The Star Trek universe’s panel at the New York Comic Con has come and gone, but Trekkies were treated to the official trailer for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy before all was said an done. And in the new footage, the unique starship under the command of Starfleet Academy Chancellor Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) is shown off. FYI... there's not another vessel quite like it in the late Gene Roddenberry's beloved universe.
Not only is the USS Athena (NCC-392023) the upcoming series’ hero ship, but Captain Ake’s vessel also serves as Starfleet Academy — yes, it is also the school — when it is docked on Earth. Co-showrunner Noga Landau said via an interview with Entertainment Weekly:
"It has trees in it. It looks like a Star Trek vessel, but we've added elements that make it feel alive.”
Alex Kurtzman also serves as co-showrunner of Starfleet Academy, along with Landau, and he discussed the enormity of the practical sets necessary to create the vastness of the USS Athena. Kurtzman added to Landau’s comments by saying:
“The set is two levels. We built many sets, but what we'll call the atrium is a two-level set where you could probably have a walk-and-talk that's five pages long and never have to cut.”
Starfleet Academy focuses on five central characters, who make up the core cadets the series will follow during their incredible journey that takes place in the 32nd century. In the teaser trailer, which debuted over the summer, there were many Easter Eggs paying homage to the beloved Star Trek series of the past. Touching tributes were paid to a vast number of characters, including James T. Kirk, Ambassador Spock, Wesley Crusher, and even Tasha Yar.
In the upcoming series, Sandro Rosta portrays Caleb Mir, who is the lone human among the core-five cadets. After watching the official trailer for Starfleet Academy, which debuted over the weekend at the New York Comic Con, it appears that Caleb is the primary character — and he is the one whose dark past is apparently connected to the show’s villain, Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti).
With heavy hitters like Giamatti and Hunter on the project, newcomer Rosta, who was in acting school at the time of his audition, may have felt intimated by his scene partners. However, that was not the case at all. Landau said during the same sit-down:
"We cast him mere days before we were going into production. He was the last piece of casting. He locked into that role from the first moment. I will never forget him sitting next to Holly. You've got a Hollywood legend sitting next to an adult man who's never been on camera before, and to see the two of them play those roles together, it was instant."
What do you think about the USS Athena not only being a starship but also Starfleet Academy itself? Are you excited about this talented group of young actors joining forces with Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti for what could be the best Star Trek content since season 3 of Picard and Star Trek: Khan? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!