Among the recent blitz of Star Trek-related news dropping today courtesy of Paramount, the network has announced that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been renewed for a second season ahead of its Season 1 premiere. A release date for the first season has also been confirmed for Thursday, May 5, with new episodes dropping weekly every Thursday thereafter.
The upcoming show follows Anson Mount in the lead role of Captain Christopher Pike, along with the initial crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Fans of Star Trek: The Original Series know that the captaincy of the Enterprise will eventually be assumed by James T. Kirk. Over the course of the Paramount+ series, the plot will revolve around Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock, and Number One in the years prior to Kirk taking the helm, as they explore those titular "strange new worlds" across the galaxy. Unlike other recent Star Trek shows on Paramount+, Strange New Worlds will follow the episodic format of the original series, rather than relying on serialized storytelling.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is both a spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery and a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series. Mount has previously played Captain Pike in Discovery, and will be joined by Rebecca Romijn‘s Number One and Ethan Peck’s Science Officer Spock. New cast members who also join Strange New Worlds as series regulars include Babs Olusanmokun (Black Mirror), Christina Chong (Tom and Jerry), Celia Rose Gooding (Jagged Little Pill), Jess Bush (Skinford), and Melissa Navia (Billions).
Strange New Worlds is supervised by executive producer Alex Kurtzman, who is currently developing several other shows to expand the Trek universe on Paramount+, including one revolving around Starfleet Academy and another based on Section 31, the secret rogue organization inside Starfleet. Akiva Goldsman directed and wrote the series’ first episode from a story he wrote with Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet. Goldsman also serves as series co-showrunner alongside Henry Alonso Myers. Goldsman, Kurtzman and Lumet are also executive producers in addition to Alonso Myers, Heather Kadin, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, and Aaron Baiers. The series is produced by CBS Studios, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 will premiere May 5 on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping weekly each Thursday. A Season 2 premiere date is yet to be announced.