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What becomes of a cliffhanger when a series is canceled? Does it wither away, like a raisin in the sun? In the Star Wars universe, only one series from the Disney+ era has been officially canceled, , yet its finale was packed with clues about future directions. While much focus has been on the implications of the first appearance of Palpatine's long-lost master, , another unresolved storyline held significant promise.The showrunner has now verified that a popular Jedi would have been involved in a potentially divisive storyline that would have clarified a major mystery from the prequel era.While appearing on (which is not, in fact, hosted by George Lucas), The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland disclosed the intended fate for the show's most significant cameo character. In the series' closing moments, Vernestra Rwoh chooses to seek guidance from a famous Jedi to help conceal the treacherous deeds of her fellow Jedi throughout the series: Yoda himself, one of the few characters alive during that timeline.Yoda’s cameo in the final seconds of The Acolyte Season 1 was supposed to set up a major plot point for a now-canceled Season 2. | LucasfilmQuestioned about whether Yoda would assist with Vernestra's scheme, Headland affirmed "for sure," indicating that Yoda possessed enough understanding of the Dark Side to at least conceal this tragic incident. Headland also remarked that fans should not "come at [her] in the comments" because "[Yoda] does it in the Clone Wars."This is accurate. Yoda not only engages in morally ambiguous actions during his life, but he also directly confronts a manifestation of his own dark side in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Destiny." A core principle of the Force is that both Light and Dark sides reside within every individual; achieving balance is the key. No one, not even Yoda, is an exception to this rule.Yoda quite literally battled his Dark Side in Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 6 Episode 12. | LucasfilmTherefore, even though The Acolyte Season 2 will not be produced, discussions about its potential plot continue. Just as the series did not alter a certain birthday, it also does not change Yoda's established character. While he eventually died at nearly 900 years old, imparting wisdom to Luke, it is plausible that centuries earlier he might have committed some errors.This storyline will never be realized on screen, but this confirmation demonstrates that Headland knew how to depict the gritty reality of the Jedi Council, even if it involved revealing uncomfortable truths about the beloved green Jedi Master.The Acolyte is now streaming on Disney+.

United Archives/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesScream 7 may not be the film franchise fans were hoping for — or even one that needed to be made — but it marked a major leap for director . He’s been tied to the franchise for years, having written all but two installments. His move to directing was a notable shift, but now that the film is out in the world, Williamson is returning to his forte: television.Williamson is a towering figure in the Scream universe, but that’s not his only key work. He also created shows like Dawson’s Creek and The Vampire Diaries, cementing his status as a formative voice in teen drama. His next project sees him revisiting that space, but instead of building a new world, Williamson will be playing in one of the most iconic fictional realms ever crafted.In an interview with , Williamson described as a bit of a detour from other planned stories. “Netflix and Universal were very kind to let me direct Scream VII and put some projects on hold,” he said. “Now I’m focused on those.” The first, Williamson notes, is a TV series “set in the Universal monster land.”Williamson’s Universal Monster series is kind of like “an adult Vampire Diaries.” | Jesse Grant/Getty ImagesLike , the series will bring familiar characters such as Dracula and Frankenstein’s monster into a shared world. It also won’t skimp on Williamson’s flair for melodrama: he compared the project to “an adult Vampire Diaries,” something we haven’t really gotten from him before. The Vampire Diaries did spawn The Originals — a more mature spin-off set in New Orleans — but Williamson wasn’t involved with it. This Universal project could strike a balance between his teen-focused stories and the tales he wants to tell in his second act.“Right now I feel like I’m getting old,” Williamson told Esquire. “My time is ticking, and I have so many stories to tell.” Despite returning to the Scream universe after 15 years, the filmmaker doesn’t want to make a habit of revisiting the same well repeatedly: “With Scream 7, I felt like I found a way to go backwards so that I could go forward.” Revisiting the characters he created, now all grown up, might have given Williamson the inspiration he needed to embrace a new chapter. The fact that it’s the latest addition to Universal’s monster world is just the icing on the creepy cake.

Secret ModeNearly five decades after the first Star Wars film — later retitled — was released in theaters, the franchise has achieved remarkable success in the gaming world. From RPG classics to the Star Wars Jedi titles, Lucas' distant galaxy has become a sought-after setting for developers. Yet few Star Wars games truly capture George Lucas' distinctive style. One forthcoming release evokes that classic feel in a very particular way — Star Wars: Galactic Racer.The genius of translating Star Wars into video games lies in the universe's incredible versatility: there are combat-focused titles that highlight the destructive power of lightsabers, third-person shooters that place a blaster in your hands and a Clone Trooper helmet on your head, and even Kinect Star Wars, which famously delivered Galactic dance-offs in the Mos Eisley cantina.While the most successful Star Wars titles typically belong to the action or RPG categories, one genre has been a persistent challenge: racing games. Dating back to Star Wars: Demolition (a Twisted Metal-style entry), the franchise has long sought the perfect formula for merging high-speed racing competition with its iconic vehicles, and Galactic Racer appears to have finally cracked it.Star Wars: Galactic Racer, the forthcoming release from developer Fuse Games and publisher Secret Mode, is nearly here, and based on early gameplay footage, it looks set to be the first title to truly capture the high-speed, toy-like essence of podracing as Lucas envisioned it in the prequels. Initially showcased in The Phantom Menace as young Anakin Skywalker's escape from enslavement, the perilous sport has made sporadic appearances across Star Wars films and TV shows, serving to enrich the universe's authenticity — much like how Harry Potter uses quidditch as a stand-in for school sports, podracing functions as Star Wars' answer to NASCAR.Set after Return of the Jedi, the game centers on a mysterious pilot named Shade who competes in the Galactic League tournament on the Outer Rim. It will include various vehicles from the franchise — podracers, landspeeders, speeder bikes, and an entirely new addition called skimspeeders. This reflects the developers' deliberate effort to blend the successful elements of their previous projects (Need for Speed and Burnout chief among them) with the visual and tactile hallmarks of the Star Wars universe.Every Star Wars fan has dreamed of piloting a podracer. | Secret ModeA key element of Lucas' Star Wars success was his dedication to physicality and immersion — making podracing not just comprehensible on screen but genuinely exciting, something audiences would want to experience firsthand. Early glimpses of Galactic Racer suggest the game has embraced that ethos, striving to create an experience that's both deeply gratifying to play and richly embedded in Star Wars lore. This includes beloved characters like Ben Quadinaros and Sebulba, rival podracers from The Phantom Menace's iconic race.While it may not carry the same canonical weight as the Star Wars Jedi series or command the established following of the Battlefront titles, Galactic Racer seems to share Lucas' creative approach to the prequels — expanding the universe and rendering it more captivating and mysterious, giving fans genuine motivation to explore it further. For all the franchise's Shakespearean grandeur, it's refreshing to revisit the small, imaginative details that make Star Wars feel truly otherworldly, and hopefully Galactic Racer will maintain that sense of joy in crafting something that looks and feels undeniably cool.Star Wars: Galactic Racer arrives later this year.

Towers Of London/Kobal/ShutterstockThe finest stories are those that stand the test of time—tales that can be retold repeatedly in any medium or setting. They’re frequently familiar, formulaic narratives (like or ), yet that doesn’t diminish their power when placed in Regency-era England or a world of garden gnomes. One such enduring story has been adapted countless times, with the most well-known versions often straying farthest from the original. Now, though, it’s getting a faithful adaptation featuring A-list actors. Muppet Treasure Island is probably the best-known adaptation of the original book to Millennials. | Snap/ShutterstockPer , Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 pirate novel Treasure Island is being turned into a new series with David Oyelowo, Hayley Atwell, and Jack Huston in lead roles. The show is a joint project from MGM+ and Paramount+, with Paramount holding rights only for the UK and Ireland. For American audiences, that likely means tuning into the (often overlooked) MGM+ streamer to watch once it premieres. Treasure Island has been adapted for screens almost since the invention of the movie camera. From a 1918 silent film to Walt Disney’s first live-action feature in 1950 and a 1951 BBC TV version, there are more adaptations across film, TV, and theater than you can count with a peg leg. Disney has made three different versions of Treasure Island in recent years, each with their own unique premise. | Walt Disney PicturesIn recent years, though, the most prominent adaptations have leaned heavily into sci-fi or fantasy — and all were from Disney. In 1996, the Jim Henson Company followed its hit A Muppet Christmas Carol with Muppet Treasure Island, featuring Tim Curry as Long John Silver and current Gorillaz voice actor Kevin Bishop as young Jim Hawkins. Disney’s 2002 release Treasure Planet reimagined the story as a sci-fi space adventure using a mix of 2D and 3D animation. Most recently, in 2024, Disney+ debuted , a Star Wars series with Jude Law that drew heavily from Treasure Island’s plot points. This faithful adaptation can return the story to its origins, delivering a pure narrative of pirate action and hidden treasure. While Treasure Island was originally written for children, it’s a timeless coming-of-age story about a young boy venturing into the vast world to discover his purpose. That’s a tale that doesn’t require droids, space, or singing frogs to be engaging — it already has all the necessary charm. American audiences haven’t seen a straightforward Treasure Island adaptation in ages — the last one was likely a 1999 film with Jack Palance. This series will test whether there’s still an audience for the story without any gimmicks.There is no release date yet for the new Treasure Island.

ParamountDeep Space Nine’s pilot stands out because hardly anyone actually wants to be there. resents being assigned to such a remote, unimportant outpost. Odo isn’t keen on collaborating with the Federation, and Major Kira is openly hostile toward it. For Lieutenant Dax, it’s just another assignment, while Chief O’Brien finds his role particularly challenging. The only person eager to work on the frontier—young Doctor Bashir—is depicted as naive in his excitement.Naturally, the orbiting Bajor doesn’t stay obscure for long. The pilot episode reveals the discovery of a wormhole leading to the far-off Gamma Quadrant, which is inhabited by aliens the Bajorans worship as divine Prophets. Things get more complex when Sisko forms a one-of-a-kind bond with the Prophets, prompting the Bajorans to name him the Emissary of a faith he doesn’t fully believe in.A large part of Deep Space Nine centers on Sisko grappling with his position as a sort of savior, so it was intriguing when Season 4’s “Accession”—which premiered 30 years ago this week—gave him an escape. By this point, roughly halfway through DS9’s series run, Sisko had accepted his role as Bajor’s Emissary but still wasn’t excited about it. So when a Bajoran named Akorem Laan emerges from the wormhole claiming to be the true Emissary, Sisko is glad to hand over the title.Akorem soon has some big ideas for reforming Bajor. | ParamountUnfortunately, Akorem hails from 200 years in the past and is stunned to learn Bajor has discarded its ancient caste system. Major Kira explains that everyone had to set aside their old identities to fight the Cardassian Occupation—a clever way to introduce a new aspect to an already established species. But Akorem argues that Bajor can only recover from the Occupation by reverting to its traditional ways, leading Kira to suddenly find herself fumbling with clay figurines while those she considers “inferior” bow and scrape to not bother her.All of a sudden, no one is content. Caste-based prejudice will derail Bajor’s bid to join the Federation, making Sisko feel like a failure both as a Federation officer and a friend to Bajor. Kira, meanwhile, is caught between her faith and her total lack of skill as the artist she’s “meant” to be. When she announces she’s resigning from the Bajoran Militia to live a quiet life as an apprentice, she doesn’t appear happy about it.Kira prepares for life as a starving artist. | Paramount“Accession” attempts to pose meaningful questions about duty and belief, and adding a slice-of-life subplot about Chief O’Brien readjusting to family life while balancing his close friendship with Doctor Bashir makes for a lot to fit into 45 minutes. Not all of it lands—even though the Emissary is important, it’s hard to believe so many Bajorans would instantly embrace a decades-old caste system again, let alone commit murder to uphold it in the episode’s darkest scene. And while Odo notes that Kira’s faith, which has her switching from one Emissary to another, “seems to have led you to something of a contradiction,” that conflict is never really resolved; instead, it’s brushed aside with a quick trip to the wormhole aliens to Akorem recognizes his mistake and is sent back to his own time, and “Accession” awkwardly glosses over the Godfather-like undertones of Sisko taking his religious rival on a shuttle trip and returning alone to declare the Prophets chose him. As a bold exploration of faith, it’s about what you’d expect from a mid-budget, mid-1990s sci-fi series. But as a midpoint for Deep Space Nine overall, it’s a suitable milestone.“Accession” felt like a nod to the past during Deep Space Nine’s shift from a show focused on Bajor to one about the , and Sisko’s role as Emissary would become as grand as the stakes themselves. However, this episode starts with him blessing a new marriage with the same enthusiasm as someone going for a tooth pull, but ends with him willingly agreeing to attend Bajor’s version of a quinceañera—a small change that helps explain his fierce defense of Bajor in later years.By the end of “Accession,” Sisko is more comfortable with his spiritual role. | ParamountAs for Kira, while most of her initial hostility toward Sisko’s role as a Federation lackey vanished once he became central to her faith, “Accession” still highlights the awkward reality of your Messiah being the same person who approves your budget. Kira spends much of DS9 trying to view Sisko first as her commanding officer, but it’s clear she’ll miss him as a spiritual leader as much as an organizational one. When she’s taken aback by Sisko’s heartfelt reaction to her resignation plans, she realizes she’ll also miss him as a friend.That dynamic of boss, savior, and friend would prove crucial for what lay ahead, as Bajor would be drawn into larger narrative arcs. More immediately, Sisko would grow a bit more at ease. Deep Space Nine didn’t always know how to handle the Emissary role, but in “Accession,” both the series and the character understood that he wouldn’t be the same without it.Deep Space Nine streams on Paramount+.

Paras Griffin/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images has always been busy. Even during the gaps between his numerous turns as Ash Williams in the , over the last 45 years the prolific B-movie legend has stayed consistently booked with independent horror films, television roles, video game projects, and of course, the convention circuit. (In 2025, Campbell attended six fan conventions across the United States.) But in 2026, the Army of Darkness and Ash Vs. Evil Dead star is stepping back — at least temporarily.In a social media post shared Monday evening, Campbell revealed he’s been diagnosed with “a type of cancer that’s ‘treatable’ but not ‘curable,’” noting that “professionally, some adjustments will be necessary — appearances, conventions, and work overall need to take a backseat to treatment.” The message is in Campbell’s signature witty, straightforward tone: “Don’t worry, I’m a tough old son-of-a-bitch with great support, so I plan to stick around for a while,” he stated. He chose not to disclose more details about his diagnosis, explaining he wanted to get ahead of any “false information” that could circulate about his health.You can view Campbell’s complete statement below.He did voice “deep regrets” about canceling upcoming convention stops, and shared: “My goal is to get as healthy as possible this summer so I can go on tour for my new movie Ernie & Emma this fall.” Campbell has helmed a few feature films over the years, but unlike, for example, The Man with the Screaming Brain, Ernie & Emma is surprisingly sincere. Fittingly, it centers on the theme of death: Campbell, who co-wrote and produced the film with his wife Ida Gearon, plays a recently widowed salesman who embarks on a trip to scatter his wife’s ashes throughout their home state of Oregon.While the film’s trailer has plenty of funny moments, it’s bittersweet — even more so given Campbell’s diagnosis — emphasizing the importance of living life to the fullest for as long as possible. And since this is Bruce Campbell, there’s also a scene of him tinkering with something that looks dangerous in a garage: This time, it’s not a chainsaw hand, but a mobile mechanical ash-dispensing device.Renowned for his collaborations with director Sam Raimi, Campbell is a horror icon for good reason. On screen, his charisma matches that of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and his passion for the horror genre plus his friendly sense of humor make him incredibly endearing off-screen too. He’s always been very generous to his fans, and we hope he’s feeling all the love they’ve sent his way since yesterday’s announcement. He’s the best, and we can’t wait to see him again once he’s healthy enough to resume public appearances.Hail to the king, baby. Long live the king.

Paramount PicturesDespite nearly imploding before it even got off the ground, the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog film series has shown remarkable success in its short existence. The series, which made over $490 million on a mere $122 million budget, has already grossed over $1.2 billion globally across just three films in six years, demonstrating a huge fanbase eager to see the blue blur and his growing circle of allies on screen.Two years after the third film hit theaters, director Jeff Fowler has hinted at the return of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and their friends with an Instagram post announcing “Now Filming.” In the update, Fowler holds the large Piko Piko hammer belonging to Sonic’s long-time “girlfriend” Amy Rose, a reminder that several new characters will join the cast in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 that we can anticipate.When Is The Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Release Date?Currently, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is scheduled to release on March 19, 2027—three years after the previous film debuted in cinemas. Amy Rose made her cinematic debut in a post-credits scene at the end of Sonic 3. | Paramount PicturesWhat Is The Plot Of Sonic The Hedgehog 4?Though no official plot details have been released, one of two post-credits scenes in the third film offered a sneak peek, with strong indications that elements may be drawn from a game introducing two of the franchise’s most underappreciated characters. In the clip, Sonic is attacked by Metal Sonic—a menacing robotic clone of the Fastest Hedgehog Alive, created by Dr. Robotnik—whom he defeats, only to find a dozen more clones. Just as they prepare to attack, Amy arrives, quickly dispatching them with her hammer.Both Metal Sonic and Amy Rose first appeared in the 1993 game Sonic CD, often hailed as one of the top 2D platformers in the series. Though Fowler has noted the film won’t strictly follow Sonic CD’s story, it’s likely to borrow key plot points—including Sonic and Robotnik clashing on another planet to control the Time Stones, a time-manipulating alternative to the Chaos Emeralds.While Sonic CD only features one Metal Sonic, the post-credits tease of Sonic 3 suggests there might be dozens of them. | SegaWho Is In The Cast Of Sonic The Hedgehog 4?While there’s been surprisingly little official word on the returning cast for Sonic 4, some characters are likely to return, and two new additions have been announced recently. Sonic 4 is confirmed to star:Ben Schwartz as Sonic the HedgehogKristen Bell as Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog and Sonic’s self-described girlfriendBen Kingsley, in an undisclosed key roleHowever, alongside these new cast members, it’s also reasonable to expect several characters from prior installments to return, including:Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails, a yellow fox with twin tails and Sonic’s best friendIdris Elba as Knuckles, a red echidna with slight anger issues and the spirit of a warriorJim Carrey as Dr. Ivo Robotnik, a genius roboticist and mad scientist who is also Sonic’s arch-nemesisJames Marsden as Tom Wachowski, the sheriff of Green Hills, Montana and Sonic and Tails’ adopted fatherTika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski, a local veterinarian in Green Hills and the adopted mother of Sonic and TailsWhile the next film could simply introduce Metal Sonic and Amy, the vast array of characters in the Sonic universe suggests more heroes and villains may join the sequel. One thing is clear: with ticket sales growing from the first film to the third, Sonic 4 is almost guaranteed to be a box office hit for Paramount, meaning fans will likely keep seeing the blue hedgehog on the big screen for years to come.Sonic the Hedgehog 4 hits theaters on March 19, 2027.

Universal PicturesImitation is supposedly the sincerest form of flattery, but Hollywood has transformed that concept into something barely recognizable. For decades, franchises have been consuming themselves, churning out endless sequels, spinoffs, and remakes to sustain their most valuable properties. Often, it's as grim as it sounds—Universal's struggling "Dark Universe" serves as a prime example. The studio's ambitious effort fell flat, and while it later found modest success with more grounded versions of The Invisible Man and Wolf Man, Universal now appears to be shifting strategy toward a safer bet. The company has enlisted Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett—the filmmaking pair known as Radio Silence—to resurrect the Mummy series and, ideally, correct nearly two decades of mistakes.Though Stephen Sommers' Mummy movies are technically reboots, they're cherished enough to seem like the definitive trilogy. They defined the swashbuckling adventure genre for countless Millennials, though the series concluded on a sour note. The initial two installments starred Brendan Fraser as treasure hunter Rick O'Connell and Rachel Weisz as Evelyn Carnahan, the librarian-turned-Egyptologist who becomes his spouse. Their on-screen rapport was crucial to the reboot's success, yet that magic dissipated when Maria Bello took over Weisz's role in 2008's The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. The third entry also abandoned much of the franchise's appeal in other respects, rendering it a chapter that most fans—and Radio Silence themselves—prefer to disregard.The Mummy 4 will address the franchise's biggest error by... simply pretending it never happened. | Universal Pictures will officially bring Fraser and Weisz back as the O'Connells, raising inevitable questions about continuity. Speculation mounted over whether the film would bypass Tomb of the Dragon Emperor entirely or retroactively alter Weisz's involvement in that story—though story specifics have remained scarce, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have now provided the clearest response yet.When asked in an interview with whether they view Tomb of the Dragon Emperor as canon for The Mummy 4, the directors gave a straightforward response. "Well, Rachel is in this one," Bettinelli-Olpin said."That should answer the question for you," Gillett added.The Mummy 4 appears to be returning to the formula that made the first two films successful—a move that should delight fans, especially since the screenplay already won over Fraser and Weisz. "I doubt Brendan and Rachel would sign on unless they adored the script," Gillett continued. "Based on what they read, I believe they genuinely loved it. It's a strong script... It's truly beautiful, frightening, epic, and fantastic."That blend of elements captures precisely what has been absent since The Mummy Returns, indicating a genuine restoration of the franchise's essence. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have demonstrated their skill at respectful reinvention, particularly in horror through Scream 5 and Scream 6—and they seem to possess the ideal mindset to revive The Mummy saga. This represents one of those uncommon instances where imitation is perfectly acceptable, provided it erases the memory of so many ill-conceived remakes.The Mummy 4 arrives in theaters on May 19, 2028.

HBOGame of Thrones is experiencing a resurgence. Following the success of , it appears there is no shortage of Aegons in the mix: Season 2 of Knight is currently being filmed, additional seasons of House of the Dragon are on the horizon, the Royal Shakespeare Company has a production regarding Robert’s Rebellion in the pipeline, the adventures of Corlys Velaryon are set to be realized through , and a prior Jon Snow spinoff is being modified to center on . Furthermore, a new film is being penned by a television veteran, though it might share similarities with a project already in the works. Per , Beau Willimon, a writer for Andor and showrunner for House of Cards, has turned in a script for a theatrical Game of Thrones movie. Specifics are limited, but the story is said to center on Aegon’s Conquest, chronicling the campaign of King Aegon Targaryen I and his sister-wives, Visenya and Rhaenys, as they subjugate and unify the seven kingdoms into the realm depicted in Game of Thrones. This narrative would be set far back in the timeline, approximately 300 years prior to Daenerys's own quest.Beau Willimon authored the Narkina 5 arc in Andor Season 1 and the Mon Mothma rescue plot in Season 2. | Lisa/AFF-USA/ShutterstockShould Willimon’s script indeed focus on Aegon’s Conquest, it would become the second project in development to depict this event. Mattson Tomlin, co-writer of The Batman Part II, is currently developing a project based on this event, potentially as either a film or a series. Could this be a competitive scenario, with Warner Bros. choosing its preferred version between the two?The report cautions that projects in development do not always advance to production, particularly in this instance. Warner Bros. Discovery is nearing a potential deal with Paramount Skydance, and it is likely that some projects will become casualties of the acquisition, similar to how the planned Wonder Twins movie and others were canceled following Warner's 2022 merger with Discovery. Aegon the Conqueror is the great-great-grandfather of Aegon II, the ruler portrayed in House of the Dragon. | HBOHowever, although we are in the nascent stages of the process, it is apparent that Warner Bros. intends to adapt Aegon’s Conquest in some capacity. House of the Dragon demonstrated the audience's appetite for Targaryen intrigue, so the franchise can revisit the ruling trio that established the Westeros we know. Anticipate numerous announcements of this nature as the corporate merger unfolds, but it is advisable not to be overly optimistic. In the realm of television, you either succeed or get shelved.Game of Thrones is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.

CBS Photo Archive/CBS/Getty ImagesEven with a centuries-long gap and much of Star Trek’s established canon, there are always clever ways to bring past characters into the future. And while 23rd-century characters like Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Reno (Tig Notaro) traveled to this future when Discovery arrived in the 32nd century, other sci-fi techniques beyond time travel exist to move people across eras. You might be quasi-immortal, a Trill with multiple host bodies, or—like Voyager’s gruff doctor simply called “the Doctor”—a long-lasting holographic AI.By now, Star Trek fans know that Robert Picardo’s Doctor from Voyager is a key character in Starfleet Academy, surviving far beyond his 2371 activation; he now instructs at the named space academy in the 3190s. And in Starfleet Academy Episode 8, the Doctor’s path from Voyager’s era to the current time is explored in an unexpected manner. For the second time in Trek’s canonical history, the Doctor has a holographic family—though this time, it doesn’t conclude in tragedy.Spoilers ahead for Starfleet Academy’s “The Life of the Stars.”The Doctor (Robert Picardo) and his holographic daughter, Belle (Lindsey Haun), in the 1997 Voyager episode “Real Life.” | Paramount/CBS“When it comes to Robert Picardo, we were kids when he played the Doctor on Voyager,” Starfleet Academy showrunner Noga Landau tells Inverse. “So you think: If we want this actor to agree—to come back, dedicate years of their life, and put on the uniform again—we need to give them a meaningful role to dive into.”So Landau and series creator Gaia Violo chose to revisit the themes of a 1997 Star Trek: Voyager episode titled “Real Life,” penned by Harry Doc Kloor and a Star Trek legend. In that episode, the Doctor experimented with creating a holographic family, which ended in genuine tragedy when his holographic daughter died. In Starfleet Academy’s “The Life of the Stars,” we learn that in the 32nd century, the Doctor is extremely hesitant to take on another holographic surrogate daughter in the form of because of the painful memories from that earlier episode.“That episode [‘Real Life’] is—let’s just say—traumatic for millennials,” Landau notes. “He built a holographic family only to lose his daughter, so he shut everything down and vowed never to do it again. We knew we had to take a big risk to craft a new story for the Doctor. So we asked Bob [Picardo]: What if you become a father, but for real this time?”Kerrice Brooks as SAM and Robert Picardo as the Doctor in Starfleet Academy. | Paramount+When SAM is taken to her home planet Kasq, the sole way to save her life and repair her programming is for the Doctor to act as a parent and raise her through a simulated childhood. But unlike “Real Life,” the time the Doctor and SAM experience is real for them—even though it lasts just moments for Captain Ake (Holly Hunter). This concept of a life lived in an instant is a classic Star Trek trope, most famously used in The Next Generation’s “The Inner Light.” (Strange New Worlds pulled.)But in “The Life of the Stars,” the Doctor’s time with SAM isn’t merely simulated or in an alternate reality—he and SAM truly live through her entire childhood together, in real time. So when they return to Starfleet Academy, the Doctor and SAM are permanently transformed, now a father and surrogate daughter. Unlike 1997’s Voyager, where episodes like “Real Life” were rarely revisited, this new family bond between the Doctor and SAM won’t conclude with “The Life of the Stars.”“Bob is a mentor figure,” Violo explains. “This episode especially shows their relationship growing now that she’s a teenager. The episode is an emotional farewell to the first SAM, paving the way for the second SAM. And you’ll see more of this relationship in SeasonStar Trek: Starfleet Academy streams on Paramount+.