The third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has yet to air, but the end is already in sight. In a surprising twist for one of the most successful and popular shows in recent years, Paramount+ confirmed that Season 5 will be its last outing, with production beginning later this year.
Instead of the usual 10 episodes, which is set to continue into the fourth season, the concluding run will be reduced to six episodes. The news comes amid cost-cutting measures at Paramount Global, following an earlier announcement to reduce its U.S.-based headcount by 15 percent. On the flip side, it’s worth noting that none of the newer Star Trek entries have gotten past five seasons, which may or may not be related to Captain Kirk’s talk of a five-year mission from its earliest days.
“From the very beginning, Strange New Worlds set out to honour what Star Trek has always stood for — boundless curiosity, hope and the belief that a better future is possible,” said executive producers Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers and Alex Kurtzman in a joint statement. “We’re deeply grateful to Paramount+ for the chance to complete our five-season mission, just as we envisioned it, alongside our extraordinary cast and crew. And to the passionate fans who’ve boldly joined us on this journey — thank you. With three more spectacular seasons ahead for you to see and enjoy, this adventure is far from over.”
Taking place in the years when Capt. Christopher Pike led the USS Enterprise before James T. Kirk took over, the prequel series debuted in 2022 and has since been nominated for multiple awards. The upcoming third season, premiering on 17 July in the U.S., stars Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun and Martin Quinn, along with guest star Carol Kane, and special guest star Paul Wesley.
It won’t mark the end of Star Trek‘s legacy, with Star Trek: Starfleet Academy next in line to launch into space. Hailing from showrunner Noga Landau, it stars Holly Hunter as a Starfleet captain who leads the Academy, and is expected to drop either this year or early 2026.
As for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, both Season 4 and 5 remain undated.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Ting Wei
