Star Trek is a long-running and beloved franchise, so it’s no surprise that producers have been doing everything in their power to keep the ball rolling. The last couple of decades have seen the introduction and return of many cast and crew, telling new stories and amazing adventures. While not every project or series got the same love as the rest, it’s safe to assume that they each found their respective audience. Naturally, the recent merger involving Paramount has fans wondering what the future of Star Trek is going to look like. There are still many questions that need answers, but we can at least look over the modern Star Trek series and the announced future projects.
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Now is a strange time for Star Trek fans, as it feels like everything is a bit in the air. While there had been half a dozen new shows hitting streaming services at once time, those projects have largely concluded in the last two years. That has fans worried that the franchise is shuttering again, but it likely signifies that Paramount+ is rethinking its Star Trek strategy, and that’s not a bad thing.
1) Star Trek: Discovery
Most streaming services have a flagship series; in other words, the series they hope will attract new subscribers. Star Trek: Discovery was that series for CBS All Access, and it soon gave way to many other Star Trek projects.
Star Trek: Discovery ran from 2017 to 2024, totaling five seasons. The story itself was (originally) set about ten years before Star Trek: The Original Series (Star Trek: TOS), but the Season 2 finale brings them to the 32nd century. The series was as bold as it was controversial, putting Michael Burnam at the helm and making changes to established canon here and there.
The series came to an end in 2004, with Season 5 being the last. It was a bit of a surprise for fans, as this was clearly not the intended conclusion, but at least it didn’t end on a cliffhanger or something like that.
2) Star Trek: Short Treks
Star Trek: Short Treks launched in 2018, diving into more of an anthology format for the series. It started out as a companion to Star Trek: Discovery, and thus, the early parts all generally focus on different crew members within the series. Later episodes began to tease Star Trek: Picard, building up for the next series on the docket.
Star Trek: Short Treks lasted for two seasons, and while it wasn’t formally cancelled, it was paused. The pandemic prevented future episodes or seasons from being considered, and that ultimately had the streaming service move forward elsewhere.
3) Star Trek: Picard
Next came Star Trek: Picard, which ran from 2020 to 2023. It’s impressive that the series was able to stay alive during the pandemic era, to say the least. The story is set in the 24th century, or about two decades after Star Trek: Nemesis. The name probably gives it away, but Star Trek: Picard revolved around Jean-Luc Picard.
While technically in retirement, Picard seems to still have a talent for getting in the middle of things, not to mention saving the universe. Star Trek: Picard ran for three seasons total, reaching its planned conclusion at a steady pace. It was not cancelled, but fans are still waiting for the teased spin-off series.
4) Star Trek: Lower Decks
Star Trek: Lower Decks makes for the first animated series on this lineup, as well as the ninth Star Trek series. It ran from 2020 to 2024, totaling five seasons. The series was more of a comedy than a classic Star Trek series, embracing the comical and absurd.
Sadly, Paramount+ ended Star Trek: Lower Decks with the fifth season. Fans have made moves to try and save the series, but they’ve had limited success so far. It’s surprising, given the lower operational costs of this project. On the bright side, there is a comic series to binge.
5) Star Trek: Prodigy
Star Trek: Prodigy is another animated Star Trek series, though this one had a slightly lighter mood, thanks to Nickelodeon joining the project. The series only got two seasons, and it had a very strange journey to get there. The first season aired on Paramount+, but the platform canceled Star Trek: Prodigy mid-production for Season 2.
On the bright side, the second season was completed and aired, but on Netflix instead of Paramount+. Sadly, the streaming giant didn’t opt for a Season 3, so this is all the fans will ever have.
6) Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Next up is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which began airing in 2022 and is still in production. The story revolves around Captain Christopher Pike of the Enterprise, but is set about a decade before Star Trek: TOS. The series has gotten a lot of ink, not to mention accolades.
Notably, there will be two more seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Season 4 is scheduled to release sometime in 2026, and the final Season 6 will be a shorter six-episode season. This was a compromise, allowing the cancelled series to finish its arc before completion.
7) Star Trek: Section 31
Technically, Star Trek: Section 31 is a made-for-TV movie, but we’re going to include it here since it ties directly into Star Trek: Discovery. The film was released on Paramount+ on January 4, 2025, to a lackluster response, so don’t count on seeing more.
Star Trek: Section 31 focused on Philippa Georgiou during her time with Section 31. Since it follows a secret division of Starfleet, it was pretty out there from the start. While it had a phenomenal cast, it sounds like this project was too big a swing.
8) Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the next series on the Paramount+ Star Trek production schedule, as it’s an upcoming series slated for sometime in 2026. The series will be set in the far future (32nd century) and follow a new cast of characters, courtesy of the Starfleet cadets joining the academy. These students will be the first cadets in a century, marking a major moment in the universe.
If you’re worried about getting attached to a series that’s already doomed, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy may not be out yet, but it has already been greenlit for a second season (which is already in production).
9) Star Trek: Scouts
Star Trek: Scouts is the first of its kind. This is a brand-new series hoping to raise a new generation of Trekkies, so it’s easy to hope it succeeds. However, that isn’t what makes this series unique, as it is the first Star Trek series that’s heading straight to YouTube.
Star Trek: Scouts is a preschool extension set in this beloved franchise, with incredibly short episodes for children to binge. The first two are already available, but there will be a total of 20 for Season 1.
10) Potential Future Projects & Beyond
Obviously, we’re all worried about what’s going to happen to the series that weren’t actively in production during the time of the merger. Are they going to fall into limbo? Or will they find a way forward? Thanks to STLV: Trek to Vegas (a massive Star Trek convention), we now know that there are four potential Star Trek series up for consideration. These series have made their pitch, so all we can do is wait and hope.
The executive producers and co-showrunners behind Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are the ones behind this first pitch. Their series, reportedly titled Star Trek: Year One, would be about Captain James T. Kirk’s first year commanding the Enterprise.
Next up is a pitch from Michael Sussman (Star Trek: Enterprise producer) and Scott Bakula, who would play Jonathan Archer. It would continue the trend Star Trek: Picard inspired, producing a series about Johnathan Archer as the President of the United Federation of Planets. This series does not currently have a projected title.
The next pitch also does not have a working title, but it would be a live-action comedy. It’s pitched by Tawny Newsome and Justin SImien, who hope to find that perfect balance between Star Trek adventures and workplace comedies.
Last, but not least, we have the most anticipated series, as far as fans are concerned: Star Trek: Legacy. Star Trek: Legacy is a potential spin-off from Star Trek: Picard, and it’s something fans have been waiting years for. Admittedly, showrunner Terry Matalas did say that there’s no movement for the series (as of yet), but the creative team is still interested. Better yet, Jeri Ryan spoke about the reason to keep on hoping.
It’s important to keep in mind that none of these series have been officially greenlit, so don’t set your hopes too high. While there’s a good chance that at least one of these productions will be selected, the merger between Skydance and Paramount is still new enough to be unpredictable. They could surprise us all by coming out with something entirely new.
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