Holly Hunter's Taking Cadets to School in New Star Trek Series

The Star Trek universe, cosmic ballet that it is, goes on — in addition to a film franchise reboot from Simon Kinberg, Paramount has announced a new live-action series starring (holy crap) Holly Hunter, titled Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. 

Hunter, late of Mr. Mayor and Succession (though she has more credits than we can count), will play the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy. "It feels like we’ve spent our entire lives watching Holly Hunter be a stone-cold genius,” said co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau (Nancy Drew) of the Emmy and Oscar winner. “To have her extraordinary authenticity, fearlessness, sense of humor, and across the board brilliance leading the charge on Starfleet Academy is a gift to all of us, and to the enduring legacy of Star Trek."

The new series will follow a "young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism," naturally — this is Star Trek, after all, one of the most hopeful franchises in pop culture. These cadets do have their work cut out for them, though the same "demanding" instructors, folks like Hunter's chancellor, will undoubtedly do their best to help the new recruits become Starfleet material. And just in time, as they all encounter "a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself."

Along with Kurtzman and Landau, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Onsunsamni, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa, and John Weber will all serve as executive producers. Absentia co-creator Gaia Violo will write the series premiere as well as executive produce. CBS Studios is producing, and production is set to begin this summer.

These announcements come as Star Trek: Discovery approaches its end and Lower Decks prepares to power down after its fifth season. 

Danette Chavez is the Editor-in-Chief of Primetimer and its biggest fan of puns.