New ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ Clip and Poster Revitalize the Legendary Franchise

Paramount+ Drops Electrifying Four Minute Clip and Poster for its Original Series ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’

Paramount is ramping up its marketing for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which is scheduled to premiere on its streaming Paramount+ platform, with 2 episodes airing on Thursday, January 15, 2026.

The upcoming series is set in the 32nd century, the far-future era that was introduced in Star Trek: Discovery, after the cataclysmic event known as “The Burn,” which reshaped the Star Trek galaxy. The show follows the first new class of cadets in over a century as they come of age and learn what it takes to become Starfleet officers. Veteran actor Holly Hunter and series guest star Paul Giamatti headline a new cast along with an ensemble of young actors playing cadets, with several other actors reprising their roles from past Star Trek series’ adventures.

Over the weekend, Giamatti took to the stage at the CCXP 2025 event in São Paulo, Brazil, the biggest fan convention in South America, and revealed all-new footage from the series to a crowd of lucky attendees. The four-minute-long clip showcased the starship U.S.S. Athena under attack from a new villain played by Giamatti himself. This reveal comes just days after we got a new poster focusing on Starfleet Academy’s cadets.

Giamatti called Starfleet Academy “a welcoming show for people familiar with Star Trek or not, but it still has a lot of lore in it.” The Emmy-winning actor also said that his co-star Holly Hunter “is one of the greatest American actresses alive, and she was perfect for this show. She makes you better when you act with her.”

The actor who says his favorite series is Deep Space Nine recently admitted that he always wanted to play a Klingon and that Nus Braka is “a psychopath, very damaged, has mother issues, is a mess, and has something very human about him.” He also mentioned that “playing a Star Trek villain is the best type possible.”

The clip, which is now available on the Paramount and Star Trek’s YouTube channel has received a mixed to negative reaction from fans, primarily over its perceived shift towards a young adult (YA) drama tone, which many feel is a mismatch for the franchise’s legacy. I myself absolutely love the new direction that the studio is taking by breathing new life into the franchise with its focus on a young cast and new stories, while also incorporating fan-favorite characters and keeping the optimistic spirit of the original series. 

You can check out the clip below:

Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau serve as co-showrunners and executive produce the series alongside executive producers Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa and John Weber. The series’ premiere episode is written by Gaia Violo and directed by Alex Kurtzman. 

”Live long and Prosper.”