Paul Giamatti is boldly going where no one from “Billions” has gone before: the “Star Trek” franchise.

The Oscar-nominated star of “The Holdovers” has boarded Paramount+’s upcoming series “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” in a major recurring role, Variety reports.

Per the trade, Giamatti will play the first season’s main villain, who has a “sinister connection” to one of Starfleet Academy’s cadets.

“Sometimes you’re lucky enough to discover that one of the greatest actors alive is also a huge ‘Star Trek’ fan, and meeting Paul was one of those miraculous moments for us,” co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau said in a statement. “The sheer delight with which he dove in on ‘Starfleet Academy’ is only surpassed by the gratitude we feel about him joining our incredible cast.”

Giamatti joins Oscar winner Holly Hunter in the cast. Hunter will be playing the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy,...