Kate Mulgrew Discusses Potential Star Trek: Janeway Spinoff And Prodigy Cancellation

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Kate Mulgrew has talked about whether we might see a spin-off series focused on her character, Janeway, and shared her reaction to the cancellation of Star Trek: Prodigy. After famously playing Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager for seven seasons, she reprised the role – as both Admiral Janeway and a holographic version – in the popular, though unfortunately short-lived, Star Trek: Prodigy.

Kate Mulgrew’s portrayal of Captain Janeway as the first female captain of a Star Trek series resonated with a generation of viewers. She truly broke ground, and now, Paramount+’s Star Trek features a new wave of female captains, including Academy Award winner Holly Hunter, who plays Captain Nahla Ake in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

Laurie Ulster from TrekMovie interviewed Kate Mulgrew at the premiere of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy in New York City. Mulgrew revealed that she and Star Trek executive producer Alex Kurtzman are in discussions about a potential live-action series focusing on her character, Janeway.

In 2024, Kate Mulgrew turned down a proposal involving her character Janeway, saying she didn’t quite grasp the idea. However, she’s willing to play Janeway again, but only if the project is really compelling. Here’s what Mulgrew had to say:

“That’s right. If it’s good. It’s possible. But it has to be something pretty great.”

I believe it’s crucial we stay true to the core of what we’re creating: a story filled with hope, potential, thrills, and risks. Janeway is a character who can adapt to anything instantly, and I want to revisit that dynamic, but only if the writing is truly exceptional.

Kate Mulgrew expressed her disappointment with Netflix’s decision to not continue Star Trek: Prodigy, stating it’s an unsatisfying conclusion to her character, Janeway’s, story.

It’s disappointing how the series ended so abruptly. It felt cut short and didn’t fully explore its potential. Whether this was intentional or simply due to other factors, it wasn’t a satisfying conclusion to Janeway’s story. The show had a lot of promise, and while it was good, it deserved a proper ending. The discussion around its legacy is valid, but it’s also complicated by personal feelings and pride.

Kate Mulgrew was surprised to learn that Star Trek: Prodigy is no longer available on Netflix, as its streaming rights have lapsed. She expressed her disappointment, calling it a “shame” that fans currently have no way to stream the animated series.

It seems the original idea has been lost, just floating around now. But that’s often how innovation happens in Hollywood. Dan and Kevin Hageman are truly talented creators, and they developed something that was really needed. They tapped into a key understanding for young children – the idea that working together, like the Prime Directive in Star Trek suggests, can achieve more. They’re able to grasp these concepts at a very young age, and the Hagemans captured that beautifully, embodying the core principles of Star Trek.

She worked with a really diverse group of people, and I enjoyed playing multiple roles – the hologram, the captain, and the admiral. It’s just disappointing that it ended, but we could spend all night listing reasons why things didn’t work out.

The streaming rights for Star Trek: Prodigy on Netflix ended on December 31, 2025, but Paramount+ hasn’t brought the show back to its streaming service, even though they canceled it and removed it in 2023. Currently, the only way to watch Star Trek: Prodigy is by purchasing physical copies of the show.

Late in 2024, Kate Mulgrew revealed at a fan event that Alex Kurtzman had suggested a live-action continuation of her character, Janeway, but she turned it down. She explained that the idea didn’t quite meet her expectations. Despite this, Mulgrew remains very popular and would be open to playing Janeway again if the project was right.

There’s a connection between Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Kate Mulgrew’s role in Star Trek: Prodigy. In Prodigy, Admiral Janeway (as a hologram) and The Doctor (Robert Picardo) guided a group of young recruits as they began their training at Starfleet Academy in the 24th century. Centuries later, in the 32nd century, The Doctor continues his service as an instructor at the same Academy.

The future of Star Trek on Paramount+ is uncertain. While Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are both planned to return for two more seasons in 2026 and 2027, Paramount Skydance is focusing on making more Star Trek shows for streaming. It’s still unclear if Star Trek: Janeway will be chosen from the many ideas being considered for new series.

As a huge Star Trek fan, I honestly think Star Trek: Prodigy got a really raw deal. It was a surprisingly good show, and it’s frustrating to see it treated the way it was. While it doesn’t seem like we’ll get any more episodes, I’m really hoping Kate Mulgrew gets a chance to wrap up her amazing portrayal of Kathryn Janeway. She deserves a proper send-off that does justice to everything she brought to the role of the Voyager captain.

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2026-01-09 03:29