Star Trek: Voyager star Kate Mulgrew returned to the role of Janeway for the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy, which is set to run for years to come. But now the actress is wondering if there could be even more Trek in her future.
Looking at Janeway’s future
In an interview promoting her work on the Showtime series The Man Who Fell to Earth, Kate Mulgrew responded to comicbook.com when asked if she sees any chance of a return to live-action Star Trek:
Well, I think Picard is done, unless I’m quite mistaken… I think they’ve finished, but it’s not likely that Janeway will show up on Picard. But who knows what will happen to her in the future? There seems to be, as I said to you earlier, a tremendous resurgence here, a rather vital one. So for the first time, I’m actually looking at it with new eyes. I wonder what would happen if Janeway were to come back to live-action.
Picard’s third season, which brings back the stars of TNG, will wrap up the series, and it is expected to debut in early 2023. Showrunner Terry Matalas has actively promoted the idea of a follow-up spinoff series set in the early 25th century.
Mulgrew’s openness to a return to live-action Star Trek has evolved in recent years. In 2019, before the launch of Picard, she told TrekMovie she was “surprised” Stewart had decided to do a new Trek series, adding “I don’t know what to say about Janeway. Seven years is a long time to play a character. I’m not sure that she would enjoy resuscitation.” However, in a 2020 interview with TrekMovie, Mulgrew changed course, saying “I think it would be wonderful to explore Janeway’s continued love of adventure and perhaps even, love of power,” but also noting, “I don’t think it is going to happen.”
Vice Admiral Janeway speaking to Jean-Luc Picard in 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis
Surprises in store for Janeway and Prodigy
Regardless of her future in live-action Star Trek, Mulgrew is returning in Star Trek: Prodigy, and she’s now playing multiple characters, including Vice Admiral Janeway, as she tries to find the USS Protostar and Captain Chakotay on board her slipstream drive ship the USS Dauntless. Mulgrew spoke briefly about what’s to come for Janeway on Prodigy:
She is an admiral, but she is capable of surprising even herself, and what is coming will be entirely unexpected and will then turn into something pretty wonderful, taking this into an altogether new season for Janeway in her several incarnations.
Admiral Janeway in Prodigy episode 10
The second half of Prodigy season one is set to arrive later this year.
Find more Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.
She’s doing fine on Prodigy. I think that fully checks the box for her involvement in the new franchise.
I respectfully disagree. If it’s done well, I’m sure Trek lore has plenty of room for live action and animated Admiral Janeway.
I could go for a 3-season Star Trek: Janeway revival with all the cast back.
To be followed by a 5-season DS9 revival, of course.
Make it so!
DS9 is a little tricky because Brooks is never going to say yes to a return and losing Auberjonois and Eisenberg does hurt. But it’s at least reassuring to know we live in a time where there’s serious consideration for spin-off shows formed around individual characters, so if someone has a great idea for a show with Kira, Bashir or O’Brien, it would likely get more consideration these days. Contrast that to how hard fans clamored for Star Trek: Excelsior to no avail.
Absolutely! I would love to learn the story of how O’Brien becomes the greatest Starfleet officer of all time! LoL
Bashir in charge of Section 31, and newly widowed O’Brien reconnects with Ambassador Kira.
I love this!!!
Oh yeah I would love a Star Trek: Janeway show! :)
a serious animated show could resolve the various DS9 casting problems
Ometiklan: “I could go for a 3-season Star Trek: Janeway revival with all the cast back.”
The Doctor: “I adjusted my program so I wouldn’t look so much younger than the rest of you.”
Star Trek: Starfleet Command featuring Fleet Admiral Janeway.
A Voyager reunion show would be very exciting, perhaps in the same vein as Picard S3 rather than Picard S1-S2. I think most of the cast would be up for it.
Hear hear!
I wouldn’t be too surprised if a mini Voyager reunion happens on season 3 of Picard.
Didn’t Robert Picardo say he shot scenes for Picard about a year ago?
No he said that the producers were talking to him about joining season 2 when they probably had a different story in mind. It sounds like they went a different direction and that idea probably died since the story we got in season 2 made it very hard for anyone to return.
I have a feeling we will get a mini-Voyager reunion on Prodigy too. Of course we know we will see Chakotay soon but I think in season two we will see more Voyager characters (fingers crossed). I still think it’s crazy the Doctor isn’t involved at all. It seems like he would be a hologram along with Janeway; at least another version of him.
I think a live action Voyager reunion would obviously be great. I’m not holding my breath for it but with the TNG cast all coming back (which I never thought we would see again until the Picard show was announced), it opens the door for anything now.
Would love to watch Janeway Season 1.
I think shows should not be named after characters. I wish they had chosen a different title for PIC, something like “Aftermath”… It’s just cheap to name a series after a character. So comic-book-ish…
If we go for a VOY reunion, just call it Voyager Phase 2 or New Voyager :-)
Agreed. Especially since the stories they are telling branch outside of just him. This title really never made sense
The Last Picard would’ve at least been more poetic. I don’t dig your specific example but more broadly agree with your point: I think naming all these shows Star Trek COLON Whatever is pretty stupid, too. The Mandalorian is right there as a perfect example — if P+ is going to keep ripping off Disney’s exploitation of the Star Wars IP, at least go all the way!
When you’re speaking of cheep titles I have to be straight and tell you that “Voyager Phase 2” or “New Voyager” are almost not to top in cheep quality 😅 Sorry about it 😄
I agree, to this day I still hate they named the show after Picard. It still feels awkward to me as a title. But I’m also happy that the new shows aren’t just making titles out of the hero ships anymore. That was fine, but also felt a bit lazy after awhile. I’m glad we have titles like Lower Decks, Prodigy and SNW instead of Cerritos, Protostar and um, yeah, Enterprise. OK, they didn’t really have a choice with SNW! ;D
STAR TREK: JUSTICE FOR TUVIX would be a great ten episode story. Janeway on trial, Fleet Admiral Kim presiding over a Federation tribunal, maybe some time travel, a nuBorg Queen character witness (“Janeway is a menace!”). Coming soon to Par Plus!
Her actions on that alliance with the Borg did sell out hundreds of millions of souls to the Borg. I doubted that Starfleet would prosecute her in a court martial proceeding for that, but I was astounded she still got promoted to Admiral with that cluster-F on her record.
Didn’t you see Picard? Borg are forgiven for genocide against all these races and just really want to be your friend now. They don’t even care if robo-Picard has tech more advanced their V’ger that replaces organic life. OK?
Actually you might unintentionally have something there!
I think a story arc that covers V’ger and the Borg, with also the Doomsday Machine thrown in — and shows the relation between all of these — would make for a great story arc on a future Trek series season.
Don’t put all your IP in one miniseries.
Or…. we you could just ignore that Picard is now AI tech more advanced than V’ger, ignore why Picard ditched his friends for decades and make the Borg decide to be good and instead play technobabble holodeck time loops and maybe have some soap opera reunion.
Lord help us all if S3 uses a Dixon Hill holodeck theme as the plot construct. lol
Mmmm… I feel like Captain Proton has a role in here somewhere.
Par for the course with Starfleet admirals.
Yep, you are correct.
You had me until Fleet Admiral Kim. Harry is probably still off being an Ensign somewhere.
Yo…I was thinking the same
I love Prodigy. I can’t speak on what impact it’s had on a new generation but for an old fan I’m so impressed to the point I wonder if Prodigy was really made for a younger audience or for us.
No matter what the medium it has me hooked. I hope it lasts for a long time and I know it will.
I do find it a shame that the people in charge of the animation side of Trek ‘get it’ more than those giving us in my opinion the horrendous DSC that I’ve given up on and PIC which was just terrible.
I’m callin’ it right now, we’re gonna get Star Trek: Janeway as our next 25th-century show with Terry Matalas as the sole show runner and it will either be unveiled this year or next year during the Star Trek Day celebration or at ST:LV. That’s why they left that cliffhanger about the Borg in the season 2 finale of Picard. They’re trying to set up some of what the Janeway show will deal with. It makes sense now, especially if that’s to be resolved in a Janeway spinoff because Voyager mainly dealt with the Borg after season 4.
I’ve got my fingers crossed 🤞! I hope Kate Mulgrew does return 🙂. I’m definitely onboard for it! Live long and prosper, Trekmovie 🖖.
I hope you’re right.
Me too 🤞🙂. Live long and prosper, Silvereyes 🖖.
I wouldn’t be against this either but do people think they would have two shows with Janeway on at the same time (assuming Prodigy goes longer than two seasons)? And Prodigy already has an Admiral Janeway in a similar time period, maybe a decade off from present day Picard. It may get a little confusing lol.
Yeah, it could be “brand confusion”, that’s what it’s called. That’s how come you’ll never see two versions of the Enterprise on screen at the same time because Paramount doesn’t want to cause confusion. But I think Prodigy is almost over, I’m not sure. The brothers signed on to do 40 episodes, two 20 episode seasons, of which they’re halfway through season two already.
There have been hints that there could be a Prodigy movie down the line but that’s all speculation right now. So if they’re nearly at their 40 episode mark already, then why can’t Kate Mulgrew do a Janeway TV show? If Kate Mulgrew wants to come back, they will find a way to bring her back. See, before, she was against coming back in live action.
But she saw Picard and she loved it and now she wants to do something similar with Kathryn Janeway, if it could be done. I mean it’s not like she’s locked in for seven years on Prodigy. No one knows how long her deal is at all. Prodigy might end with the real Janeway offering the kids a place at Starfleet.
I mean people can’t honestly think that Starfleet is just going to let their experimental ship, the Protostar, go traipsing around the galaxy with a bunch of kids running it forever, right? Starfleet’s eventually going to want that ship and it’s technology back so that has to be the eventual endgame (no pun intended) for Prodigy. So when Prodigy ends, why isn’t it feasible for Janeway to segue back into live-action? If you go back over my reply, Tiger2, I said that they will announce the return of Kate Mulgrew to live-action either this year or next, probably next since they’re still doing Prodigy.
But who knows, right? They started teasing SNW all the way back in 2019. So they could start teasing a Janeway show soon. It’s all speculation right now, that’s it.
I understand what you’re saying and if Alex Kurtzman does this the way I think he will, then there will be no brand confusion at all. Janeway herself is the one who brought it up. If there was going to be some type of “brand confusion” possibility, then wouldn’t she know about it and say then that it’s not feasible to see Janeway in live-action right now because she’s on Prodigy? Live long and prosper, Tiger2 🖖.
I’m not sure where you got the idea Prodigy is only meant to go two seasons? So far it’s been renewed for two, but it sounds like the plan is for the show to go on for years if it’s successful enough. All these shows sound like they will go at least five seasons minus Picard of course and that is under a different circumstance.
But of course they can either wait until Prodigy is done but Mulgrew is not a spring chicken herself anymore, if she plays Janeway again it probably will be within the next few years. Yeah its all speculation, Mulgrew isn’t saying she signed on to be in a live action show or anything just that she is now open to playing her again.
But I agree, they would definitely figure something out. Janeway has become a very iconic figure in the fanbase like Picard and Kirk. It’s the only reason she’s on Prodigy now. My guess is they would do everything they can to bring her back in a future show. It doesn’t mean it will be her OWN show but I think we will see her back sooner than later in some form.
I didn’t say that Prodigy’s supposed to last only two seasons, Tiger2. I said that the two brothers who created the show have only been contracted to do 2 seasons, so far. They were hired to do two 20 episode seasons, which is very unheard of in today’s animation. I heard this straight from the brothers own mouths during the Star Trek Day festival last year on Paramount+.
I also read from Brian Robbins, who is overseeing the film franchise aspect of Star Trek, last year that if Prodigy was a hit, which it was, that they were gonna push for a feature film for it and that we could see that film , by the earliest, 2024. Now, if they’re pushing for a Prodigy feature film, then that means that the show must have a set end date. They’re not gonna be doing a show and a movie at the same time for one Star Trek series. So, obviously, the show would have to end in order to get the feature film made.
Now, I’m not gonna sit here and type out links so you could see what I’m talking about. You wanna find it, go and Google Brian Robbins and go watch the Paramount+ Star Trek Day celebration and you can hear the brothers say that they’ve only been contracted to do 40 episodes so far. I don’t know where you get this idea that these shows are meant to last five seasons from? It’s streaming, nothing is guaranteed to last years anymore. Discovery has even been cited as a rarity of a show in today’s era for having the longevity that it’s had.
No shows are guaranteed to last years anymore. When the story they’re telling is done, the show ends. Discovery may just go 7 years just to prove to all the haters out there that the show would last, despite the hate and negativity towards it. But nothing is guaranteed with any of these shows.
Also, as for Janeway having her own show, if it’s in the vein of Picard, then they will probably name it Janeway. I’m open to other possibilities the writers might come up with. But I think each Captain might be getting their own show, like Picard, and that’s why they’ll be named as such after each Captain. I think that that’s what Alex Kurtzman really is intending to do here.
One last adventure for each Captain. I believe that’s why they went out and got another Kirk. All they have to do is wait a few years and Paul Wesley will be old enough to play Admiral Kirk. Then maybe they’ll change it so that Captain Kirk doesn’t die on Veridian III, you know?
This Kirk’s story will end a different way. And I didn’t say the show would be solely about Kathryn Janeway either in reference to Captain Janeway having her own show. I believe Seven and Raffi will be a part of this show. Borg Juratti might be a part of it.
Terry Matalas will be the sole show runner. It’ll be the next 25th century show that we get, that’s what I believe anyways. But I never said Prodigy was ending with two years. If they’re gonna make a movie about it, of course, it’s gonna end then.
But, like I said earlier, this is all just speculation. Nobody knows anything for sure, except for Alex Kurtzman. Live long and prosper, Tiger2 🖖.
OK I understand your point about Prodigy and the two season issue. I didn’t know that but I believe you lol!
And yes I know about the potential Prodigy movie. That was heavily reported everywhere including here. I think it was a shock they came out so soon about it since it was only after the first episode aired they mentioned it. But I will disagree with one thing you said and that is the show would end if it did make it to a film. Usually yes, but animated shows are done a little differently. These obviously are older examples now but you had the South Park and Simpsons movies come out in theaters and the shows still carried on after those. It’s crazy those shows are STILL running today lol. The show could end if they are doing a movie, but I actually suspect it would be made in addition to the show IF they plan to keep running 5+ years but yeah who knows?
As far as the Captain centric shows, that’s a possibility too. As I said I can see a Star Trek Janeway show for sure at this point. And then a Star Trek Archer show and so on. And we know Goldsman has thrown around the anthology idea and those can obviously fit into that.
But even if none of this happens, the one thing does seem to be is nothing is off the table anymore. I think they are open to anyone coming back because they know there is a big enough audience to support anything they do. That must be the case if you have five shows on now and they are all getting renewed. It won’t last forever but for the next 5 years at least they can probably do anything and get people to watch it….as long as its GOOD! And even when it’s not so good most will watch anyway. ;)
Yes, it was shocking to me too, Tiger2, when the announcement for the Prodigy movie came out. But when I read about why the movie was being announced so early and what Brian Robbins and Paramount intend to do with Prodigy, I understood it from a financial point of view. They believe they have the chance to make Disney-level money with Prodigy, if they were to do a movie with it. So that’s why there’s a movie coming so fast.
They want to capitalize on the audience that’s gonna grow immensely because Prodigy is not just on Paramount+ anymore, it’s on Nickelodeon now too. That’s it’s new home and that’s originally where it was supposed to go anyways. I don’t even know if or when we’re gonna get to see the second season on Paramount+, Tiger2, because the second season of Prodigy has now been made a Nickelodeon exclusive and that sucks because I don’t have Nickelodeon. Oh, you also mentioned the Simpsons and South Park as examples for TV shows to movies in regards to Prodigy doing the same transition.
Those are comedic sitcoms, not situation dramas like Star Trek is so there is a difference there. What’s going on in Prodigy is part of an overarching story that has a beginning, middle, and end. The Simpsons and South Park don’t involve long-form storytelling so those examples don’t apply when it comes to Star Trek. Also, you mentioned an Archer show in your reply, I think that’s a possibility now, especially since Scott Bakula’s not doing Quantum Leap.
Yes, it’s a possibility. I still want my Sisko show, though, first 🙂. I do agree with you too about everything being on the table right now. I think a lot of what’s coming has to do with the success of Prodigy and Strange New Worlds. Those two shows having legacy characters on them and being the successes that they are are definitely going to dictate what’s to come in the future.
Live long and prosper, Tiger2 🖖
It’s kinda sitting right there that Old Janeway is presented with a situation wherein she must do something very close to what she did in “Endgame” and go back to Voyager’s past. OR, maybe more to fully utilize “the brand,” jump to different points in the Berman era to correct or prevent certain things in the other Trek shows. Only now Mulgrew won’t even have to do the old age makeup.
Yes, please.
Unless they muck Janeway up as badly as they’ve mucked Picard up, in which case, please no.
Poor holo Janeway, kicked to the curb by the real thing. HOLOGRAPHIC LIFE FORM RIGHTS NOW!!!!
Just kidding, I am hoping that Admiral Janeway escapes the snoozefest back home and somehow replaces holo Janeway lost with the kids somewhere anywhere but any quadrant filled with preachy humans, holodecks and free energy.
Mulgrew/Janeway deserve some good plots for once.
Id they make it, my only wish is that they don’t give it to Akiva Goldsman who’s behind everything wrong with Picard S1 and S2.
If we’re going to keep going to the existing characters well, then why not?
The fact that Picard has FINALLY turned into a TNG reunion makes me hopeful that we will receive Star Trek Voyager – Season 8
I think it’s pretty inevitable now. For years Mulgrew, like Stewart, didn’t seem too interested to return to her character or Star Trek. But being in Prodigy was a nice compromise and was a way to get her to return in some form. But I knew it was definitely a chance we would see her in live action at some point now. It may not happen but it’s possible at least and I’m super excited!
And I don’t know if people are watching the show The Man Who Fell to Earth (also made by Alex Kurtzman) but she’s in that too and really good. Very anti-Janeway lol.
The Sisko first or we riot!! Lol
I think many really want to see Sisko back, including me. But I think Avery Brooks is semi-retired at this point. I can’t remember the last time he’s appeared in any shows or films. And he’s made it clear he was done with Star Trek when DS9 ended. It’s not say he can’t come back since they talked Stewart and Mulgrew to do it, but the chances definitely feel much slimmer than those were.
I got it, the Sisko returns inhabiting the body of… Jake Sisko! ;)
What’s Cirroc Lofton doing these days anyway?
Wait, wait, wait, or if Lofton isn’t available, you jump ahead to Jake as an old man and get Tony Todd back. Or bring both of them back.
I got ideas. Call me, CBS. ;)
Star Trek: Janeway.
Kathryn comes out of retirement on her Indiana farm at the behest of the Sisko, who has suddenly re-appeared. “Go to DS9. Find Kira Nerys…and my son”…
…a new adventure begins.
If we get a Seven and Raffi spinoff after Picard, what’s to stopping the Voyager crew from bumping into the Borg Babe from the Beta quadrant? Throwing in a few guest stars from Voyager along the way, including one Admiral Janeway, would certainly give Star Trek:Seven a boost.
The Picard spin-off should be Star Trek: Janeway. People would love it. Seven and Rafi could be on that too :)
Cool, but can’t be Star Trek: Janeway, Would look like Sisko/Brooks has been slighted.
I think they were lazy calling Picard’s show “Star Trek: Picard”. Should have been Star Trek: Legacies. Three seasons each to catch up on what’s happening with the TNG era captains/crews.
Next, it should be Sisko, though we know Avery Brooks is currently travelling “where no one has bong before”, so might be quite aloof. Still, I would be down.
Then have three seasons with Janeway and crew post Prodigy. The final season of Legacies could be a multi-crew crossover event, leading to a feature film. Would be epic.
Why would it looks like Brooks would be slighted?? The guy said long ago he was done with Star Trek. I really don’t even think he acts anymore. Brooks doesn’t care. DS9 was just a role for him, he’s moved on from it long long ago now.
I do like your Legacies idea though but they probably weren’t thinking beyond just getting Stewart back at the time.
Edit: I finally just went and looked at his list of current roles and I was right. Boy I was more than right lol. The last real role Brooks has done was back in 2001 for a movie called ’15 minutes’. The last thing he was credited for anything, period, was back in 2006 as Sisko in a voice role for a video game. It’s been nothing ever since. Now he was acting in plays so he didn’t just stop acting altogether but he left the TV/Film roles behind literally over 20 years ago now.
So I think fans have to let go of the idea Brooks will ever be involved in Star Trek again and if he is, it would probably just be in an episode or something. He’s not in the same place like Mulgrew and Stewart, who have been working steadily for decades now. Unlike them, Brooks basically left Hollywood behind once DS9 wrapped up.
As long as they ask him. If Brooks says no, fair enough, then move straight to Janeway and mix the season with the DS9 crew too. However, Brooks must be at least asked, who knows? He may feels he is ready to return and start a new challenge. I always expected to see the Emissary return one day in universe, whether it was a show or a film etc.
Sorry I don’t really think he must be asked. Did they ask Shatner to do a Stark Trek Kirk show before they asked Stewart to do one? It’s a business, they will create whatever they think appeals to audiences the most. If they think a Janeway show will be more popular than a Sisko one, then that’s all that matters. This is only something fans would even think about.
And as said, Avery Brooks is not even acting anymore. I will say if he has expressed interest in wanting to at least play Sisko again, then it might be a reason to do something with him again. But as I ALSO said, he said he was done with Star Trek over 20 years ago. Sure they can ask him, but when you already have so many other legacy actors who DOES want to do Star Trek again (and more popular than Sisko), it’s not exactly a big issue anymore either. When it was just TOS and you frankly had 3 actors to rely on to continue the franchise, that’s one ting. Obviously not the case today.
Shatner is 90 years old / would want more money than Stewart, Kirk is dead and doubt they would ask him back due to Shatner’s controversial opinions on Twitter. You honestly think they’ll pass up on the first black captain to reprise his role? Wouldn’t look good at all for Paramount/Kurtzman et al. I feel they must ask him as a professional courtesy.
“you already have so many other legacy actors who DOES want to do Star Trek again (and more popular than Sisko)“
Popularity is subjective, though who are we to say who deserves it more? If that was the case, Stewart, who was indifferent to Trek and hated signing anything from the franchise (as see by my own eyes at Theatre Royal UK, Ian McKellen was the complete opposite with LOTR fans), wouldn’t have been my first pick if we’re going by that criteria.
But here we are. I will say however, giving the actors creative input is a massive mistake IMO. ST: Picard is definitely a good example for that not to happen again.
Sure but Stewart is 80 years old, he’s not exactly a spring chicken himself at this point.
As I said, Avery Brooks has said he is DONE with Star Trek over 20 years ago. He hasn’t acted in anything in about the same time either. It has nothing to do with his race, the guy has moved on from Hollywood.
And of course popularity is subjective, I’m only saying they are going to go with what they think is more popular, period. That could be Sisko, that could be someone else.
I’m just saying the obvious, Avery Brooks might reprise the role in some form, I just don’t think he’s waiting by the phone for anyone to call him about it either and you have a lot of other actors who would do it in a heartbeat if asked. Those are the people they are actually calling to be in future shows or episodes. But of course I would love to see Sisko again, just not holding my breath for it.
Its funny to think the last time Shatner might have played Kirk was in a videogame Starfleet Academy. I mean really in a physical role not just as a voiceover like for Star Trek Legacy, or voicing his Kirk novels on audiobooks.
I would love to see more janeway, and voyager crew! I’m currently getting some of my fix from STO, I haven’t checked out prodigy yet, but soon!
Yes, please, please, please do Star Trek: Janeway!! If not, a voyager update? Janeway is so important!she showed so many young women that you can be smart, a scientist, and in charge and still be female! The scene in parallax (Voager, s1e2) between Janeway and Torres (the chief engineer, also female) changed my life! It showed me it was ok for me to be smart (yup, I’m female). Please, we need more trek with the voyager cast!