We are now just six weeks away from the premiere of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Paramount+ continues to tease things out as we get closer. Last week was our first look at wrestling champion Becky Lynch on the bridge. This week we get a brand new poster.
Cadet pile in the park
Today Paramount+ released a poster featuring the cadet characters from Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, reminding people they are young and attractive… and debuting on the streamer on January 15, 2026.
New Academy Poster (Nino Munoz/Paramount+)
Their social media posts with the poster included “You never forget your first crew” as a tagline. But fans are just getting to know this new group of characters. So here again are their official descriptions (going clockwise and starting at the top left of the poster):
- Karim Diané stars as Jay-Den Kraag, a Klingon cadet who dreams of becoming a medical officer.
- Kerrice Brooks plays Series Acclimation Mil, a.k.a. Sam, the first of her kind to ever attend Starfleet Academy.
- George Hawkins is Darem Reymi, an aspiring captain from a wealthy home world.
- Bella Shepard stars as Genesis Lythe, an admiral’s daughter determined to make her own name in Starfleet.
- Sandro Rosta will play Caleb Mir, an orphan with a troubled past – and unlikely Starfleet cadet.
- Zoë Steiner stars as Tarima Sadal, a Betazoid and daughter of the president of Betazed.
And if you are a completist, here is the wide version of the promo…
New Academy Poster (Nino Munoz/Paramount+)
If the poster looks somewhat familiar, it is because this style has been used before for several shows featuring young attractive casts. This type of cast photo even has a name: the “people pile.” In 2018 EW broke down the best examples of this style, with shows including Sex and the City, One Tree Hill, Queer as Folk, and Desperate Housewives. Perhaps the most iconic version comes from the hit NBC sitcom from the 1990’s, Friends, which had a few examples of the “people pile” cast promo photo.
NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
The faculty… and more
The Academy cast isn’t just the young folk, in fact there are some big name veteran actors lined up for the new season. Academy Award winner Holly Hunter plays Captain Nahla Ake, Chancellor of Starfleet Academy and commander of the USS Athena, which is integrated into the school. The main villain for the first season is Oscar-nominee Paul Giamatti, as Nus Braka. Emmy-winner Tatiana Maslany has a recurring role as Caleb Mir’s mother. And Emmy and Peabody winning late night host Stephen Colbert voices the Digital Dean of Students, performing the morning announcements.
L-R: Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka and Holly Hunter as Chancellor Nahla Ake in season 1 , episode 1 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+
There will also be some familiar faces, including Voyager’s Robert Picado returning as the Holographic Doctor. The show is set in the 32nd century after the events of Star Trek: Discovery and Tig Notaro returns as Commander Jett Reno, now part of the Academy faculty. Also from Discovery is Oded Fehr, as Admiral Vance. Mary Wiseman reprises her role as Sylvia Tilly in one episode of the first season. There are some interesting new characters as well, including Gina Yahsere as the Klingon/Jem’Hadar first officer of the Athena and cadet master for the Academy.
L-R: Gina Yashere as Lura Throk and Tig Notaro as Jett Reno in season 1 , episode 3 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: John Medland/Paramount+
6 weeks away
The new poster is actually the second official key art for the show, with the first being released during San Diego Comic-Con in July.
Academy SDCC poster (Miller Mobley/Paramount+)
Also, here again is the synopsis:
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to 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 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.
And the trailer released at NYCC in October.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is right around the corner, with a two-episode series premiere slated for a Paramount+ launch on Thursday, January 15, 2026. Its first season will run for ten episodes, and a second season is presently in production.
Keep up with news about the Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com.
