On March 30, streaming service Paramount+ announced a new original series to the expanding Star Trek franchise entitled Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Paramount+ made the announcement using a very similar tone to military recruiting methods.
Paramount+ Announce New Series Order for “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy”
Co-Showrunners and Executive Producers make announcements
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.
Co-Showrunners and Executive Producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau made the following joint announcement:
“Admission is now open to Starfleet Academy! Explore the galaxy! Captain your destiny! For the first time in over a century, our campus will be re-opened to admit individuals a minimum of 16 Earth years (or species equivalent) who dream of exceeding their physical, mental and spiritual limits, who value friendship, camaraderie, honor and devotion to a cause greater than themselves. The coursework will be rigorous, the instructors among the brightest lights in their respective fields, and those accepted will live and study side-by-side with the most diverse population of students ever admitted. Today we encourage all who share our dreams, goals and values to join a new generation of visionary cadets as they take their first steps toward creating a bright future for us all. Apply today!Ex Astris, Scientia!”
Chief Marketing Officer and head of data at Paramount Streaming Domenic DeMeglio gave further praise to the new series with the following statement:
“We are excited to introduce ‘Star Trek’ fans to a whole new generation of Starfleet officers in training as they navigate the rigors of the Academy and the brink of adulthood in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Furthermore, actress Tawny Newsome, who plays Ensign Beckett Mariner on Star Trek: Lower Decks also confirmed via Twitter that she is also a writer on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy:
Excited to announce I’ve joined the writers room for this 🖖🏾🚀 https://t.co/qGcFOPS53a
— Tawny “My Name is Tawny” Newsome (@TrondyNewman) March 30, 2023
Star Trek Universe
The series announcement was finally made official after showrunner and Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman teased expanding the Trek universe to include a series based on the life of Starfleet cadets. Trek fans may have noticed a heavier role of cadets and recruiting across all the newer Star Trek serials.
For example, the character Elnor joins Starfleet as a cadet in Star Trek: Picard. Also, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds showed actress Celia Gooding as Cadet Nyota Uhura. However, Ensign Sylvia Tilly (played by Mary Wiseman) on Star Trek: Discovery arguably gave the best tease for the new series. In season four of Discovery, she seemingly left the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery to pursue another career route to teach and mentor new recruits. As a result, this left her character open-ended to the possibility of new storylines. With no casting nor a release date confirmed yet, it is yet to be seen if Wiseman will reprise her role in the 32nd Century in the timeline of Discovery or if the series will be set sometime after Picard.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is expected to be released on Paramount+. Stay tuned for further updates and announcements on the series on Temple of Geek.
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