Kate Mulgrew On Star Trek’s “Significant Pause”, Gives Live-Action Janeway Update

Image made by Yeider Chacon Published Oct 5, 2026, 8:40 PM EDT John Orquiola is a New & Classic TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 5,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Kate Mulgrew addresses the "significant pause" Star Trek is headed for and updates the status of live-action projects about Admiral Kathryn Janeway. 20 years after her seven seasons leading Star Trek: Voyager, Kate Mulgrew returned as Janeway in Star Trek: Prodigy. Mulgrew last voiced Janeway in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2, which premiered on Netflix in July 2024. Since then, Paramount+ has canceled all live-action and animated Star Trek series executive produced by Alex Kurtzman in the wake of Skydance's 2025 purchase of Paramount Global. In late 2024, however, Mulgrew revealed conversations she and Kurtzman had about bringing Janeway to live-action. TrekMovie's Laurie Ulster spoke with Kate Mulgrew at last week's Broadcast+Cable Hall of Fame gala, where Star Trek was awarded Franchise of the Year. Regarding future projects as Janeway, Mulgrew says, "I think all of that has passed" in the wake of Skydance now owning Paramount, as well as its Warner Bros. merger and corporate restructuring. Kate guesses that Star Trek is headed into "probably a significant pause," adding, "That's all right, too." Read Mulgrew's quote below: Kate Mulgrew: "I think all of that has passed. That was some time ago. I think that with this merger, it’s anybody’s guess what’s up. My guess is it’s a pause, and probably a significant pause. That’s all right, too." Mulgrew had been outspoken about her disappointment over Star Trek: Prodigy's abrupt cancellation by Paramount+ in 2023. A fervent fan campaign led to Netflix picking up Prodigy, but only for 18 months. Prodigy has since left Netflix, which did not pick up the beloved CGI animated series created by Kevin and Dan Hageman for a third season. Star Trek: Prodigy now has no streaming home, although both seasons can be purchased on Prime Video and physical media. Regarding Janeway's live-action return, Mulgrew revealed at a comic con that she had conversations about it and a writer presented a pitch. At Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's premiere in January 2026, Kate told TrekMovie, "I think it was something… in the Wild West or something. I didn’t quite get it. I didn’t understand it." Mulgrew said she would be open to returning as Janeway but "only if it's excellent." After Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Strange New Worlds premiere their final seasons in 2027, Star Trek looks to be headed for the "significant pause" Mulgrew described. There is no new Star Trek in production or greenlit as Paramount+ looks for a new direction for the 60-year-old franchise. Skydance's Warner Bros. purchase is also restructuring Paramount+, with HBO CEO Casey Bloys to oversee Paramount+ and HBO Max. Paramount Studios is developing a new Star Trek movie with "no legacy characters," but there is no green light and no timeframe for when it could hit theaters. Paramount+ is likely to follow that with a relaunched Star Trek TV series, but there are numerous variables and uncertainties with Alex Kurtzman's deal to run Star Trek soon to expire and Paramount+ searching for a new executive producer and vision for the franchise. Kate Mulgrew returning as Janeway looks to be a pie-in-the-sky idea, at best. Sadly, the actress who played the first female captain to lead a Star Trek series is likely right that the time when she could have reprised Janeway in live-action "has passed." However, in Star Trek, there are always possibilities. Star Trek: Voyager is streaming on Paramount+ TV Show(s) Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Video Game(s) Star Trek Online, Star Trek: Resurgence, Star Trek: Bridge Crew First Film Star Trek: The Motion Picture First TV Show Star Trek: The Original Series Cast William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Wil Wheaton, Avery Brooks, Nana Visitor, Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig, Cirroc Lofton, Armin Shimerman, Colm Meaney, Terry Farrell, Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Jeri Ryan, Robert Duncan McNeill, Robert Picardo, Ethan Phillips, Garrett Wang, Jolene Blalock, Connor Trinneer, Dominic Keating, Scott Bakula, Linda Park, John Billingsley, Anthony Montgomery, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anton Yelchin, Idris Elba, Sonequa Martin-Green, Mary Wiseman, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Oyin Oladejo, Emily Coutts, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Rebecca Romijn, Michelle Yeoh Created by Gene Roddenberry