2023 was a very good year to be a Star Trek fan. The year saw multiple series arriving on Paramount+, the official home for most of Star Trek. Not since the days of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager when it seemed like there was always new Star Trek arriving, has there been as much for Star Trek fans to look forward to.
In 2023, there were three series that released new episodes onto Paramount+. This included Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. This continued the trend that really jumped into warp in 2022 with plenty of new Star Trek arriving for fans to enjoy. In 2022, new episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Prodigy were all released. While 2023 didn’t have quite as much Star Trek being released, there was still plenty to enjoy! In 2024, there will be more Star Trek on the way.
The coming year will see more episodes boldly going where no one has gone before, but not as many as the two years before. The new episodes won’t all be on Paramount+ either. There will be new Star Trek being released on Netflix after Paramount+ dropped Star Trek: Prodigy. Below is a look at Star Trek series that will be arriving for fans to watch in 2024.
Star Trek: Discovery – Season 5
Premieres: April 2024
The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery will be arriving on Paramount+ in April of 2024. At this point, an exact date has not been released yet. In this season, “Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the USS Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well — dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it.”
A recent video that was released shows Captain Burnham and Booker (David Ajala) facing off against a massive, hostile creature that has the ability to cloak itself (guess that might be a bit worse than a Klingon Bird of Prey that can fire while cloaked!?). From other clips that have been shown, Star Trek: Discovery’s final season looks to be packed full of action and will see the series go out on a high note. Perhaps this will be followed by a movie? Only time can tell!
Star Trek: Discovery stars Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Burnham), David Ajala (Booker), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Season 5 will also feature recurring guest stars’ Elias Toufexis (L’ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).
Star Trek: Prodigy – Season 2
Premieres: 2024
The second season of Star Trek: Prodigy comes after the series has been moved to Netflix. The first season was released on Netflix on Christmas Day again after being removed from Paramount+ earlier in 2023. The second season has completed production and looks to have lots of nods to Star Trek: Voyager when it does finally arrive on Netflix. At this time, a specific release date has not been announced yet.
What is known about the second season of Star Trek: Prodigy is that it will contain 20 episodes. The second season will see the return of Admiral Janeway, the Doctor, and Chakotay. There will also be some big surprises coming in the second seasons that aren’t connected to Voyager co-creators and showrunners Dan and Kevin Hageman have shared. They also shared that this second season will see things move forward for young stars of the series. Dan shared with Collider that “In season 1 the kids steal a ship, in season 2 they earn a ship. They’re in a much bigger world now that they’re in Starfleet.” The Doctor will also be taking on a mentorship role for the kids as well.
Beyond season two of Star Trek: Prodigy, there are plenty of other ideas for where the story could go as well. In fact, this is a story that could continue to keep moving forward through the years. Kevin shared that “There’s threads of what’s next. If we’re lucky enough to go to Season 3, I’m really excited about where the show can go. We wrote this thing to go seven seasons at least.” IF the series were to make it to seven seasons, it would appropriately be the first Star Trek show to do since Admiral Janeway was captain of the Voyager in Star Trek: Voyager. There are plenty of possibilities for this show with more undoubtably being revealed when the second series arrives on Netflix in 2024.
The voice cast for Star Trek: Prodigy includes Kate Mulgrew (Hologram & Admiral Kathryn Janeway), Brett Gray (Dal), Ella Purnell (Gwyn), Rylee Alazraqui (Rok-Tahk), Angus Imrie (Zero), Jason Mantzoukas (Jankom Pog), Dee Bradley Baker (Murf), John Noble (The Diviner), and Jimmi Simpson (Drednok). The series also has recurring voice cast members Daveed Diggs (Commander Tysess), Jameela Jamil (Ensign Asencia), Jason Alexander (Doctor Noum), Robert Beltran (Captain Chakotay), and Billy Campbell (Thadiun Okona). Robert Picardo will also be joining the crew for season two as The Doctor.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Season 3
Premieres: Late 2024
After the cliffhanger at the end of season two of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek fans have been anxiously waiting to see what will happen to Captain Pike and the crew of the Enterprise. As the season wrapped up, the Enterprise was facing off against the Gorn and were at a decision point of how to proceed against this frightful foe. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has created a new terrifying enemy for Starfleet with the Gorn that is likes of the Founders in Deep Space Nine and the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stars Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Number One and Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock. It also stars Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel, Christina Chong as La’An Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas and Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M’Benga. The series follows Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Una Chin-Riley (Number One) in the years before Captain Kirk boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise, as they explore new worlds around the galaxy.
Production of the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was delayed by the writers and SAG-AFTRA strikes earlier this year. Originally it was expected that the third season would be already well into production. Instead, it just began filming. Because of this, it is expected that the third season will be arriving on Paramount+ in late 2024. However, this could change as there are a lot of variables that could impact its release date. It wouldn’t be unimaginable for the third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to arrive on Paramount+ in 2025.
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Work is already underway on the fifth season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome are expected to return as Boimler and Mariner. Newsome shared a bit about this season recently with Collider.
“The thing I notice a lot about the Season 5 scripts, which we just got back into the room and started recording those, is that she has to navigate being, you know, she can’t just be reckless for recklessness’s sake anymore. She can’t do the self-destructive thing anymore. She really has to pick her battles, and she has to find the moments where she’s accepting the responsibility of her promotion but also still pushing and trying to make Starfleet better. So yeah, there’s a much more mature approach to things, but she’s still Mariner. She’s still an element of chaos in all things.“
The fifth season of Star Trek: Lower Decks will most likely see the return of Lieutenant junior grade D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells), Lieutenant junior grade Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero), Provisional Lieutenant T’Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz), and most likely the rest of the supporting cast aboard the U.S.S. Cerritos and beyond. There will also undoubtably be some legacy characters from the Star Trek universe making appearances, as has been the case in previous seasons.
There isn’t a specific release timeline for the fifth season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. However, it appears that the series will continue its trend of being released on Paramount+ in the summer. Mike McMahan shared that scripts were finished in line with a 2024 release. If everything else comes together, there is still a chance for this series to be released sometime in 2024. However, this has not been officially announced at this time. It COULD end up being released later.
Star Trek – Looking Forward
While these four series are believed to be arriving in 2024, there are a lot of unknowns for the future of Star Trek. Some of these are quite exciting and some of these could be concerning. For the exciting parts of the future of Star Trek, there are more projects in the works. In the concerning end of things, Paramount could end up being a part of another studio or company. Below is a look at what else is coming for Star Trek and the possible challenges Star Trek could face.
Section 31 Movie
A movie based on Section 31 will reportedly begin filming in January. Michelle Yeoh has shared that she is preparing for this movie. Yeoh shared with Collider, “I just came back from Toronto, and what does that tell you? We are definitely prepping. We are definitely going full steam ahead. And thank you. Section 31 is very special to me, and I’m so happy we’re doing it.” Originally this movie was going to be a series, but that has changed as circumstances changed.
This film is set to stream on Paramount+ and is written by Craig Sweeny and is being directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. It will reportedly take six weeks to film in Toronto, Canada. Yeoh has described the movie as “Mission: Impossible meets Guardians of the Galaxy.” The official description from Paramount+ is the following:
In Star Trek: Section 31, Emperor Philippa Georgiou, joins a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and faces the sins of her past.
Starfleet Academy Series
Earlier this year, a Starfleet Academy series was ordered by Paramount+. When it was announced on StarTrek.com, it was shared that the series “will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy.” More was shared about the series in the release: “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will introduce us 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 will 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.”
Tawny Newsome from Star Trek: Lower Decks joined the writing team for this series. The voice of Lieutenant Beckett Mariner shared the news on X/Twitter earlier this year. She also shared about the series with Screen Rant. She said:
It’s a new side of Starfleet. It’s a new side of Star Trek, which I think you can infer from the title. We just haven’t seen this exact area. And yeah, I think that we’re just leaning into that… I can’t say enough about the people in the room. Like, the team is maybe my favorite part of the job, because everyone is so so great. And I feel like I’ve just made such great friends in that room… Everyone is so fun. Our showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Naga Landau did such an incredible job of assembling just the best people on Earth. Everyone is nice. Everyone is fun. Everyone has a different set of skills. I love it. I think the audience is really gonna love this show. I really do.
Star Trek Challenges
The challenges facing Star Trek moving forward really are the same challenges that are being faced by many series and franchises currently. Currently the entertainment world is seeing a massive transition that sees traditional distribution of media being disrupted by new innovations. With this comes the decline of linear television and theatrical releases are also facing challenges. As media moves to being released via streaming platforms, there is massive disruption. This has been made even more challenging as the business model to make streaming profitability is still being figured out. Paramount has not been immune to these challenges and has been cost cutting… which apparently led to the dropping of Star Trek: Prodigy and the ending of Star Trek: Discovery earlier than was expected. The change of the Section 31 series to a film also appeared to be a way to save money and generate cash quicker as well.
Along with the financial challenges connected with a move to streaming, there is another challenge for the studio Star Trek comes from itself. Currently it appears to be up for sale with discussions happening about what the future could look like for this iconic studio. Depending on where the studio ends up landing (if it does indeed get sold), the future of Star Trek could end up being determined by a new set of bosses who may or may not see the value of the franchise.
Star Trek Possibilities
In Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Admiral Kirk said “As your teacher, Mr. Spock, is fond of saying, ‘I like to think there always are …possibilities.’” This is incredibly true for Star Trek. There are plenty of stories to be told and characters to be explored. There are a lot of possibilities for new stories to be brought to life.
Star Trek: Legacy Series
Following the events of the third season of Star Trek: Picard, it seems that just about everyone is hoping for a continuation of the story aboard the Enterprise-G with Captain Seven in command. If fans get their way, this would come from Star Trek: Picard show runner Terry Matalas and see the return of Jeri Ryan as Captain Seven of Nine with first officer Commander Raffi, played by Michelle Hurd. The series would also most likely see the return of Ed Speelers as the son of Admirals Picard and Crusher, Jack. The Enterprise-G would ideally also include senior staff Lieutenant Matthew Arliss Mura played by Joseph Lee, Jin Maley as Ensign Kova Rin Esmar, Ashlei Sharp Chestnutt as Ensign Sidney La Forge, and Tiffany Shepis Dr. Ohk. Actor and director Jonathan Frakes has also shared what he would love to see from the show:
“The Rikers’ marriage is back on track. In my mind, for the show to be able to move forward, Riker would have to be a captain and have his ship, or he would be promoted to admiral and be a liaison. I’m only half-kidding when I say it would be great for me if the show carries on and I’m like Charlie from ‘Charlie’s Angels.’ They’d have to come to my office one day a week for a meeting with Riker. That’d be perfect. Then I could direct a bunch of the episodes and be around the show.”
This is one dream that could have the best chance of becoming a reality as both fans and Star Trek cast and crew all seem excited about its possibilities. Its future could be determined by continued fan clamoring, a good pitch to the studio, and once again budgets.
Star Trek: Picard Movie
If Patrick Stewart gets his way, the follow up to the third season of Star Trek: Picard would be another chapter and reunion of the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew in the form of a movie. Patrick Stewart shared in an interview with Time his vision for this movie.
I am gently pushing Paramount to let us do one single Picard movie. Not a Next Generation movie, as we have already done four of those. This would be an expansion and deepening of the universe as we’ve seen it in Star Trek: Picard. I’ve discussed this with Jonathan, Brent, and LeVar, and they are all game. Jonathan is my first choice to direct it.
At this point, there is nothing official from the studio about this film. Just like Star Trek: Legacy, there would have to be a real desire by fans for this film. It is unknown if this exists. The possibilities for this film are probably slimmer than a potential Star Trek: Legacy series.
Star Trek 4 Movie
Paramount and producer J.J. Abrams announced the fourth Star Trek movie with Chris Pine portraying Captain Kirk was in the works in early 2022. At the time, this film was scheduled to be released by the end of 2023. This obviously didn’t happen. More recent reports have said that Paramount was gearing up to work on this film after the end of the writers and SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, Chris Pine doesn’t have a whole lot of faith in this movie. In November, Pine was asked by ComicBook.com if there were any updates about the film. He simply replied, “Not that I know of.” He was also asked if he had read any scripts for the film to which he replied “No, of course not.”
On the flip side, Lindsey Anderson Beer, the writer originally working on this film seems to think things are still moving forward. “It is, it’s still on the tracks. I love that project, and it was another one that I had to hop off of to direct this movie, and that was a hard thing to do. But I love that everybody involved with that project.”
At this point, the future of Star Trek 4 is a massive question mark. It has been over seven years since Chris Pine donned his Starfleet uniform as Captain Kirk in Star Trek Beyond. Only time will tell if and when this film gets made.
To Boldly Go…
As with all things, the future isn’t written in stone for Star Trek. There are lots of possibilities and lots of challenges that the franchise are facing. One thing also true: there is hope for the future of Star Trek. The franchise is popular and its resurgence in the last couple of years has been a wonderful thing for Star Trek fans. What will continue to drive it will be the numbers. The more people watch Star Trek, share it, watch it again, get their friends to watch it again, and continue to build the demand for more Star Trek so it makes financial sense for Paramount (or whoever ends up owning it) to continue to make more. Hopefully Star Trek will continually to boldly go forward and make more adventures and stories in the coming years.
What are you most looking forward to with the future of Star Trek? What would you like to see more of? Share your thoughts about the future of Star Trek in the comments below!
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