Netflix just made the same mistake as Paramount+ by not renewing Star Trek: Prodigy for season 3. Star Trek: Prodigy creators and showrunners Kevin and Dan Hageman have signed on to write a live-action Lego Ninjago movie for Universal. While great news for the Hageman brothers and Lego fans, this is bad tidings for more Star Trek: Prodigy on Netflix, just as Paramount+ not greenlighting Star Trek: Picard’s proposed spinoff, Star Trek: Legacy, led to Terry Matalas jumping to new opportunities at Marvel Studios and 20th Century Studios.
Following a dedicated fan campaign, Star Trek: Prodigy was acquired by Netflix in late 2023 after Paramount+ abruptly canceled the beloved CGI animated series. Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 premiered on Netflix on Christmas 2023, followed by all 20 episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 releasing on Netflix in July 2024. Despite Star Trek: Prodigy season 2’s perfect 100% Fresh score and 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix hasn’t budged on ordering Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 – and the streamer’s delay may have cost them Star Trek: Prodigy’s showrunners.
What Lego Ninjago Movie Means For Star Trek: Prodigy
Everything Isn’t Awesome For Star Trek: Prodigy
Kevin and Dan Hageman deservedly took on an exciting new project as screenwriters of Lego’s live-action Ninjago movie. The Hageman brothers executive produced and wrote the first nine seasons of the Ninjago TV series, and a live-action Ninjago is a longtime dream Kevin and Dan are about to fulfill. But the Hagemans focusing their talents on Ninjago means Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 is now on the back burner for the foreseeable future, especially since Netflix hasn’t ordered more Star Trek: Prodigy, and has shown no signs of doing so.
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2’s ending brought all 40 episodes since the series premiered full circle while also serving as the ideal setup for more adventures. Prodigy’s young Starfleet heroes became the new crew of the USS Prodigy and were charged with a mission that could encompass Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 or even a Star Trek: Prodigy movie. Yet despite Kevin and Dan Hageman’s creative team and the cast of Star Trek: Prodigy eager to continue, Netflix didn’t seize the opportunity, just as Paramount+ didn’t fulfill Star Trek: Picard season 3’s creative team and fan demand for Star Trek: Legacy.
Will Star Trek: Prodigy Season 3 & Star Trek: Legacy Happen?
Even if Prodigy Or Legacy Happen, Will Be Years Before Fans See Them
While it’s possible that Netflix could still order more Star Trek: Prodigy, just as it’s not out of the question that Paramount+ could announce Star Trek: Legacy will happen, both projects will now take many years to happen. Kevin and Dan Hageman previously stated that it takes 2 years to produce 20 episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy. Kevin and Dan’s scripting duties for the live-action Lego Ninjago movie, as well as the film adaptation of Dragon’s Lair they’re developing for Netflix, are now the Hagemans’ priorities. Even if Netflix orders Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 immediately, fans likely wouldn’t see new episodes until 2027.
Netflix and Paramount+ not capitalizing on fan demand leaves Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Legacy in a lurch.
Star Trek: Prodigy’s predicament is similar to Star Trek: Legacy’s. Terry Matalas received deserved acclaim for helming Star Trek: Picard season 3, and he impressed Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, a lifelong Star Trek fan. Matalas is now the showrunner of Marvel Studios’ Vision series, which begins production in 2025, and he’s writing an Enemy Mine reboot for 20th Century Studios. Matalas is also spearheading a Magic: The Gathering animated series on Netflix. As exciting as these projects are for Terry Matalas, the Hagemans, and their fans, Netflix and Paramount+ not capitalizing on fan demand leaves Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Legacy in a lurch.