How do you play a character whose fate is already written? Anson Mount addressed what’s next for him after “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” wraps up with season five.
For a franchise that deals with destiny and fate so often, it seems like Mount’s character Captain Christopher Pike is headed toward one that fans already expect. The character has been made aware of his fate in the show through several visions throughout its arc so far. As fans of “The Original Series” know, Captain Pike will be paralyzed after a mission to save Starfleet cadets. However, that knowledge hasn’t diminished the actor’s enjoyment of his role on the show. And after all, Mount is playing a completely new version of the character, even if he is following the path laid out for him.
Anson Mount Reflects on His Roles in the “Star Trek” Franchise
Mount remains in awe of his role as the legendary Captain Pike on “Strange New Worlds.”
“My mother introduced me to the show when I was about 7 or 8, when the original series was running in syndication on a local UHF channel, Sunday nights, six o’clock, channel 13. So, it’s the longest a job has ever remained surreal to me,” Mount said in an interview with TV Insider. “Literally every day, right up until filming the last [Strange New Worlds] episode, there were moments where I’d look around and say, ‘I cannot believe I’m on Star Trek,’ followed by, ‘I cannot believe I’m the captain of the Enterprise.’ That was my make-believe game as a child.”
“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” wrapped filming in December 2025. The show’s fifth and final season will air its shortened, six-episode season in mid-2027.
‘Don’t Hold on to Anything’
When Mount was asked about the likelihood of returning as Pike in another form after “Strange New Worlds” ends, the actor didn’t shy away from the possibility. “I’ve learned in this business, never say never. And who knows? But you have to be able to not hold on to things. Live in the moment,” Mount said. “That’s both an acting lesson and a life lesson, and you really have to get good at it if you’re going to live this life. So I say, ‘You never know.'”
The actor also mentioned that the possibility of his return to the screen as Christopher Pike is up in the air. “I got a call [in 2022] from Kevin Feige to come back and play Black Bolt [in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]. That was great. Never say never. But at the same time, don’t hold on to anything.”
The message to fans is a familiar one, given the recent shake-ups the franchise has experienced. The recent abrupt end of “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” in March 2026 mirrors the fate of “Star Trek: Enterprise” and “Star Trek: Voyager.” The latter two shows are both widely known to fans as having been rushed by writers, and their conclusions left fans deeply unsatisfied. The six-episode final season of “Strange New Worlds” can’t help but feel reminiscent of this franchise phenomenon.
