Before James T. Kirk ever stepped foot on the bridge of the USS Enterprise, it was captained by Christopher Pike, and “Star Trek” fans will finally get to explore the galaxy with this oft-forgotten Starfleet hero later this year when “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” launches.
Although Jeffrey Hunter’s Pike was introduced in the unaired pilot episode of “Star Trek: The Original Series” in 1965, he was quickly replaced by William Shatner when NBC rejected Hunter’s episode as “too intellectual,” according to Shatner’s biography, “Up Till Now.”
After almost six decades and several “Star Trek” captains, Paramount+ is hard at work establishing its collection of “Star Trek” episodes as the nascent streaming service attempts to establish a presence in a field already dominated by Netflix, Hulu, and other household brands.
The “Star Trek” name is likely the most recognizable of all the intellectual property available to Paramount, and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” joins the ranks of “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Picard,” and others.
“Strange New Worlds” will chronicle Captain Pike’s travels in a more confined episodic format, going against the flow of current television’s serialized structure and returning to the formula that made the original “Star Trek” so accessible to audiences for decades.
New and returning characters accompany him, and the network has been teasing viewers with a constant trickle of information.
Thus, we currently know about the release date, cast, and other details as the enterprise prepares to travel where no one has gone before boldly.
When Will Star Trek: Strange New Worlds be Released?
For some years, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” has been under development. Fans sought a complete series when the character and his legendary spacecraft featured in Season 2 of “Star Trek: Discovery.”
Alex Kurtzman, the current head of all things “Star Trek” at CBS, has been hinting at a brand-new program centered on Captain Pike since 2020 when he said that he and “Picard” showrunner Akiva Goldsman were “tossing ideas back and forth.”
CBS revealed in May 2020 that a Pike spin-off was in development, with Kurtzman supervising the project and Goldsman serving as a writer.
However, it wasn’t until early this year’s publication of a promotional poster for “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” that we received an official release date.
“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” will launch on May 5, 2022, exclusively on Paramount+, CBS Viacom’s freshly redesigned digital streaming service home to the current generation of the “Star Trek” series.
Who will join the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast?
Anson Mount portrayed Captain Pike in “Star Trek: Discovery,” which will be true for “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.” Alongside Mount, a gallery of known characters will be played by various talented actors and some newbies who may be harboring some intriguing secrets.
Ethan Peck reprises his role as Spock, still a scientific officer awaiting promotion to the rank of Number One. Una Chin-Riley, played again by Rebecca Romijn, is the current first officer of Pike’s enterprise.
Nyota Uhura, performed by Celia Rose Gooding, is another fan favorite from “The Original Series.” As with Spock, she is not yet a commanding officer, and the “Strange New Worlds” casting reveal identifies her as a cadet.
The Nurse Chapel on the Enterprise will be another welcome comeback from the 1960s “Star Trek,” represented by Jess Bush.
Though he participated in only two episodes of the previous series, Babs Olusanmokun will reprise his role as medical officer Dr. M’Benga on board the enterprise.
Additionally, there are several new characters. Hemmer is a Starfleet officer and an Aenar, a type of blind extraterrestrial.
A visually challenged actor, Bruce Horak, will portray the role (via Trek movie). Lieutenant Erica Ortegas, who Melissa Navia will play, is another newbie.
However, for devout Trekkies, the most intriguing addition to the program is Christina Chong’s character, La’an Noonien-Singh. That surname will be instantly recognizable to fans who will recall Captain Kirk’s most heinous adversary, Khan Noonien-Singh.
Akiva Goldsman, the writer, verified that she is connected to him, but is she concealing a terrible secret? One of the most interesting mysteries explored in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.”
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Does Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have a trailer?
The first teaser trailer for “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” was published in early March and provides an overview of the film’s far-future universe.
We see a gliding image of wooded, snow-capped mountains with a cottage tucked among the woods, followed by an “Original Series” communicator laying on a wood bureau alongside a rotary telephone, marking the series’s connection to the period in which it was initially broadcast, in 1966.
Chris Pike, gray-haired and bearded, sits inside, photographed from a low perspective, and a voiceover says, “Chris, I need you back, Captain.”
Following that comes an incredibly incredible view of Pike riding a horse over snow-covered mountain terrain before a shuttle rushes past him and lands on the other side of the canyon.
Following that, we are treated to a montage of what can only be described as bizarre new worlds. Some resemble futuristic cities, while others resemble bleak, uncharted environments.
The teaser concludes with a view of the original enterprise zipping across the universe at warp speed and a proud-looking Pike in his command uniform staring up into the stars from the enterprise’s window.
If this brief look at “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” teaches us anything, it’s that this show will follow the formula of “The Original Series,” with each episode serving as a new adventure filled with discoveries and challenges for Pike and his crew as they search for new life and new civilizations. How far they will dare go when the program starts in May remains to be seen.