Quick Read
- Paramount and Skydance end the Kelvin Timeline and cancel Star Trek 4.
- Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley will write, direct, and produce a new, original Star Trek film with entirely new characters.
- Development on the new film is underway, with casting and production expected in 2026.
- Brit Marling will voice the computer for the U.S.S. Athena in Starfleet Academy, premiering January 15, 2026.
- Stephen Colbert will lend his voice as the digital dean of students in Starfleet Academy.
Paramount Charts New Territory: ‘Star Trek’ Resets with Original Film and Fresh Direction
After years of swirling rumors and dashed hopes, Star Trek fans finally have a reason to look to the stars with optimism. On November 14, 2025, Paramount and Skydance officially announced a sweeping new vision for the franchise, placing Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley—the duo behind Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves—at the helm of a brand-new Star Trek film. This marks a sharp pivot from the familiar faces of the Kelvin Timeline, signaling a future that’s more about bold frontiers than revisiting old ones.
This announcement comes at a pivotal moment. The long-anticipated Star Trek 4 was quietly shelved following the Skydance-Paramount merger, ending a chapter that saw Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and company steer the USS Enterprise through three cinematic voyages. With the Kelvin era officially closed, Paramount’s choice to entrust Goldstein and Daley with complete creative freedom is a clear signal: it’s time to reinvent, not recycle.
Who Are Goldstein and Daley, and Why Do They Matter?
For those unfamiliar, Goldstein and Daley are no strangers to revitalizing beloved franchises. Their work on Spider-Man: Homecoming brought a deft blend of wit and heart, while Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves turned what could have been a niche property into a critical and audience darling (earning over 90% approval on Rotten Tomatoes). Their secret? Balancing respect for source material with an eye for contemporary storytelling and humor.
The new Star Trek film—still under wraps in terms of plot—will feature entirely new characters, a cast unconnected to any prior series, and a narrative unshackled by decades of canon. According to David Ellison, Skydance’s founder, the leadership wants a “completely different” approach, with fresh actors and imaginative world-building leading the charge. The duo will produce under their GoldDay banner, bringing the same creative synergy that earned them accolades in Hollywood’s most challenging genres.
While the timeline for production is still fluid, development is underway. Insiders anticipate casting announcements in 2026 and a theatrical release as early as 2027 or 2028. The mood at Paramount is one of cautious excitement—a sense that, after nearly a decade without a major big-screen Star Trek release, the time for a creative reset has finally arrived.
Why This Reset Matters: Lessons from Star Trek’s Villains and Evolution
Star Trek has always thrived on its ability to adapt, challenge, and sometimes upend expectations. Take, for example, the evolution of its villains. The Original Series, with its campy charm and wink-at-the-audience tone, couldn’t have supported the existential terror of The Borg—a race introduced decades later in The Next Generation. The ’60s limitations of television would have neutered their menace; instead, the Borg became icons of dread precisely because Star Trek was ready to embrace darker, more nuanced antagonists.
This spirit of evolution is what makes the current moment so pivotal. The creative leap required to invent new characters, new threats, and new moral questions is both daunting and essential. As ScreenRant noted, “Such a transformation would never have been possible for the Borg” in Kirk’s era—proving that Star Trek’s legacy is defined as much by its willingness to change as by the traditions it honors.
‘Starfleet Academy’: New Voices, New Stories, and a School Ship Like No Other
The boldness isn’t just confined to the silver screen. On television, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is poised to make its own mark when it premieres on Paramount+ on January 15, 2026. With a concept that blends coming-of-age drama and classic Trek adventure, the show centers on cadets aboard the U.S.S. Athena—a vessel that doubles as a flying classroom, campus, and launchpad for a new generation of Starfleet officers.
One of the most intriguing creative choices? The casting of Brit Marling as the voice of the Athena’s computer, joining a storied tradition that began with Majel Barrett-Roddenberry’s unforgettable performances. Marling, an accomplished actress and writer known for The OA and A Murder at the End of the World, brings both sci-fi credibility and emotional nuance to the role. As co-showrunner Alex Kurtzman explained, making the ship itself a central character frees the writers to explore both episodic adventures and campus life, allowing for “real Star Trek missions and real Star Trek peril” while maintaining the spirit of mentorship and growth.
Adding a touch of levity, late-night host Stephen Colbert will lend his unmistakable voice as the show’s digital dean of students, promising a dash of humor alongside the high stakes. The first season will run for ten episodes, with a second season already in production—a testament to Paramount’s faith in the new formula.
The Road Ahead: Opportunity and Challenge for a Sci-Fi Legend
With both film and television branches embracing fresh perspectives, Star Trek stands at a crossroads. The franchise’s greatest strength has always been its ability to reflect the anxieties, hopes, and dreams of each era. By placing trusted, innovative creators at the helm and giving them license to break from the past, Paramount hopes to reignite the curiosity and wonder that made Star Trek a cultural touchstone.
Yet, as history shows, reinvention comes with risks. Will longtime fans embrace stories untethered from familiar faces? Can new characters inspire the same devotion as Kirk, Picard, or Janeway? Will the franchise’s new antagonists resonate in a world where audiences expect both spectacle and substance?
What’s clear is that both the upcoming film and Starfleet Academy are swinging for the fences. For a property that’s always asked us to boldly go, anything less would be a disservice to its legacy.
Assessment: By severing ties with its most recent cinematic timeline and greenlighting wholly original projects, Star Trek is betting on reinvention at a scale not seen since The Next Generation. The franchise’s future now rests on the willingness of both creators and audiences to embrace the unknown—a gamble, perhaps, but one that honors the series’ spirit of exploration. If Goldstein and Daley, along with the ‘Starfleet Academy’ team, succeed, Star Trek could once again define the frontier of science fiction for a new era. Sources: Deadline Hollywood, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, ScreenRant, TrekMovie, CBR.