First Look at Starfleet Academy Trailer Reveals Easter Eggs and Returning Characters
The long-awaited Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series has finally dropped its first trailer, giving fans a glimpse of what to expect when the show premieres in early 2026. Set at the iconic Starfleet Academy in future San Francisco, the series follows a group of cadets and their instructors, with Holly Hunter taking on the role of chancellor, delivering a speech that channels serious space Dumbledore energy.
The trailer introduces the main cast while packing in plenty of nods to Star Trek lore. Given that nearly every major character in the franchise attended the academy, there are references to James Kirk, Wesley Crusher, Tom Paris, and even a class discussing the fate of Benjamin Sisko from Deep Space Nine.
Fan-favorite characters are also making a comeback. Robert Picardo reprises his role as the holographic doctor from Voyager, while Tig Notaro returns as the sharp-tongued engineer Jett Reno from Discovery. Since holograms don’t age, it’ll be interesting to see how the show explains Picardo’s older appearance.
One major detail to note is the show’s timeline. Starfleet Academy is set in the 32nd century, placing it 800 years after The Next Generation and 900 years after the original series. This means the political and social landscape of the Star Trek universe will be vastly different, with centuries of change reshaping alliances and civilizations.
The series will premiere on Paramount+ in early 2026, starring Holly Hunter, Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, and Paul Giamatti as a half-Klingon antagonist. With its mix of fresh faces and familiar callbacks, Starfleet Academy looks set to be a must-watch for Trekkies.
