The Hall H presentation for the franchise goes boldly where nobody has gone before with one of the most extensive panels Hall H has had in some time for the Star Trek franchise.
STRANGE NEW WORLDS
The first panel included the talents of Rebecca Romijin, Ethan Peck (Una-Chin Riley and Spock, respectively), Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers, and Alex Kurtzman. With a third season debuting in 2025, fans have been hungry for information about the prequel show that ties directly into Star Trek: The Original Series and the panel delivered an exclusive first look at the upcoming season.
A fourth season is also in the works, with the third season debuting sometime next year. During the panel, the cast and crew discussed what will come in the upcoming season, how characters will grow, and tease some new relationships as the show’s timeline gets closer to the beginning of The Orginal Series. Akiva Goldsman also teased a possible musical stage show down the line.
LOWER DECKS
The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks is confirmed to debut on Netflix this fall on October 24th. A panel including the talents of Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells, Jerry O’Connell, Mike McMahan, and Alex Kurtzman offered a celebration of the animated outing as we say goodbye but not farewell to the crew of the Cerritos, as it was teased during the presentation that this would not be the last time we see this crew, possibly hinting at more crossovers and cameos over other Star Trek projects.
The final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks offers some witty banter, a possible mirrorverse episode, and hearty laughs. After the teaser trailer, fans began chanting “LOWER DECKS!” During the Q+A portion of the panel, fans asked what was the best way to keep the show alive to which executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Mike McMahan encouraged the fans to watch the newest season, but continue watching the show in general. Also announced during the panel, Tawny Newsome and panel moderator Justin Simien revealed they are working on a new comedy series set in the Star Trek universe.
Starfleet Academy
The third panel included Executive Alex Kurtzman, and Noga Landau discussing the new show set to start filming very soon. While praising the casting of Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, the panel revealed the newest cadets joining the academy with an exclusive BTS video showcasing the reactions of each new young and upcoming actor joining the project. Other cast members announced during the panel include veteran Star Trek cast member Robert Picardo reprising the role of the Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager as well as Star Trek: Discovery alums Tig Notaro as Jett Reno, Mary Wiseman as Tilly and Oded Fehr as Admiral Vance.
Section 31
The final panel to wrap up Star Trek’s Hall H presentation showcased the upcoming film Section 31. Starring, Michelle Yeoh as the title character Philippa Georgiou, reprising the role from Star Trek: Discovery. While Yeoh wasn’t present at the panel in person, they did a special presentation revealing the first teaser for the upcoming Paramount+ exclusive film.
Rounding out the panel were stars Omari Hardwick, Sam Richardson, and Kacey Rohl, director Olatunde Osunsanmi and executive producer Kurtzman. The teaser garnered plenty of vocal praise, so much so that they played it twice in Hall H. This film is described as a “very different” Star Trek film. Based on the footage shown, it feels darker, grittier, and very much set in some kind of criminal underbelly. Bold directions continue to keep this longtime franchise alive, and this film is exactly what the franchise could use in the wake of a drought following the release of Star Trek: Beyond.
The Hall H Presentation for this franchise is sure to leave quite an impression on fans and audiences alike. Of the four projects showcased and talked about, Section 31 had the biggest crowd praise, however, the panel for Lower Decks garnered the biggest laughs. All in all, Trek fans are eating well after this past weekend’s reveals, and there is no end in sight anytime soon as the franchise continues to evolve, grow, and go into even bolder places than ever before.