Star Trek: Strange New Worlds casts its Captain James T. Kirk

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is set before Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will make its debut on Paramount Plus on May 5th with Anson Mount as Captain Christoper Pike, Ethan Peck as Mr. Spock, and Rebecca Romijn as Number One. Though the first season has yet to premiere, the series has already been renewed for season two, and the producers are moving forward with casting for future episodes. And, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the series has found its Captain James T. Kirk in former Vampire Diairies’ star Paul Wesley.

Like actor Chris Pine who took on the iconic role in the Star Trek movies that began in 2009, Wesley will be watched, critqued, criticized, and doubted long before he is praised and accepted. Mainly because many Star Trek fans, especially those who still consider The Original Series as their number one, will only ever see William Shatner in the Captain Kirk role he made famous back in 1966.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will introduce Captain Kirk in season two

A Star Trek fan himself, Wesley will be introduced as Captain Kirk in the second season of the series, and producer Alex Kurtzman and showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers believe he’s up to the task as shown in the statement issued with the annoucement of Wesley’s casting.

"“Paul is an accomplished actor, an astonishing presence and a welcome key addition to the show. Like all of us, he is a life-long Star Trek fan and we are excited by his interpretation of this iconic role.”"

It really was inevitable for an actor to be cast in the role, considering Captain Kirk eventually takes over for Captain Pike. But since Kirk was the youngest captain to pilot a starship when he took over the Enterprise and Strange New Worlds is set ten years before The Original Series, it’s unclear how the series will bring in Kirk at first. He was only in his early thirties in the 1966 series so he would only be in his early twenties when Strange New Worlds debuts. So perhaps we’re going to get to see Kirk’s rise to the helm of the Enterprise.