Jonathan Frakes Says STARFLEET ACADEMY Could Be His Last Time Directing STAR TREK
For nearly a decade, Star Trek has felt like a constant presence on streaming. New seasons have rolled out regularly, keeping the franchise active across multiple shows.
But, with production on Starfleet Academy season two now wrapped, the franchise has reached a strange pause. For the first time in years, there isn’t currently a new Star Trek TV season actively filming.
That moment of uncertainty has even sparked some reflection from longtime Trek veteran Jonathan Frakes, who recently suggested that his latest episode of the upcoming series might be the last Star Trek project he directs.
That possibility feels significant considering Frakes’ long relationship with the franchise. Fans know him best as Commander William Riker from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but over the years he’s also become one of the franchise’s most reliable directors.
In the modern streaming era of Star Trek, Frakes has directed episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Picard, and now Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Speaking with TrekMovie about the upcoming series, Frakes reflected on his most recent directing work on the show.
“That’s the last Star Trek I directed,” Frakes recently said of last week’s episode of Starfleet Academy, the penultimate season one episode “300th Night.” “I just did a couple of episodes of this new Big Bang spin-off, Stewart Fails to Save the Universe, right? That’s Trek-adjacent.”
Frakes’ connection to Star Trek runs deep both in front of and behind the camera. Beyond playing Riker across multiple series and films, he has directed some of the most memorable episodes in the franchise’s modern era.
His work helped shape the tone of Discovery, the cinematic feel of Strange New Worlds, and key moments in Picard. That long list of credits makes the idea that Starfleet Academy could be his last Trek directing gig feel like the end of an era.
The current pause in production across the franchise adds to that feeling. With Starfleet Academy Season 2 finished filming, the next batch of Star Trek projects are already in the can.
Upcoming seasons of Strange New Worlds have wrapped production, and there’s more Trek on the horizon, including a new movie from Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directing duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.
Still, nothing new is actively filming at the moment, which is unusual for a franchise that has been thriving on streaming since Discovery launched its revival era.
There’s also some uncertainty about what comes next. Starfleet Academy has not officially been renewed for a third season yet. The show’s season two renewal happened before Paramount’s corporate shakeups involving Skydance and broader merger talks. That means the timing of future announcements is anyone’s guess.
The franchise is also entering its 60th anniversary year, which leaves plenty of room for reveals. Star Trek fans often see announcements around major celebrations like First Contact Day in April and Star Trek Day on September 8, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Even if things are quiet right now, Frakes isn’t ready to treat his Trek journey like it’s over.
“I am an eternal optimist. I’m not ready to start looking back,” Frakes continued, before adding a simple “Why not?” When asked if that meant appearing on-screen again.
Frakes has become one of the franchise’s most beloved creative voices, and many viewers would happily welcome him back as a director, as Riker, or both.
For now, though, the future of Star Trek on television is in a temporary holding pattern. If new projects get announced in the coming months, there’s always a chance Frakes could return to the director’s chair once again.