Paramount+ is introducing a new series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, with Holly Hunter taking the lead. She will portray the captain and chancellor of the Academy, overseeing both the faculty and a fresh batch of Starfleet cadets as they navigate the galaxy in the 32nd century.
Co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau expressed their excitement: “We’ve spent our lives watching Holly Hunter’s genius on screen. Her authenticity, fearlessness, humor, and brilliance make her the perfect choice for ‘Starfleet Academy,’ adding to the rich legacy of ‘Star Trek.’”
Filming begins in Toronto this summer, featuring the largest set ever built for a “Star Trek” series. The set includes a two-story academic atrium with an amphitheater, classrooms, a mess hall, and a tree-lined walkway. The show will delve into the world of higher education, exploring themes of romance, academic pressure, and self-discovery. Landau commented, “These are kids who’ve never faced a red alert before or operated a transporter or been in a phaser fight.”
Holly Hunter joins the elite group of Oscar-winning actors who have appeared in the Star Trek universe, including Whoopi Goldberg, Louise Fletcher, and F. Murray Abraham. Hunter won the Best Actress Oscar for 1993’s The Piano and received nominations for Broadcast News, The Firm, and Thirteen. Her career spans five decades, from her breakout role in Raising Arizona to voicing Elastigirl in The Incredibles series. Hunter also starred in and executive produced the TNT series Saving Grace, earning Emmy awards for The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom and Roe vs. Wade. Recently, she starred with Ted Danson in NBC’s Mr. Mayor. She is represented by CAA, Entertainment 360, and Ziffren Brittenham.
Starfleet Academy is in capable hands with Kurtzman and Landau as co-showrunners and executive producers, alongside Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa, and John Weber. The premiere episode is written by Violo. CBS Studios is producing the series in partnership with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
This series is the latest addition to the Star Trek TV universe on Paramount+. Upcoming projects include Section 31, starring Michelle Yeoh, which will explore Starfleet’s black ops division. The animated comedy Lower Decks is wrapping up after five seasons, and Discovery, the flagship of the revamped Star Trek TV projects, will conclude its run on May 30 after five seasons. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been renewed for a fourth season, promising more adventures in the final frontier.
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I guess I’m not the only one to conceive of a show called *Star Trek: Starfleet Academy*. And I thought of it a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….
Seriously, I thought of it during the days of *Star Trek: The Next Generation*. The program dealt with life at the academy more than once. I thought that could be a great idea for a series. (I know, lots and lots of people probably thought that.)