Season 2 of ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ Officially Wraps Filming

What’s Next for the New Series: Will It Be Renewed for Its Third Season?

Paramount’s unexpected hit, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, officially wrapped filming on Season 2 today in Pinewood Studios, with a formal party for the cast and crew scheduled for this evening in Toronto.

Cast members including Karim Diané (Jay-Den Kraag), Kerrice Brooks (SAM), and Bella Shepard (Genesis Lythe), along with the rest of the cast, shared the news on their social media feeds early today, with messages of hope and optimism for the series’ future.

Starfleet Academy is still in the midst of airing its first season, with many fans and critics clearly not seeing eye to eye. Fans have embraced its modern tone, while others have engaged in “review bombing,” leading to low audience scores on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb. Mainstream critics, however, have been a bright spot, viewing the series as a “joyous entry” and a “nostalgic treat” that has successfully modernized the franchise for a younger audience.

Despite the division, executive producer Alex Kurtzman has recently indicated that the show could last beyond two seasons to cover the full four-year academy experience. However, due to the 2025 Skydance Media acquisition of Paramount Global, the franchise’s direction, including future seasons, are in question, with no official announcements made.

TrekMovie.com which has been a foundational core for Trekkies for several years caught of with Bella recently as they were filming the season 2 finale, and she spoke about how things were different for the cast compared to when they filmed the season 1 finale last year.

“Oh my gosh, so many things have changed, almost as a reflection to what our cadets went through in season 1. And then seeing what they go through in season 2. Our cadets are more tight knit in season 2 because their relationships are deeper, and I think we’re all experiencing that now in real life as well, because we’ve known each other for longer now. And so it’s hard to come to an end and not know exactly what’s happening next. But also, we’re all just really proud of ourselves. I keep reminding everyone that we just did two seasons, basically back-to-back, and that’s a lot of work. And we all did it together, and what a beautiful journey it was. But people are — it’s always sad to say goodbye, or not goodbye, but ‘See you later.’ And I think it’s really, it’s just bittersweet.”

Other cast members who’ve also posted about wrapping up in the last couple of days include fan favorite Klingon, Jay-Den Kraag, played by 23-year-old actor Karim Diané. The actor revealed today via Instagram that, along with being extremely excited about tonight’s wrap party, the production has been something personally transformative for him.

“I’ve been in the industry long enough to know something very real: getting one season of a television show is a miracle. Getting to film a second? That’s rare air.” The actor said.

Karim, who currently plays a character noted as the first openly gay Klingon in the Star Trek franchise, also expressed his deep appreciation for viewers who have “loved these characters as fiercely as you do,” thanking them from the bottom of his heart.

The show has valiantly attempted to bridge the gap between legacy Trek and the newest timeline by including appearances from legends of former shows like Robert Picardo (The Doctor), Oded Fehr (Admiral Vance), Tig Notaro (Jett Reno), and Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly). This inclusion of legacy characters has helped the show secure strong critical approval and media buzz. But will it be enough to bridge the divide? We will have to wait and see.

One thing is for sure, I myself am looking forward to upcoming seasons if they get greenlit, hopefully being able to see more of Nustopher “Nus” Braka, portrayed by Paul Giamatti, who is the primary antagonist of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1, along with his beautiful enemy, Chancellor Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter). Although Giamatti has recently said that he is not in the second season of Academy, his story as a “drunken clown” or “benign buffoon,” later revealed as a brilliant, calculating mastermind who “plays Starfleet like a violin,” must be told. Giamatti’s and Hunter’s energy simply can’t be ignored in further seasons.

The importance of the show remains for many its diversity that included LGBTQ+ characters, varied species, and neurodivergent individuals, that reflects the franchise’s core value. From its inception in the 1960s, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry utilized the original series as a vehicle for social change, envisioning a future where humanity had matured beyond tribalism and prejudice. Can the show be the unifying force the world needs at this trying time? I believe it has that sort of potential.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 is currently available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.

“Live long and prosper.”