"Nobody wanted that": Filmmaker Jonathan Frakes explains why Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will have its own starship 

When it was officially announced that the next series in the ever-expanding Star Trek universe was called Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the real question in fans’ minds was: Will it spend most of its time inside classrooms? Star Trek has always been about taking risks and exploring the galaxy through starship travel. The scenes of lectures on Federation history or warp theory, although fitting for an academy drama, didn’t feel like a final frontier.

This is the same concern that the franchise’s creative directors could not ignore. According to longtime Star Trek actor and director Jonathan Frakes, adding a dedicated starship (officially revealed to be the U.S.S. Athena) was not only an aesthetic detail but also a logistical way to include much of what is considered the core of Star Trek.

Frakes said that “nobody wanted” an immobile school drama. Instead, what makes Starfleet Academy authentic to its roots is the cadet age and the large-action stories that can only happen on a starship.

Why Star Trek: Starfleet Academy needs its own starship

Jonathan Frakes, who played William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation and is now a key creative force in the franchise, discussed the topic during a recent media panel. Following in the footsteps of Star Trek executive producer and franchise overseer Alex Kurtzman, who covered the same ground at SDCC 2024, Frakes emphasized how important it is not to fall into the trap of a show set in a classroom.

ScreenRant quoted Frakes as saying:

“Anybody who follows Star Trek knows that Starfleet Academy has been talked about as a Star Trek project from The Original Series days, all the way back. And [co-creator Alex] Kurtzman in San Diego wisely said everybody was worried about watching a show about kids in the classroom. Nobody wanted that. So we built a ship. The ship is actually part of the show, like it was on our show, and all the good Star Treks.”

Frakes’s remark highlights the main challenge faced by Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, blending the spirit of adventure with cadet life. According to Inverse, the idea of the Starfleet Academy series isn't new, as it has existed since the 1960s when Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, considered it. In the 1990s, a film titled Star Trek: The First Adventure was planned, showcasing the early adventures of Kirk, Spock, and the crew as young cadets, but the studio decided to produce another film instead.

The Academy has appeared in several Star Trek series over the years, offering a glimpse into student life. It has long been a dream, but now this new series needs to bring that to life and ensure it feels like authentic Star Trek, not just a school drama.

However, as Frakes said, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy could place too much emphasis on academia, risking the loss of the energy that defines Star Trek. The U.S.S. Athena will help address that. Although details about the ship are kept under wraps by Paramount, the show will feature its own ship, reflecting the setting of previous universes. In short, it’s a way to make Starfleet Academy feel truly like Star Trek.

What we know about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the first live-action series set at the Academy, focusing mainly on the people and events there. The series, which blends elements from both Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Magnificent Seven, is co-created by Alex Kurtzman, who oversees Star Trek’s “Expanded Universe” on Paramount+, and Noga Landau (The Magicians, Nancy Drew).

Filming is scheduled for the end of 2024, and the release is expected around 2026, following the launch of the fifth season of Star Trek: Discovery. Official press sources describe the series as concerning.

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“... 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 will 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.”

The addition of the U.S.S. Athena provides the show with a mix of Academy life and thrilling starship adventures. It demonstrates the writer's desire to maintain the coming-of-age theme while adhering to traditional Star Trek tropes, like space missions, moral quandaries, and cooperation in resolving disputes.

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