Phil Roberts 
The cadets have assembled on the all-new poster for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, coming from Paramount+ in January.
Look out, Trek fans, because the new poster for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has beamed down from Paramount+ – and it may raise a few eyebrows. The gloriously colorful one-sheet assembles the young cadets who will carry the series forward. But in a shocking twist, the poster taps into the ’90s teenage sitcom era to give us a Friends-esque vibe. The poster emphasizes that this series will take a different approach from the Trek we’re familiar with. It reinforces this idea by highlighting the young and attractive cadets who will be the focus of the show when it premieres on the streamer in January. Take a look at the poster below.
NEW CADETS, NEW CIVILIZATIONS
What a glorious new poster. It may feel like a complete detraction from the Trek we all know, but this is going to be a very different kind of Trek. But who are these new cadets whose exploits we will follow at Starfleet Academy? Let’s take a look at the character profiles below:
- Karim Diané stars as Jay-Den Kraag, a Klingon cadet who dreams of becoming a medical officer.
- Kerrice Brooks plays Series Acclimation Mil, a.k.a. Sam, the first of her kind to ever attend Starfleet Academy.
- George Hawkins is Darem Reymi, an aspiring captain from a wealthy home world.
- Bella Shepard stars as Genesis Lythe, an admiral’s daughter determined to make her own name in Starfleet.
- Sandro Rosta will play Caleb Mir, an orphan with a troubled past – and unlikely Starfleet cadet.
- Zoë Steiner stars as Tarima Sadal, a Betazoid and the daughter of the president of Betazed.
In addition to the young cast, the series features high-profile guest stars and returning characters from other Star Trek projects. Academy Award winner Holly Hunter plays Captain Nahla Ake, Chancellor of Starfleet Academy and commander of the USS Athena. Paul Giamatti has a recurring role as the series’ villain, Nus Braka, and Tatiana Maslany recurs as Caleb Mir’s mother.
Returning legacy characters include Star Trek: Voyager’s Robert Picardo as the Holographic Doctor, Tig Notaro returns as Commander Jett Reno, and Oded Fehr returns as Admiral Vance. And finally, rounding out the returning cast is Mary Wiseman, who reprises her role as Sylvia Tilly. WWE wrestler, Becky Lynch (real name Rebecca Quin), will serve as a guest in the first season as Lieutenant Ya.
SYNOPSIS
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.
RELEASE
Despite its impressive cast, I have reservations about Star Trek’s new direction. Aside from Strange New Worlds, Picard, and Lower Decks, every other project emerging from beneath Paramount+’s banner has been average at best. Discovery started well enough, but over the course of four seasons, its narrative slowly slipped into a repetitive “save the galaxy” trope that quickly ran its course. And most recently, the mediocre spin-off movie, Section 31, arrived to thrust the franchise even further into ridicule. So I will reserve judgment on Starfleet Academy until we set sail on the show’s maiden voyage. But, on the strength of this new poster, my expectation levels have most certainly been tempered.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy beams down for its two-episode season premiere on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
Will you be setting a course for Paramount+ for this new series? Or has the franchise gone beyond the final frontier for this one? Drop a comment in the chat below.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
