Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Spinoff Unlikely Means Thomas Jane Only Appears Once As Bones

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It’s now unlikely that there will be a spinoff series based on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which is a shame considering the talented cast. Filming for the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finished in December 2025, and the episodes are currently being edited for a planned release on Paramount+ in 2027.

After ten years, Paramount+’s run of original Star Trek series has come to a halt. While Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy were the most recent shows, Starfleet Academy was canceled in March, and neither series will return. This marks the first time since 2017 – when Star Trek: Discovery began production – that there are no new Star Trek shows being made or planned.

Seasons 4 and 5 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have already been filmed. Season 4 is expected to launch on Paramount+ in the summer of 2026, and after the final season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy airs, the six-episode fifth season of Strange New Worlds will conclude this current chapter of Star Trek on the streaming service.

Incredibly, it will likely also be the only time fans see a big Hollywood name in Star Trek.

No Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Spinoff Is A Waste Of Thomas Jane

The season 5 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will feature Thomas Jane as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, but it appears he’ll only appear in that one episode. The finale will show Captain Kirk (played by Paul Wesley) taking command of the USS Enterprise for the very first time.

The sets used for both Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy are being dismantled and sold off. This includes the sets for the Starship Enterprise, strongly suggesting that plans for a Star Trek: Strange New Worlds spinoff – Star Trek: Year One, which would have focused on Captain Kirk’s early days commanding the Enterprise – have been cancelled by Paramount+.

Casting Thomas Jane, known for roles in films like The Punisher and The Predator, as Bones McCoy led many to believe he’d become a regular on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. It seemed unusual to hire an actor of his caliber for only a single episode. Sadly, that’s how things turned out.

We don’t know how big Thomas Jane’s role will be in the finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Since plans for Star Trek: Year One seem to be cancelled, fans should appreciate every moment Jane plays Doctor McCoy, as it might be the only time we see his take on the character.

Could Strange New Worlds’ Star Trek: Year One Spinoff Still Happen?

Paramount+ didn’t officially confirm or mention Star Trek: Year One. However, Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, the executive producers and co-showrunners of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, often discussed the possibility of a spin-off series during interviews for season 3. Goldsman playfully hinted at it, suggesting that as long as they had the Enterprise sets, it could happen.

The sets used for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are currently being torn down and sold. It seems odd that Paramount+ would do this before deciding whether to move forward with Star Trek: Year One, especially considering Goldsman and Myers are involved in that potential new series.

Look, as someone who follows the industry closely, the rumors about Paramount Skydance being deeply in debt while trying to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery are really concerning. And honestly, hearing they’re considering building a brand new Starship Enterprise set for a potential Strange New Worlds spin-off just feels… irresponsible. It doesn’t add up financially. It’s starting to look increasingly likely that the Year One project, which fans have been hoping for, is simply not going to happen. It’s a shame, but it feels like the writing’s on the wall.

Given Star Trek’s optimistic message that there are always options, if the show Star Trek: Year One moves forward, it might involve constructing a new USS Enterprise set that looks more like the original starship from Star Trek: The Original Series – mirroring the ship’s upgrade during Captain Kirk’s command.

Unfortunately, it looks like the exciting new relationship between Thomas Jane’s character and Spock (Ethan Peck), including their budding friendship with Captain Kirk, will only play out in the finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Fans will probably be hoping for more adventures with these characters in the future.

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2026-04-13 13:09