Star Trek Is Officially Ending A Decade-Long Era

Published Oct 13, 2026, 7:30 AM EDT

Mary Kassel is a Senior Writer & Critic who joined the Screen Rant team in 2023. 

After graduating from Emerson College with a degree in Media Arts Production, Kassel started at Screen Rant with a focus on the critical analysis side of movies and television while continuing to work on set in film production. 

At Screen Rant, Kassel primarily writes for the Classic TV section, mining their encyclopedic knowledge of television history for content. However, they also contribute to the Books team and review both film and television as a critic. 

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There have been many eras of Star Trek in both film and television. The last decade of Star Trek has been defined by the streaming TV shows that have brought the franchise to the modern age. Beginning with Star Trek: Discovery in 2017, Star Trek has made a home for itself within the streaming landscape, proving once again that science fiction thrives on TV. Balancing its serialized and episodic plots, Discovery and its spinoffs have been part of an important transitional period for Star Trek.

Since Discovery, Star Trek has expanded on Paramount+, making it clear that the streamer wasn't afraid to invest in the massive sci-fi universe. Some of the biggest projects to appear after Discovery include Picard, Strange New Worlds, and Starfleet Academy. The Star Trek: Discovery ending in 2024 was sad, but the continuation of the franchise was secure, making it easier to say goodbye.

Paramount+ has made a point of connecting its streaming series to the larger lore and familiar characters within Star Trek. The return of characters like Captain Picard hasn't felt like fan service, but a warranted exploration of arcs that needed more screen time. It's been a thrill to see Star Trek evolve over the past decade. However, now that Starfleet Academy is ending, the future is uncertain for this era of Star Trek on TV.

Starfleet Academy Season 2 Ends An Entire Era Of Star Trek

Whereas most Star Trek series focus on the adventures of different Starfleet ships exploring the universe, Starfleet Academy puts its own twist on the story. With familiar faces from Discovery appearing throughout the show, Starfleet Academy is a little more stationary, following a new class of cadets trying to rebuild the legacy of Starfleet. While it was a bold experiment for the Star Trek universe, unfortunately, Starfleet Academy will be ending soon.

Starfleet Academy season 2 will be the final installment of the show, premiering in March 2027 on Paramount+. Unfortunately, it's not surprising that Starfleet Academy isn't being renewed for more seasons, as the audience reception for season 1 wasn't very strong. However, this is a shame, as the show pushed boundaries within the framework of Star Trek and could've had a future within the franchise. Instead, the series' ending sparks new questions for Paramount+'s Star Trek plans.

When Starfleet Academy concludes, there will be no new spinoff ready to step into its place. While fans will still get to watch one more season of Strange New Worlds, likely in spring or summer of 2027, this will also be the final installment of that spinoff. As of now, no new series are planned to pick up where these programs leave off, meaning Star Trek​​​​​​'s 10-year long domination of Paramount+'s programming is nearly over.

What Next For Star Trek In TV & Film?

These significant changes leave audiences and critics wondering what will happen next, and how long we'll have to wait before Star Trek is back with a fresh take on the fictional universe. While Star Trek's streaming phase has had predominantly positive reception, what has kept Star Trek present in the cultural context is its ability to adapt with the times. It's been ten years since the last Star Trek movie was released, Star Trek Beyond​​​​​​, so moving back into film could be a logical next step.

A new Star Trek replacement captain could be an interesting spin on the story, alongside original ships and crew members. Since Star Trek isn't limited to a specific time or place in space, there are near-limitless possibilities for the future of the franchise. Star Trek is the kind of project that sparks opinion and debate because there are many ways to interpret the story. Whatever Star Trek does next will have to live up to big expectations.

It's scary to contemplate that an ending is on the horizon for the most recent era of Star Trek, but writers and fans should also see this as an opportunity. Star Trek isn't done yet, and Paramount+ has invested too much time and money into its many series to give up. Whether it's Kirk and Spock back on screens or a brilliant new character no one has met yet, the end of Starfleet Academy doesn't have to be a bad thing, as every era must come to a close.

Star Trek is one of pop culture's biggest multimedia franchises, spanning multiple movies, TV shows, books, comics, video games, and various other media. The franchise was created by Gene Roddenberry and started with the 1960s TV series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Over the decades, several equally popular series have come out since as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Discovery.