 years old! While the initial trailer only showed him briefly and without lines, his return as a "series regular" has Voyager fans hoping for a significant role, not just a cameo. It's a relief for many that Picardo already had a much-deserved comeback in 2024, voicing the EMH in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2, ensuring his character continues to serve the organization he was programmed for.

Another exciting addition comes in a surprising voice role: Stephen Colbert, the outgoing host of The Late Show, will be lending his voice as the Digital Dean of Students. As a self-proclaimed "nerd's nerd" and a true connoisseur of all things fantasy and sci-fi, Colbert's passion for Star Trek is well-known. His character is essentially an AI that provides daily bulletins to the students, and knowing Colbert, we can expect some hilariously specific, in-universe announcements.

Furthermore, Starfleet Academy will continue its soft sequel status to Star Trek: Discovery by bringing back some familiar faces from that series. Oded Fehr will return as Admiral Vance, and Tig Notaro is back as the witty engineer Jett Reno. Mary Wiseman will also appear as a guest star in at least one episode, reprising her role as Sylvia Tilly. These characters, having time-traveled from the 23rd century, directly link Starfleet Academy not just to Discovery but also to Strange New Worlds, where Tilly and Reno served with Captain Pike on the USS Discovery. It truly is a connected universe!

The Road Ahead: What to Expect and Fan Discussions

The official trailer, unveiled at New York Comic Con 2025, gave us a deeper look into the series' premise, confirming the Jan. 15, 2026, premiere date for the first two episodes. Season 1 will run for 10 episodes, culminating on March 12, 2026. Paramount+ has shown strong confidence in the new series, already renewing it for a second season, a decision announced during the same Comic Con event!

The show promises to offer a unique blend of sci-fi adventure, emotional storytelling, and relationship drama, focusing on the more personal stakes of young cadets rather than constant galaxy-ending threats. While the 32nd-century setting has sparked some debate among the fandom (especially after the reception of Discovery's later seasons), the concept of seeing a rebuilt Starfleet Academy rise from the ashes is undeniably compelling. Many fans also hoped for a connection to the "next generation" characters introduced in Star Trek: Picard's final season, lamenting that characters like Kestra Troi-Riker weren't tied into this new Academy story. However, with its charming new cast, stellar veteran actors, and fresh narrative approach, Starfleet Academy is determined to carve out its own path in the ever-expanding Star Trek universe. Live long and prepare to engage!

Frequently Asked Questions About Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

• When does Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premiere? The first two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will premiere on January 15, 2026.
• Where can I watch Star Trek: Starfleet Academy? The series will be exclusively available to stream on Paramount+.
• How many episodes will Season 1 have? The first season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will consist of 10 episodes, concluding on March 12, 2026.
• What era of Star Trek is this set in? The series is set in the 32nd century, after the events of Star Trek: Discovery's final season.

Sources

• "Stephen Colbert's next gig will keep him within the Paramount family" - Last Night On (Crystal George)
• "Official Trailer | Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | NYCC 2025 | Star Trek" - Redshirts Always Die
• "Paramount+’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Has Two More Seasons" - CBR (Brian Linder)
• "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy trailer provides very little for excited Voyager fans" - Winter Is Coming (Daniel Bibby)
• "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy: Paul Giamatti Hypes Villain" - ScreenRant (John Orquiola)
• "‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ Will Return for Season 2" - TV Insider
• "PARAMOUNT+ TRAILER: “STARFLEET ACADEMY” BEAMS IN ON JANUARY 15th" - CultureMix
• "Star Trek's Next Big Show Just Confirmed Its Release Date And A New Backstory" - Inverse (Ryan Britt)
• "Stephen Colbert joins Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" - Blunt Magazine (Travis Johnson)