- Primary Subject: William Shatner’s response to the cancellation of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
- Key Update: Star Trek legend William Shatner expressed "sorrow" over Paramount+ canceling Starfleet Academy after two seasons.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: March 25, 2026
- Quick Answer: William Shatner supports Starfleet Academy, arguing that Star Trek has always been "woke" by challenging societal norms, and expressed deep disappointment over its premature cancellation.
William Shatner recently weighed in on Paramount+'s shocking cancellation of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy after two seasons.
The new Star Trek series, which focuses on a young group of cadets, received a polarizing reception when it was released earlier this year. While critics and Trekkies have given praises, it has also received backlash from a section of fans and other commentators, as they called it "woke." It became the subject of review bombing as well.
What Does William Shatner Think of the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Cancellation?
In a post on X, Shatner shared his thoughts and "sorrow" about the cancellation of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
He emphasized the importance of the franchise in reflecting social issues and shared humanity, despite being a science fiction series.
"Star Trek exists in more than one world. It exists in the fantasy of science fiction - weird and wonderful things that play unimaginable possibilities of exploration and human endeavor," the Captain Kirk actor wrote.
"But it also exists in the fantasy of human beings, the perfection of human beings, the exploration that human beings have made since the dawn of time and the continuing exploration - physically mentally and morally. It’s that aspect of Star Trek that I’ve always loved, to look at something physically that doesn’t exist now by these talented writers & designers but also to tackle the eternal human questions the agonies, the ecstasies."
Shatner continued, "Star Trek should exist for a long time to come based on those truths. I for one would love to see its continuity. It’s with sorrow that I hear about the cancellation of the new Star Trek series."
In another post, Shatner also reflected on the controversies that the original series garnered during its broadcast in the 1960s.
"During the first airing of my Star Trek series where a kiss was objectionable; many southern stations pulled the episode & condemned the show. Using today’s vernacular it would absolutely be called 'woke DEI crap' because it went against 'norms' of society for its time. Not a lot seems to have changed," he wrote.
Why Paramount+ Decided to Cancel Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
When the cancellation was announced earlier this week, no decision was stated regarding why Paramount+ decided to pull the plug on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy after two seasons were produced.
The first season already finished its run earlier this month, while the second season wrapped production before the streamer decided to cancel the series.
While critics have given it positive reviews, the series failed to find a significant audience as it failed to rank on the Nielsen Top 10 streaming viewership charts.
The only Star Trek series that has left is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which has two more seasons that have yet to air. The fourth season is scheduled to premiere later this year, while the fifth season recently finished filming.
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