Star Trek: Starfleet Academy co-showrunner Alex Kurtzman recently shared when the Paramount+ original series will begin filming.
Speaking with Collider at SXSW, Kurtzman revealed that while Starfleet Academy “could end up not airing until 2026” it will be “starting [shooting in late summer], just building the sets alone is a massive endeavor, then six months of shooting, then six to eight months of post.”
He added, “If you recall, there was all this noise around Season 1 and Season 2 of [Star Trek:] Discovery because the streaming service, they were like, ‘Oh, it’s like a turnaround on a cop show.’ I’m like, ‘No, you don’t understand. It’s eight months of visual effects turnaround, and we’re not gonna rush that.’ So, it’ll come out, but it’ll come out when it’s done.”
Kurtzman also confirmed that Starfleet Academy’s debut season will consist of 10 episodes.
Starfleet Academy is the latest expansion of the Star Trek franchise
Starfleet Academy was announced by Paramount+ in March 2023, with the series set to introduce audiences to “a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism.” The official logline also reads, “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.”
Kurtzman will share showrunning duties with Noga Landau, who previously developed The CW’s Nancy Drew and its spinoff Tom Swift. No casting, writers, or directors have been announced for Starfleet Academy yet beyond Gaia Violo, who is credited as the writer of the first episode. She will also executive produce the series with Kurtzman and Landau.
Starfleet Academy will be one of many Star Trek projects tasked with keeping the franchise alive on Paramount+ for years to come, joining Strange New Worlds Season 3, Lower Decks Season 5, and the Discovery spinoff movie, Section 31.
At the time of writing, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is without a premiere date.
