The actress returns as Captain Janeway to lead a new generation of characters on the upcoming animated series.
This story was originally published on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020 at 9:58 a.m. PDT.
Captain Janeway is back.
Kate Mulgrew will reprise her Star Trek: Voyager role as Captain Kathryn Janeway in Nickelodeon's upcoming animated series, Star Trek: Prodigy, it was announced during the Star Trek Universe virtual panel for New York Comic Con in October. Additional casting will be announced in the coming months.
On Monday, during Paramount+'s first virtual First Contact Day global event, the streaming service revealed a first look at Mulgrew's animated Captain Janeway, who will serve as the Prodigy starship's built-in emergency training hologram. The series will also be set in the year 2383 after the events of Star Trek: Voyager.
“I have invested every scintilla of my being in Captain Janeway, and I can’t wait to endow her with nuance that I never did before in Star Trek: Prodigy," Mulgrew said in a statement. "How thrilling to be able to introduce to these young minds an idea that has elevated the world for decades. To be at the helm again is going to be deeply gratifying in a new way for me.”
"Captain Janeway was held to a different standard than her predecessors. She was asked to embody an inhuman level of perfection in order to be accepted as ‘good enough’ by the doubters, but showed them all what it means to be truly outstanding. We can think of no better captain to inspire the next generation of dreamers on Nickelodeon, than she," Star Trek executive producer Alex Kurtzman said.
“Kate’s portrayal of Captain Janeway is truly iconic, and has resonated with a global audience for many years,” said Ramsey Naito, President of Nickelodeon Animation. “We can’t wait to see her bring this character to life in a whole new way, while continuing to be an inspiration for both new and loyal fans.”
Mulgrew played Star Trek's first female commander on the Voyager series and two movies from 1995 to 2004. The 65-year-old actress credited Captain Janeway for being "passionate" and fierce.
"I think that I will lend… a different kind of levity to [the position], a different kind of ferocity," Mulgrew told ET in 1994 on the Voyager set. "I'm a very passionate person and I imagine I will endow Kathryn with that attribute."
Star Trek: Prodigy follows a group of lawless teens who discover a derelict Starfleet ship and use it to search for adventure, meaning and salvation. The CG-animated series, which is the latest to join the ever-expanding Star Trek TV world, is set to debut on Nickelodeon in 2021. Its aim is to introduce the universe to a younger audience, according to the ViacomCBS-owned network.
Star Trek: Prodigy is developed by Kevin and Dan Hageman (Trollhunters, Ninjago). Kurtzman is an executive producer alongside Heather Kadin, Katie Krentz, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth and the Hagemans. Aaron Baiers will serve as a co-executive producer.
The new series joins a Star Trek TV franchise that features CBS All Access' Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks, as well as the upcoming Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, featuring Captain Pike, Spock and Number One.
Star Trek: Prodigy premieres later this year on Paramount+.
ET and Paramount+ are both subsidiaries of ViacomCBS.
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