Star Trek: Voyager star Kate Mulgrew will return to the role of Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Prodigy, the upcoming animated series in the works at Nickelodeon. Reportedly, the news was announced by CBS Studios on Thursday during New York Comic-Con's Star Trek Universe virtual panel, and Mulgrew also spoke about her reprisal of the fan favorite role.

"I have invested every scintilla of my being in Captain Janeway, and I can't wait to endow her with nuance that I never did before in Star Trek: Prodigy. How thrilling to be able to introduce to these young minds an idea that has elevated the world for decades. To be at the helm again is going to be deeply gratifying in a new way for me," Mulgrew said.

"Captain Janeway was held to a different standard than her predecessors," added executive producer Alex Kurtzman. "She was asked to embody an inhuman level of perfection in order to be accepted as 'good enough' by the doubters, but showed them all what it means to be truly outstanding. We can think of no better captain to inspire the next generation of dreamers on Nickelodeon, than she."

Ramsey Naito, President of Nickelodeon Animation, also said, "Kate's portrayal of Captain Janeway is truly iconic, and has resonated with a global audience for many years. We can't wait to see her bring this character to life in a whole new way, while continuing to be an inspiration for both new and loyal fans."

Developed for younger sci-fi fans who may be new to the franchise, Star Trek: Prodigy was created for Nickelodeon by Kevin and Dan Hageman. The pair also serve as showrunners, with Ben Hibon directing. Kurtzman and the Hagemans are exec producing alongside Heather Kadin, Katie Krentz, Trevor Roth, and Rod Roddenberry.

Unlike previous animated Star Trek shows, Prodigy will be using CG-animation to make it more visually appealing for today's Nickelodeon fans. As of now, not much has been revealed about the plot of the animated series. A logline suggests the series will follow a group of "lawless" teenagers who use an abandoned starship to search for adventure. How the former captain of Star Trek: Voyager will play into the story remains to be explained, but more details are likely forthcoming with additional casting announcements expected to be made soon.

This will be the first time Kate Mulgrew will have played Janeway in a Star Trek television series since Voyager ended in 2001. She had a cameo in the TNG-based movie Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002 and voiced the role in the 2006 video game, Star Trek: Legacy. In more recent years, Mulgrew played inmate Red Reznikov on the acclaimed Netflix series Orange Is the New Black for the show's entire six-season run. She also appeared on Mr. Mercedes and has lent her voice to animated series like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, American Dad, and Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters.

Star Trek: Prodigy is expected to premiere on Nickelodeon sometime in 2021. Meanwhile, the live-action Star Trek shows Picard and Discovery are streaming on CBS All Access. This news comes to us from ComicBook.com.