In January, the Star Trek universe takes another giant leap forward with the release of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The new series focuses primarily on a new generation of characters. With this, the series aims to appeal to both loyal and new fans.

The story takes place in the 32nd century, a future in which the Federation is recovering from a transformative crisis. Central to the story is the first class of Starfleet cadets in over a hundred years. As they are trained to become officers, they learn what it means to bear responsibility in a universe full of political tensions, moral dilemmas, and unknown civilizations. Their training takes place at the Starfleet Academy, but also aboard an active starship.

Largest production set ever

The production of the series has been handled on a grand scale. Filming took place in Canada, where the largest Star Trek set ever was built specifically for this series. Behind the scenes, the series is led by the creative team that has long been responsible for the modern Star Trek series, with the aim of breathing new life into the franchise.

The cast is also remarkably versatile. A group of young actors plays the cadets, supported by experienced names. Holly Hunter plays a central role as the academy leader, while familiar faces from previous Star Trek series appear, alongside some surprising guest roles.

Coming soon

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premieres on January 15 on Paramount+, with a double episode. Afterwards, a new episode will follow weekly for a total of ten episodes in the first season. In other countries Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will be available on SkyShowtime.

After months of silence, there is finally clarity regarding the runtime of the final episodes of Stranger Things. The series is approaching its conclusion, and the precise length of the remaining episodes has now been confirmed by co-creator Ross Duffer himself.

The first four episodes of the fifth season appeared on November 26. This is followed by the second part of the season with another three episodes on Christmas Day. The grand finale is saved for December 31. Ross Duffer shared on Instagram that episode five, titled Shock Jock, lasts 1 hour and 8 minutes. Episode six, Escape from Camazotz, clocks in at 1 hour and 15 minutes. The penultimate episode, The Bridge, is slightly shorter at 1 hour and 6 minutes.

Feature-Length Finale

The series concludes with episode eight: The Rightside Up. It lasts a staggering 2 hours and 8 minutes, making it the longest of the season. The rumor that all episodes would last between 90 and 120 minutes turns out to be incorrect. That speculation arose partly due to the long episodes of season 4, of which the finale The Piggyback even lasted 2 hours and 22 minutes.

The longer runtime of season 4 led to much discussion on social media at the time. In season 5, the creators seem to consciously return to slightly shorter episodes, with the exception of the very last one.

Final Chapter For Netflix Hit

Stranger Things was created by Ross and Matt Duffer. They produce the series together with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen under the banner of Upside Down Pictures and 21 Laps Entertainment. With the finale in sight, one of the most popular titles in Netflix's catalog is coming to an end.

Johan Renck, the Emmy-winning director of Chernobyl, will lead Netflix’s new Assassin’s Creed live-action series. This marks his third collaboration with the streaming giant following his work on Bloodline and Spaceman.

Renck brings immense expertise from Breaking Bad and Vikings. While he previously exited The Last of Us, his vision will now shape this adaptation of the secret war between Assassins and Templars.

Assassin’s Creed

The narrative follows two shadowy factions fighting over humanity's free will. Spanning crucial historical events, the series explores the ancient conflict central to the game franchise, which has sold over 230 million copies worldwide.

Toby Wallace and Lola Petticrew lead the cast as series regulars. Showrunners Roberto Patino and David Wiener join Renck, aiming to deliver a successful adaptation where the 2016 Michael Fassbender film previously failed.

Ubisoft

The production features a massive executive team, including Ubisoft’s Gerard Guillemot. They aim to translate the Animus technology and historical settings into a high-stakes drama that honors the beloved gaming source material.