In a truly surprising and delightful piece of casting news, the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart has announced today that he will reprise his role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard on a new Star Trek series for the CBS All Access service.
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This series is one of several Trek shows currently in development at CBS. While plot details remain under wraps, Variety reports that it will be a follow-up to the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation, covering the later years of Picard’s life.
Patrick Stewart took to Instagram earlier today to share the news, saying:
“I will always be very proud to have been a part of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when we wrapped that final movie in the spring of 2002, I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its natural course. It is, therefore, an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him. Seeking out new life for him, when I thought that life was over.”
He continued:
“During these past years, it has been humbling to hear stories about how The Next Generation brought people comfort, saw them through difficult periods in their lives or how the example of Jean-Luc inspired so many to follow in his footsteps, pursuing science, exploration and leadership. I feel I’m ready to return to him for the same reason – to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times. I look forward to working with our brilliant creative team as we endeavor to bring a fresh, unexpected and pertinent story to life once more.”
Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery, which premiered on CBS All Access last year and streams locally on Netflix, is set to premiere in January 2019.
The network is also said to be working on a Starfleet Academy series from The OC executive producers Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz.
There is another series in the works based around the classic film The Wrath Of Khan, as well as Star Trek: Short Treks, a series of shorts based on Discovery characters.
Premiere dates for the new shows are not yet known.
