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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2: New Trailer, Release Date, Crossovers, and More

The new trailer promises more action and comedy

Tim Surette May 24, 2023 at 11:19 a.m. PT

Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is just over the horizon, so you have a few weeks to finish your Season 1 rewatch. To get you even more jazzed for further adventures on the Enterprise, Paramount+ just released the first full trailer for Season 2, featuring some surprising kisses between crew members, a first look at the Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover episode, and plenty of inspiring chatter about the thrill of space exploration.

The series follows Captain Kirk's predecessor, Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), as he takes the Enterprise on missions around the galaxy for Starfleet, and each episode tells a standalone story from a variety of genres. There's also continuity with Star Trek: The Original Series, as it's a firm prequel that features familiar characters like Spock (Ethan Peck), Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and more.

Thankfully, the sci-fi series was renewed for Season 2 before the first season even aired, but that just leaves us with questions about what's to come. When will Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 be released? Which cast members will be returning? We'll answer as many of those questions as we can and update this story as new information is announced.

Anson Mount and Ethan Peck, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — Anson Mount and Ethan Peck, *Star Trek: Strange New Worlds*
Marni Grossman/Paramount+

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds latest news

On May 24, the first full trailer for Season 2 was released, showing off the first looks at the upcoming crossover episode with Star Trek sibling series Lower Decks. Yes, you really want to see Boimler interact with Spock. Check out the trailer below in the Trailer section.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 release date

Star Trek: New Worlds Season 2 will premiere this summer on Thursday, June 15. The 10-episode season will air new episodes on Thursdays.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 trailer

On May 24, Paramount released the first full trailer for Season 2, and it features more action, a few lip locks between crew members ('shipping on the ship!), and a first look at the anticipated Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover, with flesh-and-blood versions of Mariner (Tawny Newsome) and Boimler (Jack Quaid).

Previously, on April 19, Paramount+ released the first Season 2 teaser trailer, and it got us even more excited for the show's return than we had been. Perhaps it's seeing our old friends in action, perhaps it's the Postal Service score, perhaps it's both. Take a look:

As promised, we'll be seeing more of Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) in Season 2, and it looks like he'll be boldly sending La'an's heart where it's never gone before... if he can manage to navigate terrestrial revolving doors. And while trailers are notoriously packed with eye-catching moments, the effects are looking positively dazzling this season as the Enterprise navigates the depths of space. And while Captain Pike doesn't get a lot of time in the trailer, Spock certainly does, hobnobbing with Klingons and getting time in the Captain's chair.

Paramount+ also unveiled some beautiful key art for the season:

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 videos

On Star Trek Day, Sept. 8, Paramount+ revealed the first look at Season 2 with a clip featuring Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), who is usually stuck on the ship as a pilot, psyched to be joining the landing party on a mission. Let's just say it doesn't go as she planned.

In July, a video was released featuring Wesley Crusher himself, Wil Wheaton, giving a tour of the new set with production designer Jonathan Lee, who shows off the Port Galley, a lounge on the Enterprise where crew members can have quiet conversations and get sloshed.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 cast

You can expect most of the main cast to return for Season 2. That includes the obvious: Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, Ceila Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, and Jess Bush. But barring a flashback or some sort of miraculous resurrection, we've likely seen the last of Bruce Horak's Hemmer, who tragically died in the penultimate episode of Season 1, breaking our hearts in the process.

Paul Wesley will return as Captain James Kirk in Season 2 — that's what he was originally cast for; the appearance in the Season 1 finale was just a nice bonus surprise — but we're not yet sure in what capacity. And as far as new cast members go, expect a new engineer to replace Hemmer, and welcome comedy legend Carol Kane (Taxi), who has been tapped to play the recurring character of Pelia, an engineer who "suffers no fools," according to Paramount+'s press release, and "solves problems calmly and brusquely." Based on her recurring status, we don't think she's the new regular engineer character.

Carol Kane, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — Carol Kane, *Star Trek: Strange New Worlds*
Kharen Hill/Paramount+

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds crossover with Lower Decks

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is doing a crossover episode with Star Trek: Lower Decks. Yep, you read that right. Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler from Lower Decks, the animated Star Trek comedy on Paramount+, will board The Enterprise, but as flesh-and-blood characters played by Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid, who are the voice actors for Mariner and Boimler on Lower Decks. The episode will be directed by frequent Star Trek director Jonathan Frakes.

In April, Frakes spoke about the episode with TrekMovie's podcast All Access Star Trek and confirmed that the majority of the episode will be live-action, but it will begin as an animated episode like Lower Decks.

"It is a flat-out comic [episode]," Frakes said. "It's fabulous. It's a fish out of water. Fortunately, both Quaid and Tawny look like their characters. So it's so absurd to see them in three dimensions and their interrelations… Boimler is obsessed with Spock, and terrified of Number One. There is so much good stuff. And Mariner comes to save the day. It's very, very funny. I'm very proud of it. And I can't wait for people to see it."

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 is already in production

According to co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Season 3 is already filming. Joblo reports that Goldsman, speaking at an event at MIT in March, said, "Today or tomorrow we're announcing the airdate of the second season, which we filmed like 17 years ago… and you'll be really surprised because we just went all over the place," he said. "And we've just starting filming the third season now." If you'll recall, Season 2 began filming before Season 1 aired, so this is consistent with how the series has been produced. When Paramount+ announced the Season 2 premiere date, it also renewed the series for a third season.

Where can I watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a Paramount+ exclusive, so the only way to watch it is to have a Paramount+ subscription. Season 1 is now streaming.