Honestly, trying to keep track of the Star Trek timeline right now feels like trying to map out a temporal cold war while stuck in a Jefferies tube. It’s messy. Since Star Trek: Discovery wrapped up its five-season run, fans have been wondering if the franchise is slowing down or just shifting gears. The truth is a bit of both. We’re moving away from the era of "five shows on at once" and toward a more curated, albeit slightly experimental, phase of the Trek universe.
Paramount+ is betting big on two very different projects. You’ve got the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series and the long-gestating Section 31 movie. Yes, it’s a movie now, not a show.
The shift is real.
Back in 2017, the goal was volume. Now, the goal is retention. With the streaming wars cooling off and budgets getting scrutinized by Wall Street, the Star Trek upcoming series slate looks leaner than it did three years ago. But that doesn't mean it's boring. If anything, the weirdness is back.
The Academy is Finally Opening Its Doors
People have been talking about a Starfleet Academy show since the 90s. Harve Bennett actually pitched a prequel movie about Kirk and Spock at the Academy way back before The Undiscovered Country was a thing. It never happened then. It’s happening now.
Noga Landau and Alex Kurtzman are the co-showrunners for this one. It’s set in the 32nd century. That’s the same era as the later seasons of Discovery. It’s a smart move, honestly. By placing it that far in the future, the writers don’t have to worry about tripping over the toes of Captain Kirk or the Strange New Worlds crew. They have a blank canvas. The Federation is rebuilding. That’s a cool backdrop for a bunch of cadets who are probably way too young to be handling phasers.
The cast is genuinely impressive. We’re talking about Academy Award winner Holly Hunter playing the Chancellor. That’s a massive get for a Trek show. Then you’ve got Paul Giamatti playing the season’s villain. Giamatti is a self-proclaimed Trek nerd, so you know he’s going to chew the scenery in the best way possible.
The vibe seems... different.
Expect something that feels a bit more "Young Adult" but with the high-stakes philosophical dilemmas that make Trek work. We know the sets are huge. Paramount built a massive academic atrium that is supposedly the largest single set ever constructed for a Star Trek production. It’s being filmed in Toronto.
What’s interesting is the bridge between generations. We already know that Tig Notaro (Jett Reno), Robert Picardo (The Doctor!), and Mary Wiseman (Tilly) are showing up. Having The Doctor back is a stroke of genius. An EMH who has lived for centuries teaching a bunch of teenagers? That’s gold. It grounds the 32nd century in something we actually recognize from the Voyager days.
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Michelle Yeoh and the Section 31 Pivot
Let's talk about the Section 31 project. This thing has been in development hell since 2019. Originally, it was pitched as a series. Then Michelle Yeoh went and won an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once, and suddenly her schedule was a bit more complicated.
Instead of a multi-season commitment, we’re getting a "Special Event Movie."
It’s directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. The trailer, which debuted at San Diego Comic-Con, caught a lot of people off guard. It doesn't look like traditional Trek. It looks like a spy thriller. It looks sleek, a little dirty, and very fast-paced. Kinda like Mission: Impossible but with more transporter beams and ethical grey areas.
Yeoh is playing Philippa Georgiou. Specifically, the Mirror Universe version. She’s working for Section 31, the shadow organization that the Federation pretends doesn't exist but uses to do its dirty work.
- Release Window: Expected early 2025.
- The Cast: Omari Hardwick, Sam Richardson, and Kacey Rohl.
- The Plot: Georgiou has to face the sins of her past while protecting the Federation.
Some fans are annoyed. They think Section 31 goes against Gene Roddenberry's vision of a perfect future. But honestly, Trek has always been at its best when it questions that perfection. Deep Space Nine did it. Discovery did it. If this movie leans into the moral ambiguity of "the ends justify the means," it could be the punch in the gut the franchise needs.
Why Strange New Worlds is the North Star
While we wait for the new stuff, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds remains the anchor. Season 3 is on the horizon. This show saved the modern era for a lot of people. It’s episodic. It’s bright. It’s got a captain who actually likes his job and cooks for his crew.
The Star Trek upcoming series landscape owes everything to the success of Anson Mount’s Pike.
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Because Strange New Worlds proved that the old-school "Planet of the Week" format still works, it gave Paramount the confidence to branch out. We know Season 3 will feature a "Hollywood Murder Mystery" episode and potentially more experimental genre-bending. They even did a musical. What’s next? A silent film episode? At this point, I wouldn't bet against it.
There is a catch, though. Production cycles are longer than they used to be. We’re looking at significant gaps between seasons. This isn't the 90s where you got 26 episodes every September like clockwork. Now, you’re lucky to get 10 episodes every 18 to 24 months. It’s frustrating, but the production value is undeniably higher.
The Great "Lower Decks" Hole
We have to address the elephant in the room: Lower Decks is ending. Season 5 is the final lap for the Cerritos crew. For many, this is a tragedy. Lower Decks was the "love letter" show. It was packed with deep-cut references that only someone who knows the difference between a Romulan Ale and a Kanar would get.
With Lower Decks ending and Prodigy moving to Netflix, the animated side of Trek is in a weird spot.
There are rumors of a live-action comedy or perhaps another animated project in the works, but nothing is concrete. The loss of Lower Decks leaves a gap in the "fun" side of the franchise. Trek can be self-serious sometimes. It needs a pressure valve.
What Happened to the Star Trek 4 Movie?
If you’re looking for news on the Chris Pine-led film franchise, don't hold your breath. It’s a mess. Directors have come and gone—J.J. Abrams, Justin Lin, S.J. Clarkson, Matt Shakman. Every time it seems like it's moving, it stalls.
As of now, there is a "prequel" movie in development led by Toby Haynes (who worked on Andor). It’s supposed to be an origin story for the entire Trek universe, set decades before the 2009 film. It’s a weird choice. Do we really need more origin stories? Probably not. But Haynes did incredible work with Andor, so if he brings that level of grit and political complexity to Trek, it might actually work.
Navigating the 32nd Century and Beyond
The future of Trek is fragmented. Instead of one unified "Current Era," we have stories happening in the 23rd century (Strange New Worlds), the 24th century (the aftermath of Picard), and the 32nd century (Starfleet Academy).
This can be confusing for casual viewers.
However, for the die-hards, it means the universe feels bigger. It’s not just about one ship anymore. It’s about an entire timeline. The challenge for the Star Trek upcoming series creators is making sure these shows feel like they belong to the same DNA. You need the techno-babble, sure. You need the phasers. But you mostly need the "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations" philosophy.
If Starfleet Academy becomes just another teen drama, it will fail. If Section 31 becomes just another generic action movie, it will fail. They have to stay "Trek."
The Realistic Timeline
- Late 2024/Early 2025: Lower Decks Season 5 and the Section 31 movie.
- Mid 2025: Strange New Worlds Season 3.
- Late 2025/Early 2026: Starfleet Academy Season 1.
It’s a steady drip-feed of content. It’s not a flood.
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If you're a fan, the best thing you can do is actually watch the stuff when it drops. Streaming metrics are ruthless. Prodigy got cancelled by Paramount despite being excellent, only to be saved by Netflix because the fans made enough noise. The lesson here is that nothing is guaranteed in the streaming era. Not even a franchise as storied as Star Trek.
Actionable Steps for the Modern Trekkie
To stay ahead of the curve, stop relying on the Paramount+ home screen. It’s notoriously slow to update.
Follow the trade publications like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter for the actual production greenlights, because "in development" doesn't mean "is being made." A lot of Trek projects die in the writers' room.
Also, keep an eye on the official Star Trek website during major conventions. That’s usually where the only real, non-clickbait news drops. If you’re itching for more content and can’t wait for the new shows, dive into the IDW comics. They are currently doing some of the best Trek storytelling in years, particularly the Star Trek (2022) flagship series that brings together characters from across the different shows. It fills the gaps that the TV shows can't reach due to budget and actor availability.