Jonathan Frakes Predicts Star Trek’s Return

“It seems like a very unfortunate irony. I’m sure that Trek will resurface, it always has, and it always will. And the power that Roddenberry invested in it seems to have made it through six decades,” he added.

Regarding the recent cancellation of Starfleet Academy, which Frakes directed an episode of in Season 1 — and which has one more season that’s already been shot and will still be released — the Trek legend acknowledged that he didn’t know exactly what the thinking was behind the decision at the studio or corporate level.

“Perhaps it’s the changing of the guard at Paramount+ and CBS [Studios],” he said. “Perhaps it’s indecision. Perhaps it’s the amount of money it costs to make how beautiful the show is…” Indeed, modern Star Trek has maintained a cinematic look that has been very expensive to produce (even if exact budget numbers have not been made public for the Kurtzman-era shows).

During the interview, he also addressed the suggestion that some of the critics of Strange New Worlds didn’t seem to even watch the show.

“Yeah, isn’t that unfortunate?” Frakes responded. “And that’s how Kurtzman felt. I got a call from Alex and Noga [Landau], who was his co-showrunner on Starfleet Academy. They were calling people to let them know that the show was kind of ‘on ice,’ I think was the phrase they used. And it was what you just said [critiques coming from people who hadn’t watched the show], they couldn’t not mention as a factor, the trolls.”

So while early talk of a new movie is going on within Paramount/Skydance, we at least still have Season 2 of Starfleet Academy to look forward to, as well as the final two seasons of Strange New Worlds, which have also already been shot. And beyond that, well… Riker once said he planned to live forever. Don’t be surprised if Star Trek does the same.

Talk to Scott Collura @scottcollura.bsky.social, or listen to his Star Trek podcast, Transporter Room 3. Or do both!