The Future of Star Trek After the End of the Actors' Strike

Article Overview

The end of the actors' strike allows Star Trek to resume production of movies and TV shows, including Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.

The strikes hindered actors from promoting and discussing their projects on social media and fan conventions, adversely affecting the promotion of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 as well as other series such as Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks.

With the strikes resolved, the production of the Star Trek: Section 31 movie can now commence, while plans for the initiation of production for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy in 2024 are underway.

With the resolution of the actors' strike, production for Star Trek movies and TV shows can now continue. The strike, which lasted 118 days, ended on November 9th with a tentative deal valued at over one billion dollars. Once the deal is ratified by SAG-AFTRA's membership, actors will be able to return to work on various Star Trek projects, including those on Paramount+.

The recent strikes, both from the Writer's Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, had a profound impact on Hollywood's movie and TV production. Actors were unable to promote their projects through press rounds, social media, or fan conventions. Media events for the final season of Star Trek: Discovery were canceled, and the cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds were prohibited from discussing major episodes, such as the crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks and the show's first-ever musical episode. Additionally, actors from Lower Decks were unable to promote the recently concluded season 4. However, now that the strikes have been resolved and Hollywood is moving forward, we can look ahead to what Star Trek has in store for 2024 and 2025.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Promotion Can Start For Its 2024 Release

has informed the Star Trek Universe panel audience at New York Comic Con that there are currently several exciting projects in development for the franchise.

This is the final season of Star Trek: Discovery.

Star Trek: Discovery

Featuring a talented cast that includes Sonequa Martin-Green, Rekha Sharma, Rainn Wilson, Maulik Pancholy, Doug Jones, James Frain, Anthony Rapp, Michelle Yeoh, Chris Obi, Jason Isaacs, and Shazad Latif, the popular sci-fi, adventure, and drama series Star Trek: Discovery has been streamed on Paramount+. Unfortunately, the show was canceled earlier this year, with season 5 being its last. The writers' and actors' strikes hindered the media events intended to promote Discovery season 5. However, with the strikes resolved, Paramount+ can now kickstart the promotional campaign for the highly anticipated final season. Fans can expect an official release date announcement in the coming days or weeks. As the flagship show on Paramount+ in 2024, Discovery season 5 has generated significant excitement, making the absence of promotion understandable. Now, the cast, including Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, and Anthony Rapp, can engage in enthusiastic discussions about the upcoming season. The wait is finally over, and the exciting journey can now begin in full swing.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Can Resume Production

Strange New Worlds season 3's production was supposed to start in May 2023.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds features an incredible cast including Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Celia Rose Gooding, Rebecca Romijn, Bruce Horak, Anson Mount, and Christina Chong. This enthralling series combines adventure, sci-fi, and action, making it a must-watch. With two seasons available for streaming on Paramount+, the show is led by showrunners Henry Alonso Myers and Akiva Goldsman.

Production of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is set to resume in Toronto now that the actors' strike has ended. The majority of season 3 scripts were already written prior to the planned May production start date, and writing recommenced after the settlement of the WGA strike in September. Whether the actors will return to Toronto by the end of the year or if filming will be delayed until 2024 remains uncertain. While there is a possibility that Paramount+ may release Strange New Worlds season 3 by the end of 2024, it is more probable that the season won't debut until 2025 due to the necessary time for editing and visual effects. Naturally, fans eagerly anticipate the resolution of the cliffhanger from Strange New Worlds season 2's finale as soon as possible.

Star Trek: Section 31 Movie Can Start Production

Section 31 is the first made-for-streaming on Paramount+ Star Trek movie.

Star Trek: Section 31 was originally set to begin production in fall 2023, but executive producer Alex Kurtzman assured fans at New York Comic Con that the movie, starring Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, is now progressing. The film, written by Craig Sweeny and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, still lacks confirmed cast members and key details such as the timeline in which it will be set. However, as the project enters the production phase in 2024, more information is expected to emerge. There is a possibility that Star Trek: Section 31 could premiere on Paramount+ in late 2024, although a release in 2025 would not be unexpected. This film is part of a broader plan to release multiple streaming-exclusive Star Trek movies on Paramount+ every two years.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Will Start Production In 2024

Starfleet Academy's writers include Star Trek: Lower Decks' Tawny Newsome.

The announcement of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy in April introduced a fresh series intended for YA audiences, with co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau (known for Nancy Drew). Tawny Newsome, star of Star Trek: Lower Decks, will contribute her comedic writing talents to Starfleet Academy as well. After the release of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, production for Starfleet Academy is slated to commence, aiming for a filming schedule in 2024 and a potential release in 2025. While no further information concerning the cast, characters, or setting has been disclosed, it is understood to be a spinoff that continues the 32nd-century timeline of Discovery.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Will Release In 2024

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 is in production.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5, confirmed to premiere on Paramount+ in 2024, is the only other Star Trek series besides Discovery season 5 set to release. The recently concluded Lower Decks season 4 saw Lieutenant Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) and the USS Cerritos saving the galaxy, setting the stage for season 5 as Lieutenant D'Vana Tendi (Noel Wells) departed Starfleet to rejoin the Orion Syndicate. Showrunner Mike McMahan has confirmed that the scripts for Lower Decks season 5 are already completed. Paramount+ is expected to debut this comedic animated Star Trek series, the first of its kind, in the usual late summer/early fall timeframe of 2024.

Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 Will Release In 2024

Netflix is Star Trek: Prodigy's new streaming home.

After being canceled by Paramount+, the popular all-audiences Star Trek animated series, Star Trek: Prodigy, was saved by the efforts of dedicated fans. The show has now found a new streaming home on Netflix, where all 20 episodes of season 1 will be available to stream on Christmas Day. Fans can also look forward to the arrival of the next 20 episodes of season 2 in 2024. Despite the SAG-AFTRA strike not affecting the production of Star Trek: Prodigy, the voice actors, including Kate Mulgrew, Brett Gray, and Ella Purnell, chose to honor their union by refraining from promoting or publicly discussing the show. However, now that the strikes have concluded, the promotion for Star Trek: Prodigy on Netflix will intensify as the final batch of episodes for season 2 complete post-production.

Will Paramount Plus Greenlight Star Trek: Legacy?

No Star Trek: Picard season 3 spinoff is in development.

Despite the massive popularity of Star Trek: Picard season 3 on Paramount+, there are currently no plans for a continuation spinoff called Star Trek: Legacy, overseen by showrunner Terry Matalas. Fans have shown a strong desire for Legacy, similar to how they saved Star Trek: Prodigy, but Paramount+ has not yet given the green light. While the end of the strikes may open up the possibility for Star Trek: Legacy, Paramount+ is being cautious due to the financial challenges faced by the streaming industry. It is unclear whether the spinoff is part of the franchise's future direction.

Will Star Trek 4 Movie Be Announced In 2024?

Is the next Star Trek movie a reboot or will Chris Pine's Enterprise cast return?

Paramount Pictures has been working on the next Star Trek movie produced by J.J. Abrams, but Star Trek 4 has faced numerous obstacles during its development. After the conclusion of the writer's strike, Paramount expressed that Star Trek 4 was a top priority and hinted that it could be a reboot rather than a continuation of Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise crew led by Chris Pine. The initial plan to release Star Trek 4 in December 2023 had to be abandoned due to "creative differences" and the departure of prominent directors. However, 2024 may be the year when the next Star Trek movie is announced or begins production. As the franchise’s 60th anniversary approaches in 2026, it is possible that a new Star Trek film might finally make its way to the theaters.

Every Star Trek series and movie is streaming on Paramount+ except Star Trek: Prodigy, which will stream on Netflix.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I am thrilled about the future of Star Trek. The franchise has always been a beacon of hope and inspiration for me, and I can't wait to see what the next chapter holds.

The end of the actors' strike is a huge relief, as it means that production on new Star Trek movies and TV shows can finally resume. I'm especially excited for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Strange New Worlds has been a fantastic addition to the franchise, and I can't wait to see what the crew of the Enterprise gets up to next. Starfleet Academy is a new series that I'm really looking forward to, as it will give us a glimpse into the lives of Starfleet cadets. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for these characters.